Built for the amazing Anne de Montmorency in the 16th century, this beautiful Renaissance chateau fell into the hands of the Condé family (who already owned Chantilly) at the end of the 17th Century. During the Revolution, it was confiscated from the Condés (who fled the country). Napoleon turned it into a "Maison d'éducation de la Légion d'honneur" which was a French secondary school meant for the education of girls whose father, grandfather or great-grandfather had been awarded the Legion of honor. After Napoleon was defeated and the monarchy was back on the throne, it was given back to the Condé family. In 1850, Louis Napoléon Bonaparte (soon to become Napoleon III), as a copycat of his uncle, turned it again in a "Maison d'éducation de la Légion d'honneur". It remained one until 1962 when it was decided to turn it into a museum dedicated solely to the Renaissance period. It was inaugurated as such in 1977.
Not only is the chateau beautiful in itself, the collections it houses are quite unique: ceramics, objets d'art, stained glass... and a beautiful same scale copy of "the Last Supper" made by a French painter at the time of Leonardo da Vinci!
Ecouen can be done in 4/5 hours round-trip but it is ideally combined with Chantilly to make a one-day trip.