Our residence bears her name: Les Joséphines. This is no coincidence. It was in Rueil-Malmaison that Joséphine de Beauharnais, Empress of the French, spent her final years and shaped one of the finest estates in the Paris region.
The Château de Malmaison, her home
Just minutes from our residences, the Château de Malmaison was Joséphine’s favourite home. Purchased in 1799, it became her refuge after her divorce from Napoleon in 1809. It was here that she retired, arranged her collections, and passed away in 1814.
Today a national museum, the château is open to visitors: Joséphine’s apartments, the dining room, the library — all preserved as in the time of the Empire. Allow one to two hours for your visit.
The rose garden, her passion
Joséphine was a passionate botanist. At Malmaison she planted hundreds of rose varieties, including the famous “Souvenir de la Malmaison” rose. The restored rose garden remains, in spring, one of the loveliest gardens of West Paris.
Other traces of Joséphine in Rueil
- Saint-Pierre-Saint-Paul Church: Joséphine was buried here in 1814. Her tomb, in the chapel, is a discreet and moving sight.
- The Rueil town centre: our Centre-Ville Historique residence is a stone’s throw from the church. You literally sleep in the footsteps of the Empress.
Where to stay in Joséphine’s footsteps
Our studios and apartments — 11 rue des Cités, 9 rue du 4 septembre and 56 rue Diderot — are minutes from the château. A “Joséphine” weekend in Rueil means the estate visit, a walk along the Seine, and a fully equipped home away from home.