The Ordinance of Villers-Cotterêts, signed here in 1539, is the oldest French legal text still in force today.
The château functioned as a royal residence, a mendicant depot for the poor, and a state retirement home before its recent transformation.
The architectural restoration included the installation of a massive glass roof over the former courtyard, known as the 'verrière'.
The permanent collection uses interactive digital tools to demonstrate the influence of French on world languages.
The site hosts a specific 'Language Laboratory' area designed to explore dialects and contemporary slang.
It is the only cultural center in France entirely dedicated to the French language.
The Cité internationale de la langue française is a cultural institution housed within the renovated 16th-century Château de Villers-Cotterêts. It serves as a laboratory for the French language, focusing on its history, evolution, and global influence. The site is famous for being the location where King Francis I signed the Ordinance of Villers-Cotterêts in 1539, which mandated the use of French instead of Latin in legal and administrative documents. The museum layout includes a permanent exhibition exploring the linguistic development and multicultural aspects of the language. It features the restored Jeu de Paume room, noted for its unique wooden ceiling design. The site serves as a multidisciplinary hub, hosting temporary exhibitions, artistic residencies, and performances. It is situated within the Retz forest region in the Aisne department. Visitors can access the courtyard, the auditorium, and dedicated educational spaces designed for interactive linguistic learning.
The central glass-roofed courtyard, looking up to capture the intersection of Renaissance stone and modern geometry.
Download the official digital companion app before arriving to enhance the interactive exhibits.
Take time to explore the adjacent gardens and the surrounding Forest of Retz after your museum visit.
Check the online calendar in advance to align your visit with live performances held in the auditorium.
Do not attempt to see all interactive displays in under two hours; the depth of content requires a measured pace.
Closed on Tuesdays.
Maintain a quiet volume in the exhibition galleries; photography is permitted for personal use, but flash is prohibited.
