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Heritage classified

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Origin and history

Malmaison Castle, located in Rueil-Malmaison in Hauts-de-Seine, is an emblematic monument linked to Napoleonic history. His name, of medieval origin, would mean "bad house" (mala domus), perhaps because of his questionable attendance in the ninth century or his past use as a place of care for the sick. The estate, identified from the Middle Ages, passes into the hands of several bourgeois and aristocratic families, including the Goudet, the Dauvergne and the Barentin, who gradually built a mansion and then a castle in the 17th century.

In 1799 Josephine de Beauharnais, wife of Napoleon Bonaparte, bought the castle and made it his main residence after his divorce in 1809. Under his direction, the estate becomes an architectural and botanical jewel, with gardens designed in English style, a rose garden of 250 varieties, and greenhouses housing exotic plants. Napoleon stayed there regularly until 1804, before preferring Saint-Cloud. The castle, renovated by architects Percier and Fontaine, even houses the heart of the French government during the Consulate.

Josephine transforms the park into a "good culture model", introducing rare species from all over the world, such as kangaroos, antelope or Chinese roses. She collaborates with experts such as botanist Étienne Soulange-Bodin and artist Pierre-Joseph Redouté, who documents her roses in a reference book. After his death in 1814, the estate was sold several times, suffering degradation during the Franco-Prussian War of 1870, before being restored by patron Daniel Iffla (Osiris) at the end of the 19th century.

Ranked a historic monument in 1991, the castle now houses a national museum dedicated to the Consulate and the First Empire. It presents restored interiors, such as the Council Chamber in the shape of a military tent, and collections related to Napoleon and Josephine. The park, reduced to 6 hectares, retains elements of its botanical heritage, while statues and obelisks, such as those from the gardens of Marly or the Château de Richelieu, always adorn its facades.

The Malmaison estate, which once covered 726 hectares, was partly loti after 1814. It now includes the Château de Bois-Préau, transformed into a museum annex, and the Petite Malmaison, a private property. The site, which is labeled "remarkable garden", perpetuates Josephine's memory, nicknamed "the Empress of Roses", whose passion for horticulture has marked the history of French gardens.

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