Chateaus of the royal “favorites”

The Vallée Royale de l’Eure was the playground of kings and home to their mistresses including Diane de Poitiers and Madame de Maintenon. Visit these elegant chateaus, some of the most beautiful in France.

The “Royal Valley” gets its name from the chateaus that were home to three famous royal mistresses. The powerful kings that were their frequent companions appreciated the hunting in the region’s many forests and the close proximity to Paris and Versailles. The chateau at Anet was the home of Diane de Poitiers, mistress of Henri II. Maintenon was home to Françoise d’Aubigné, later to become Madame de Maintenon and the secret wife of Louis XIV. Each chateau is furnished, giving a fascinating glimpse into the private lives of these influential women.

The Château d’Anet

Henri II was a young man when he fell under the spell of Diane de Poitiers (who was 19 years older than the king). The beautiful Diane, with her love of the arts and social graces, often stood by the king’s side, eclipsing the queen, the less attractive Catherine de Médicis.

Anet had been a hunting lodge, a place where the king went to get away from court life and to be with his mistress. Here, he would build Diane an elegant new home, the Château d’Anet, completed in 1555. The chateau’s architect, Philibert de l’Orme, was greatly influenced by the Italian Renaissance, a style that comes alive in the intricately sculpted entry gate.

When it was built, the chateau surrounded the courtyard on three sides. Only one, very grand wing exists today, along with the entry gate and an Italian-style memorial chapel – boasting a superb coffered-dome and trompe l’oeil floor. Statues of the goddess Diane, the huntress with her stag, are found on the grounds.

Following the king’s death (he was injured in a jousting accident), a vindictive Catherine de Médicis stripped Diane de Poitiers of many of her jewels and possessions. But Anet was built on Diane’s land from her first marriage and it was hers to live on until her death. You will still see the interlacing letters D and H, symbol of an unbreakable union, throughout the chateau.

The Château d’Anet is still lived in. Visits, accompanied by a guide, are in the afternoon.

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The Château de Maintenon

Madame Scarron, born Françoise d’Aubigné, was governess to the illegitimate children of Louis XIV when, with the help of the king, she bought the Château de Maintenon in 1674. Over the years she gained the king’s trust and friendship, becoming his lover and closest companion. The property gave her new status, especially when the king addressed her publicly as Madame de Maintenon. Following the queen’s death, Madame de Maintenon became the secret wife of Louis XIV, a union that lasted 32 years until the king’s death.

Today, the Château de Maintenon remains an attractive mix of medieval and Renaissance architecture. It is completely furnished and includes bedrooms, a library and chapel, all open to the public. But, Maintenon’s most famous, and perhaps most photogenic, feature is the unfinished aqueduct that runs through its grounds. A project of the Sun King’s to supply water to the many fountains of Versailles.

Madame de Maintenon was not thrilled with the mud and construction behind her home. So, Louis XIV had the marsh, which separated the house from the aqueduct, drained and turned into an elegant canal surrounded by formal gardens, all designed by Le Nôtre. With the new landscaping complete, the chateau’s rear courtyard wall was torn down and the magnificent view opened up. Louis later gave Madame de Maintenon the unfinished aqueduct as a gift, a romantic ruin to complement her garden.

Maintenon is less than an hour’s train ride from Paris’ Gare Montparnasse.

For address and opening hours

Also in the area: The village of Crécy-Couvé was once home to Madame de Pompadour.