Chateau de Vincennes

Chateau de Vincennes, a former fort and royal residence in what is now simply of suburb of Paris, is definitely one of the less-visited sights in the greater Paris area. But I'm so glad that Oliver and I made the trip to the end of the line 1 metro to see it...

The gate tower (complete with drawbridge!) welcomes you into the grounds:

Which house, among other things, a gorgeous 14th century Saint Chapelle (modeled after the one built by Louis IX in Paris):

The interior had been renovated and was wonderfully light:

Some of the other buildings within the walls are home to offices of the ministries of Culture and Defense:

At the heart of the compound is the donjon (old castle keep) dating to the 12th century:

With a formidable entrance:

And medieval towered walls:

It offered beautiful views of the other parts of the chateau's grounds:

Since the keep, formerly a palace, was most recently used as a prison, there were interesting remnants of those days, including paintings on the walls done by prisoners:

And some serious doors:

Overall, a well-spent afternoon on the edge of the city: