Strolling along Raguidelles Street, in the heights of Suresnes (92), you can’t help but look up at this improbable silhouette that sticks out from the rest of the neighborhood. This 25-meter dungeon with a distinctly medieval air was actually built only in 1924. It has seven floors and rises on one of the town’s highest points. An architectural curiosity well known to the people of Suresnes, but largely unknown to the rest of Île-de-France.
At this site, planners originally intended to build a basilica, touted as the "little sister" of the Sacré-Cœur de Montmartre in Paris. The geographic logic was obvious: Montmartre sits at the eastern tip of Paris, while the hill of Suresnes occupies the same position to the west. Two mirror basilicas, flanking the capital like twin divine sentries. An ambitious project, perhaps even a touch overreaching.
According to local tradition, the driving force behind the keep, Arthur Delaunay, was a committed anti-cleric. He wanted to raise a structure taller than the monumental church originally planned on the adjacent plot. A more prosaic account suggests that, as the contractor charged with the aborted church project, he simply recycled materials already brought to the site for his own purposes, including debris from the old enceinte de Thiers in Paris. The truth probably lies somewhere between the two versions, which only fuels the legend.
The chapel Notre-Dame-de-la-Salette, right beside the keep, is in fact only the substructure, the crypt, of a basilica that was never completed. One can easily imagine how grand the project could have been had it been finished. The view between the two buildings would have carried great religious significance, since the tower interrupted the line of sight to Montmartre. The result: only the crypt was built, inaugurated in 1924, and it is this modest chapel that we see today, wedged between the keep and the ordinary buildings along the street.
Built in meulière stone, this square keep embodies all the hallmarks of medieval architecture: narrow windows that resemble arrow slits, and machicolations along the top floor. The effect is striking, even from a distance. Delaunay had four sons and imagined housing his family in the five units of the tower. His sons preferred to live elsewhere, and the apartments were sold. Today you can still spend a night in the keep, with some units offered for rent featuring a sweeping view of Paris and the Eiffel Tower.
Once the fortress is spotted, it’s hard not to prolong the stroll. Raguidelles Street, perched slightly above, offers a view over the Bois de Boulogne and all the way to Paris, and it’s the ideal starting point for a wonderful day on the heights of Suresnes. Climbing to nearly 162 meters, Mont-Valérien stands as a true natural belvedere overlooking the entire region. The Jacques Baumel promenade, laid out halfway up the slope, invites a loop around the mound in about an hour. Two paths await you: an upper path with an open panorama and a fitness trail, and a lower path that runs along the coppice for a real break from the city.
South of the promenade lies the Mont-Valérien, a sacred site of national memory dedicated to all who died in World War II. The expansive esplanade crowned by a Lorraine cross marks the entrance to the crypt where 16 combatants are laid to rest. A moving path traces the journey of roughly 1,000 patriots executed by the Nazis. Admission is free, and guided tours are available by reservation with seasonal hours. Just a short walk away, the Suresnes American Cemetery holds the graves of nearly 1,600 American soldiers who died for France. As Europe’s only cemetery to commemorate both world wars, it offers a singular vantage on Paris, and its entrance is likewise free. Down below, the Fecheray terrace completes the tableau with an exceptional panorama of the capital, where the Eiffel Tower, Montmartre, and the Panthéon rise on the horizon.
For a tasty break after your stroll, two hidden spots perched high above Suresnes are well worth the detour: Au Père Lapin, a convivial, historic eatery with a guinguette vibe perched up high, and the Bistro Là-Haut, for a meal with a view in a relaxed atmosphere.
To plan your visit, the Suresnes tourist office can be reached at 01 42 04 41 47 and offers information on walks and sites to discover in the town. For getting there, the Suresnes-Mont-Valérien station (Transilien Line L) or the Suresnes-Longchamp station (tramway T2) are the most convenient access points, as are bus lines 160, 241, 360 and 563 and the 244, which links Porte Maillot to Suresnes in about 15 minutes.
This smart pick is aimed at lovers of quirky curiosities in Île-de-France, history buffs, and anyone who relishes uncovering in the Paris suburbs treasures that even Parisians don’t suspect. It’s perfect for a family day out, a group of curious friends, or a solo excursion for a well-filled day, far from the center’s hustle and bustle.
In the same vein, to discover:
- The Houdan keep in Yvelines, a 12th‑century colossus standing 25 meters tall that you can climb to enjoy a panorama of the medieval town
- The astonishing keep of Roche-Guyon in Val-d’Oise, a troglodyte site reopened in 2026 featuring a medieval keep and a 100‑meter secret passage carved into the rock
- In Suresnes, this hospital still hides the vestiges of the estate of the founder of haute couture, Foch Hospital and its discreet fragments of a lavish past linked to the history of Parisian fashion
- In Hauts-de-Seine, this portal is the last vestige of the founder of haute couture’s château, the Snail Gate, recently restored thanks to the Heritage Lottery Fund, the final witness to a Worth estate that vanished in the 1930s
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Location
Suresnes Keep
69 Rue des Raguidelles
92150 Suresnes
Route planner
Prices
Free
Recommended age
For all
