Musée National de la Renaissance & the Paris Museum Pass
The only museum in France dedicated entirely to the Renaissance — 32 rooms of tapestries, enamels, goldwork, and ceramics in a 16th-century château built for the Constable of France.
Individual ticket
€8
With Museum Pass
Included
Timed slot
Not required
Open
Mon, Wed–Sun
Hours
9:30am–12:45pm & 2pm–5:15pm (winter) · until 5:45pm (Apr–Sep)
Last updated: February 2026 · Prices and details verified
Is the Musée National de la Renaissance — Château d’Écouen included in the Paris Museum Pass?
Yes — the Paris Museum Pass covers full entry to the Musée National de la Renaissance at the Château d’Écouen, saving you €8 per person. No reservation required. Note: courtyard facade restoration works are ongoing through 2026 — some rooms may be closed and the David and Bathsheba tapestry is in storage. The reduced entry rate (€3.50) is currently being applied for individual tickets.
Musée National de la Renaissance — Château d’Écouen — Fast Facts
Address
Château d’Écouen, 95440 Écouen, 95440 Écouen
Nearest Metro
Gare du Nord → Écouen-Ézanville (SNCF Line H, 25 min) → Bus 269 to Mairie/Château (5 min) (SNCF from Gare du Nord)
Bus
Bus 269 from Écouen-Ézanville station
Opening hours
Monday, Wednesday–Sunday · 9:30am–12:45pm and 2pm–5:15pm (until 5:45pm 16 April–30 September) · Closed Tuesday, 1 January, 25 December
Closed
Tuesdays · 1 January · 25 December · Some rooms closed during 2026 restoration
Individual ticket
€8 (2026)
With Museum Pass
Free — included
What to Know Before You Visit
The Château d’Écouen was built between 1538 and 1550 for Anne de Montmorency, Constable of France and chief minister to both François I and Henri II. It is one of the finest examples of French Renaissance architecture, with original decoration including fireplaces in the style of the Fontainebleau School still in place. Since 1977 it has housed the Musée National de la Renaissance — the only museum in France dedicated entirely to the 16th century, holding the Renaissance collections formerly housed at the Musée de Cluny.
No reservation required. No reservation required. The museum opens at 9:30am but closes between 12:45pm and 2pm for lunch. Note: restoration works on the courtyard facades are ongoing throughout 2026, and some rooms may be inaccessible and certain fragile works including the famous David and Bathsheba tapestry series are temporarily in storage. Check musee-renaissance.fr for current room closures before your visit.
Note: Restoration works on the courtyard facades are ongoing through 2026 — the museum is accessed via a provisional entrance at the rear of the château, and some rooms are closed. The celebrated 75-metre David and Bathsheba tapestry series (the museum’s greatest treasure) is currently in storage and unavailable to view. The reduced entry rate of €3.50 is currently being applied to individual tickets to reflect the partial access. The 19-hectare park surrounding the château is free to visit.
Collection Highlights
32 rooms of Renaissance decorative arts — the greatest concentration of 16th-century objects in France.
Highlight 1
The Iznik ceramics
one of the finest collections of 16th-century Ottoman ceramics from Iznik in any museum in the world, with characteristic blue and white floral decoration; acquired by Anne de Montmorency who received them as diplomatic gifts
Highlight 2
The painted enamels of Limoges
16th-century enamelled copper plaques by Leonard Limousin and other masters, depicting mythological and religious scenes in vivid colour and extraordinary technical skill, covering an entire room
Highlight 3
The state apartments with original decoration
16 original fireplaces in the Fontainebleau School style, original painted ceilings, wood panelling, and stained glass, all surviving in the château they were made for in the 1540s and 1550s
Visitor tip: Visit in the morning to make use of the early 9:30am opening — the museum is almost always uncrowded. The lunch closure (12:45pm–2pm) can be spent in the free park, which has excellent views over the plain. Check musee-renaissance.fr for current room closures due to the 2026 restoration works before you travel.
Getting There
From Paris Gare du Nord (banlieue platforms, tracks 30–31), take SNCF Line H towards Persan-Beaumont or Luzarches via Monsoult — 25 minutes to Écouen-Ézanville. Then Bus 269 (direction Garges-Sarcelles) for 5 minutes to the Mairie/Château stop. Total: approximately 40 minutes. By car: A1 from Porte de la Chapelle, exit Francilienne (N104) towards Cergy, then exit Écouen (D316).
Ready to Visit Musée National de la Renaissance — Château d’Écouen?
€8 entry included with the Museum Pass. Plus 50+ more venues across Paris.
Take an SNCF train from Paris Gare du Nord (banlieue platforms, tracks 30–31) on Line H towards Persan-Beaumont or Luzarches via Monsoult — journey time approximately 25 minutes to Écouen-Ézanville station. Then take Bus 269 (direction Garges-Sarcelles) for 5 minutes to the Mairie/Château stop. By car from Paris: A1 motorway from Porte de la Chapelle, exit at Francilienne (N104) towards Cergy-Pontoise, then exit Écouen (D316).
Restoration works on the courtyard facades are ongoing throughout 2026, and the museum is accessed via a provisional entrance at the rear of the château. Some rooms are closed and the museum’s most famous single work — the 75-metre David and Bathsheba tapestry series — is temporarily in storage and not on display. The reduced individual entry rate of €3.50 is currently applied to reflect partial access. Check musee-renaissance.fr for the latest update on room closures.
Écouen is one of the finest surviving examples of French Renaissance architecture — built 1538–1550 for Anne de Montmorency by architects including Jean Bullant and incorporating sculpture by Jean Goujon. Unusually, much of the original interior decoration remains in situ: 16 original fireplaces painted in the Fontainebleau School style, original stained glass, wood panelling, and painted ceilings from the 1540s–50s. Two Michelangelo sculptures once decorated the south wing portico — they are now in the Louvre.
