Step Inside the Rooms Where Giscard d’Estaing Hosted the First G6 Summit 

From a living room frozen in 1975 to archive footage of a world-changing summit, Château de Rambouillet’s newly opened presidential apartment is unlike any château visit in France. 

Tucked behind the formal salons and state rooms of the Château de Rambouillet, a suite of private apartments has remained closed to the public for decades. From July 1st 2026, visitors are able to wander through these rooms, preserved almost exactly as President Valéry Giscard d’Estaing knew them, and catch a rare glimpse of the man behind the diplomacy, of his habits and his family life.  

France’s only château to have served as a royal residence, an imperial retreat, and a presidential home, Rambouillet has always been a place where diplomacy and history happened behind the scenes, away from the Paris spotlights. The Centre des monuments nationaux is now opening 250m² of previously inaccessible space as part of a new visit route dedicated to 100 years of French diplomacy. An opportunity to uncover the chateau’s confidential and unusual history. 

An escape from the city 

Rambouillet is intimately linked to the rulers of France. Prised at first for its location within hunting grounds, the property became a favourite leisure haunt and then residence of some of France’s most powerful and influential personalities: the Count of Toulouse, king Louis XVI, Napoleon, Louis XVIII, Charles X… All favoured the fact that it was located outside yet within easy access of Paris and treasured the quiet lifestyle they enjoyed there. 

It became the official residence of the French Presidents…and remained so until 2018! Over time, the château hosted more than 130 international meetings: De Gaulle and Eisenhower in 1959, Brezhnev signing the Franco-Russian accords in 1977, or Mandela walking the gardens in 1996 with Jacques Chirac. Again, its vast grounds set within a lush forest, far from the capital’s hubbub, created a relaxed atmosphere, even during major diplomatic meetings. In fact, Rambouillet helped shape French diplomacy largely out of sight. 

Diplomacy with a garden view 

Perhaps the most momentous occasion in the château’s recent history was the G6 summit orchestrated by Giscard d’Estaing. It was November 1975 and the leaders of the six most powerful industrial countries had never sat down together. The château was extensively renovated – in just days – for the occasion and it’s this diplomatic heritage visitors can experience in the new route. Giscard chose a blend of 18th-century classical style combined with modern comfort to allow Gerald Ford, Helmut Schmidt, Harold Wilson, Aldo Moro and Takeo Miki to actually relax, witnessing French elegance and refinement, while deciding the fate of the western world.  

From then on, Rambouillet was the stage of many a meeting and summit. The new route takes visitors through period rooms moving through antechambers, bedrooms, boudoirs, galleries, all showcasing a certain interior design and decor. A 25-page Journal de bord provides fascinating insight into each room while TV screens play archival footage. Exceptional witness interviews, including Giscard’s son Louis-Valéry, Jean-Claude Trichet, and the President’s steward Walter Lutringer, complement the exhibit.  

Rambouillet has been a work in progress since 2018, when the Élysée ended its status as a presidential residence and handed sole stewardship to the Centre des monuments nationaux. A first restoration phase in 2023 reopened Napoleon’s apartment and five guest rooms. This July’s opening completes the ambition: the entire château is, finally, open to all. 

Practical information

Open from 1 July 2026.  

Château opening hours: 

1 April – 30 September:  

• 10am – 1pm  

• 2pm – 6:30pm 

1 October – 31 March: 

• 10am – 1pm  

• 2pm – 5pm 

The new apartment is included in the standard ‘Visite découverte’ ticket (€11) and the ‘Grand tour’ (€13). Online booking recommended.  

For more information, visit www.chateau-rambouillet.fr  

Lead photo credit : Presidential appartment, Rambouillet castle © Céline Clanet / Centre des monuments nationaux