Château de Compiègne opens new gallery spaces in modernization drive

The Château de Compiègne, criticized in a 2024 Court of Auditors report for declining visitor numbers and poor conservation conditions, has launched a major renovation program. Since late March 2026, six new period rooms have opened in the Cour des Cuisines gallery, displaying works from the reserves. The 35,000-square-meter château, built 1751–1788 for Louis XV and closely tied to Napoleon I and Napoleon III, now houses the Musée de l'Impératrice and the Musée national de la voiture. The new galleries, curated by Laura Gutman and Étienne Guibert, feature paintings, drawings, sculptures, and decorative objects from the 17th to 19th centuries, including Flemish works and Coypel's Don Quichotte series. The route ends with two rooms dedicated to Thomas Couture's unfinished Le baptême du Prince impérial. These additions are part of a broader renovation plan: the imperial library was restored in 2023–2025 for €3 million, the Théâtre Louis-Philippe (1832) is currently undergoing structural repairs, the park façade is slated for 2027–2028, and the Musée de la voiture renovation—initially estimated at €38 million—remains under discussion. The château attracts about 100,000 visitors annually, below pre-COVID levels.