THE LOST IMPERIAL PALACE

Standing the test of time

An episode from the series THE WONDERS OF FRENCH ARCHITECTURE

Synopsis

An insolent palace overlooking Paris from a hill bordering the Seine was the imperial castle of Saint-Cloud, a splendor burnt down, a victim of the French-Prussian war of 1870.

Built in a 500-hectare park and decorated with fountains, basins, water jets, and waterfalls, the Château de Saint-Cloud rivaled Louis XIV’s Versailles.

Of this wonder, nothing is left except the park surrounding it, but for the past ten years, passionate historians have set out to revive it. Based on exceptional photos, archives, and CGI, they have made breathtaking renditions of the castle.