The domaine de Courson, located at Courson-Monteloup in the Essonne (91), is once again open to visitors from April 4, 2026 through November 1. Just 35 km southwest of Paris, this listed historic chateau and its double-certified park—the Parc botanique and the Jardin remarquable (labels renewed in 2024 by the Ministry of Culture)—make for an exceptional estate worth discovering for lovers of history and nature alike. Whether you’re drawn by the château, the botany, or simply a family day of renewal, there’s plenty to enjoy outdoors.
Courson Park is no ordinary park. It is the work of two towering figures in 19th-century landscape design: Berthault, the landscaper to Empresses Joséphine and Marie-Louise, and the Bühler brothers, creators of expansive public parks under the Second Empire. Since then, the estate has continually maintained and replanted with a view to both botany and aesthetics, amassing a plant collection of remarkable richness.
Winding avenues weave around a pond, the beating heart of the place, edged by giant sequoias, centuries-old oaks, Virginia tulip trees, blue atlas cedars with their weeping forms and groves of Austrian black pines. This remarkable work even earned the park the Parcs de France award in 1992.
It should be noted that this park, which hides a genuine botanical treasure, was primarily conceived with aesthetics in mind. The purple oaks and conifers of all kinds are part of the bigger picture.
As you stroll along the path, you also encounter discreet architectural treasures: the Children's Pavilion (or the Witch, according to the estate's children), the Delarue's ellipsoidal cold house (1860), a jewel of 19th-century industrial architecture, the Children's Pavilion in Anglo-Chinese style, or the rare 17th-century water tower, which now houses a photographic exhibition on the park's fauna.
The park’s self-guided visit is available Monday to Saturday from 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m., and the Sundays and public holidays from 12:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. During the Spring Break Zone C (April 18 to May 4, 2026), it opens daily from 12:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. The park-only price is €8 per adult, €6 for reduced (7–12 years and seniors 65+), and free for children under 6.
The park visit also features two architectural stops that you wouldn’t see coming. The chapel, with its neatly kept neoclassical style, is freely accessible along the walk and stands as a fine example of the estate’s 19th‑century religious architecture.
Not far away, the Duke of Padua’s stables tell the castle’s history in their own way. Reworked in 1820 by architect Damesme, who assisted Berthault in the estate’s grand restoration drive, they boast an Italianate façade adorned with geminated arches set in brick, whose rhythm evokes a cloister. The walls were finished in ochre plaster, and the entire complex unified by a base of meulières. Inside, the spirit of the period stables remains intact: stalls and mangers, brick floors and the original paving stones are still in place. These former stables have since been converted into modular 335 m² reception rooms, bright and elegant, which today host seminars, receptions and private events in this extraordinary heritage setting.
The estate has chosen to expand its outdoor activities, especially for families. The park visit is organized around three complementary itineraries:
The castle’s guided tour is offered only on Sundays and holidays, and every day during the spring break zone C (April 18 to May 4, 2026). Led by a trained guide, visitors are immersed in centuries of French history, from Louis XIV’s era to the Napoleonic era. The tour notably tracks the fate of General Arrighi de Casanova, Duke of Padua and first cousin of Napoleon, a passionate art lover who gave rise to the gallery that now occupies the north wing.
In the spectacular grand salon à l’italienne, stretching 17 meters and spanning two floors, your eyes are drawn to the remarkable ceiling painted by Denuelle and you encounter a stunning full-length portrait of the Emperor in coronation attire. Tours depart at 2:00 p.m., 3:00 p.m., 4:00 p.m. and 5:00 p.m., with the 4:00 p.m. session reserved for children. The visite château et parc est à 12 euros per adult, 10 euros reduced (7-12 years and seniors 65+), and free for children under 6.
Please note that leashed dogs are welcome, picnics on the grass are permitted, and each visitor is provided with a map of the park. By car from Paris, take the N118 toward Chartres to exit 14, then the N446 toward Marcoussis.
We love this place for its dual appeal: history enthusiasts will delightedly explore with guided tours of the castle and its Napoleonic anecdotes, while families enjoy thoughtfully designed outdoor routes that add meaning to the stroll. What’s appealing when you first discover the estate is how several spaces, each with its own mood, stand out. From the springtime romance of magnolias, glycines, lilas and cerisiers in pale pink hues to the vibrant shades of azalées, camélias and rhododendrons just starting to bloom as we pass, you can’t help but be seduced. The blooms evolve with the seasons, and with autumn arriving, nature lovers will relish the maples turning yellow and orange.
This outing is for: anyone seeking a green getaway within an hour of Paris, to families with children, to heritage and botany enthusiasts, and to walkers who love wide-open spaces.
Also worth discovering:
A few kilometres away, in the Yvelines (78), the Domaine de Dampierre is donning, in spring 2026, a display of no fewer than 80,000 tulips planted in the autumn, blossoming progressively from late March to early May. The gardens designed by André Le Nôtre, surrounding a château by Jules Hardouin-Mansart—the architect of Versailles—provide an exceptional setting for this burst of colour.
Elsewhere in Essonne (91), just 30 km from Paris, the Château de Saint-Jean de Beauregard is also a benchmark meeting place for garden lovers. Be sure to discover its Jardin Remarquable.
Dates and Opening Time
Next days
Tuesday:
from 02:00 p.m. to 05:00 p.m.
Wednesday:
from 02:00 p.m. to 05:00 p.m.
Thursday:
from 02:00 p.m. to 05:00 p.m.
Friday:
from 02:00 p.m. to 05:00 p.m.
Saturday:
from 02:00 p.m. to 05:00 p.m.
Sunday:
from 12:00 p.m. to 06:00 p.m.
Monday:
from 02:00 p.m. to 05:00 p.m.
Location
Courson Estate Park and Castle
Domaine de Courson
91680 Courson Monteloup
Prices
Visite des jardins: €6 - €8
Visite château et parc : €10 - €12
Official website
www.domaine-de-courson.fr
