Castle Time

I spent time this summer exploring the Chateau de Vincennes. French kings began hunting on the site in the 12th century when it was a forest conveniently located just to the east of Paris. Louis IX (1226–1270), better known as Saint Louis, was the first king to reside in Vincennes on a regular basis. You’ll find a statue in his honor just in front of the castle. With the Hundred Years’ War raging between the French and the English in the 14th century, Vincennes became the ideal location for a secure residence just outside of Paris. King Charles V was born at Vincennes in 1338. We can thank him for building the castle and massive central tower (52 meters high) that we see still today.

Finished with my research, I imagined a guided visit told not through the eyes of a king but instead a remarkable poet and contemporary of Charles V, Christine de Pizan. Born in Venice in 1364, Pizan moved to Paris as a child when her father was called to the king’s court. She was the first European woman in history to make a living of her writing. You understand why when you read her work, including this famous quote: “Once a man criticized my desire for knowledge by saying that it was not fitting for a woman to possess learning because there was so little of it. I replied that it was even less fitting for a man to possess ignorance because there was so much of it.”

If you are in Paris and have not yet made it to the Chateau de Vincennes, what are you waiting for? Métro Line One will take you straight to the castle. Bienvenue au chateau de Vincennes (chateau-de-vincennes.fr)