Cité internationale de la langue française - Château de Villers-Cotterêts

A Renaissance jewel and one of the few royal residences in Picardy, the Château de François Ier in Villers-Cotterêts has had several lives: it became national property during the Revolution, and was transformed into a beggar?s home by Napoleon 1st, at once a prison and a hospice. Converted into an old people?s home in 1889, it underwent several degradations and gradually fell into disuse, until it was completely abandoned in 2014. Under the impetus of French President Emmanuel Macron, the château is being revived as the Cité Internationale de la Langue Française, in the heart of an area that is emblematic of our country?s literary history. The birthplace of Alexandre Dumas, Villers-Cotterêts is 10km from La Ferté-Milon, the town of Racine. It is 40km from Château-Thierry, home of La Fontaine, 35km from Villeneuve-sur-Fère, home of Paul and Camille Claudel, and 40km from Ermenonville, where the soul of Jean-Jacques Rousseau still hovers. After four years of construction under the supervision of the Centre des Monuments Nationaux, the Château de Villers-Cotterêts opened its doors to the public on November 1, 2023. The Cité internationale de la langue française, the first cultural venue entirely dedicated to the French language, will share and bring to life its richness, diversity and vitality, in close collaboration with numerous local, regional, national and international partners, including the Organisation internationale de la Francophonie, with which a partnership agreement has been signed from 2021. A permanent tour will showcase the adventure of the French language. Its spread around the world, its evolution in contact with other languages. Its link to the political construction of the nation, its relationship with regional languages and its constant reinvention. Throughout the year, the Cité internationale de la langue française hosts temporary exhibitions, shows, concerts and debates in its auditorium. A variety of events take place under the glass roof and its "lexical sky", as well as training sessions, workshops, educational activities, residencies for artists and researchers, and companies specializing in language technologies. You can also visit the château for a gourmet break in the café, discover new literary releases in the bookshop, or simply stroll through the park and the Retz forest, which has been designated an "exceptional forest". The outdoor areas are open to the public, providing a seamless link between the town, the château, the park and the forest. Other buildings around the Cour des Offices will gradually be developed to accommodate a hotel, restaurant and leisure activities, for which private investors and partners are currently being sought. Like the French language, the Cité will continue to evolve, complementing, enriching and adapting its offerings and activities in line with its audiences.

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