Château de Malmaison

The estate's origins date back to 1390 when the land was purchased by Guillaume Goudet, a Sergeant-at-Arms for Charles VI, remaining in his lineage until 1763. Following the French Revolution, the property was sold to Joséphine Bonaparte on April 21, 1799, for 325,000 francs. From 1800 to 1802, the château functioned as a seat of the French government alongside the Tuileries, hosting meetings of the Consulate ministers.

After Joséphine's death in 1814, the estate passed through various owners, including Queen Christine of Spain and Napoleon III, before being damaged in the War of 1870 and eventually donated to the State by philanthropist Daniel Iffla in 1903, leading to the museum's opening in 1905.

Originally constructed in the 17th century as a modest manor with Renaissance features, the château underwent significant transformation after its acquisition by the Bonapartes. In 1800, Joséphine and Napoleon commissioned the renowned architects Charles Percier and Pierre François Léonard Fontaine to renovate the old residence. Their work converted the structure into a unique example of elegant and refined Consulate style.

The external architecture reflects a blend of Renaissance heritage and Consulate-era refinement, maintaining a symmetrical façade while updating the interior to suit the tastes of the First Empire.

The museum's permanent collections feature works related to the natural sciences and music, reflecting the interests of the Bonapartes. A significant portion of the holdings is dedicated to Eugène de Beauharnais, Joséphine's son, including his actual bedroom within the château. The estate is also famous for its historical association with the gardens, where Joséphine cultivated hundreds of rare and exotic plant species, aiming to create the 'most beautiful and curious garden in Europe.'

The collection preserves the intimate atmosphere of the residence, distinct from the formal state apartments of other imperial palaces.

Château de Malmaison holds enduring fame as the primary residence of Empress Joséphine and a center of political activity during the Consulate. It represents a unique period in French history where the seat of government was shared between a private home and official palaces. The site is particularly significant for its gardens, which became a model of cultivation and a repository for rare species, and for its preservation of the intimate domestic life of the Bonaparte family.

Today, it stands as a national museum offering insight into the private and public spheres of the Napoleonic era.