Did you know Louis XIV had a secret second wife?
Madame de Maintenon is a fascinating character in French history—a 17th century woman with a difficult childhood (and a gambling father), who ended up at the top of French society after becoming the governess to the illegitimate children of the king and another of his “favorites.”
In 1674 she bought this lovely Château with money given to her by the king in gratitude for her discretion with the children. Later, after his first wife died, the king and Madame de Maintenon were secretly married (!), and were together until his death.
We visited the Chateau on a misty Easter Sunday, and I loved the combination of the intimate interiors and the sweeping, manicured jardin à la française. There’s also a stunning set of arches toward the far end of the property that were a part of the aqueduc system of water transportation for Paris. It’s just about an hour and a half outside of Paris, so it makes for a very nice day trip, and the village of Maintenon is charming as well.
If you want to learn more about the Château de Maintenon, it’s proprietress and its history, check out their website at chateaudemaintenon.fr