Social groups

The Centre des monuments nationaux, a member of the ‘Vivre ensemble’ initiative, is committed to making heritage accessible to audiences who are distanced from cultural institutions for socio-economic and linguistic reasons. In this way, it contributes to cultural democratisation.

Come and discover the Cité internationale de la langue française, set within the restored château of Villers-Cotterêts, through a range of guided talks, themed tours and workshop tours. Explore the castle’s heritage features and the themes that run through the permanent exhibition dedicated to the French language and Francophone cultures.

The Cité’s team is on hand to help you organise your visit.

Self-guided tour 

You’ll lead your group independently on a heritage tour of the château and along the exhibition route dedicated to the history of the French language. The many interactive displays offer different groups an entertaining and engaging introduction to the French language.

Price: €20 per group
Accessibility: Please contact us to ensure your visit is tailored to your group’s specific needs
Maximum number of people: 25

Guided discovery tour 

Explore the permanent exhibition ‘The Adventure of French’ in the company of one of our guides.

Where is French spoken around the world? Where do some of the words we use every day come from? What is the Ordinance of Villers-Cotterêts? You’ll find the answers to all these questions and more during this tour.

Price: €40 per group
Duration: 1 hour 30 minutes
Accessibility: Please contact us to ensure your visit is tailored to the specific needs of your group
Maximum number of participants: 15
Meeting point: Cour du Jeu de Paume

Themed tours 

To fully experience the permanent exhibition ‘L’aventure du français’, dedicated to the French language and Francophone cultures, discover the three themed tours on offer:

• ‘A Language in Motion’ invites you to play with language and its ability to constantly reinvent itself, to transform through contact with other languages, and to express emotions in very different ways depending on which French-speaking country you are in; 
• ‘Language and Citizenship’ explores the links between language(s) and power, language(s) and identity, as well as the role of regional languages and the various language policies implemented to promote the use of French across the French-speaking world (coming soon); 
• ‘The Language of Molière’ prompts us to consider the reasons behind this designation of the French language and to reflect on the contemporary relevance of the themes addressed in Molière’s plays (coming soon).

Price: €40 per group
Duration: 1 hour 30 minutes
Accessibility: Please contact us to ensure your visit is tailored to your group’s specific needs
Maximum number of participants: 15
Meeting point: Cour du Jeu de Paume

Workshop tours 

• ‘Words à la carte!’ (‘Language in Motion’ trail, associations, social sector) 

The French language is constantly evolving at the crossroads of many influences. It is often after a long journey through other languages that the words we use every day reach us. In this workshop, retrace a word’s journey and bring it to life by creating a postcard.

Price: €60 per group
Duration: 2 hours 30 minutes (1 hour’s tour of the permanent exhibition, 1 hour 30 minutes’ workshop)
Accessibility: Please contact us to ensure your visit is tailored to your group’s specific needs
Maximum number of participants: 15 
Meeting point: Cour du Jeu de Paume

Heritage tours

• The Castle in the Forest

Would the Château de Villers-Cotterêts even exist without the forest that borders it? Prized by François I for its abundance of game, the Retz Forest – now designated a ‘Forêt d’Exception®’ – is closely linked to the castle’s history. The construction of the royal palace, which grew out of the former hunting lodge, led in particular to the developments that have given the forest and the park their current appearance. From the large lawn to the wooded area, from the circular pond to the avenues, via the two boulingrins, discover the various facets of this relationship between built heritage and natural heritage.

• Memories of a castle

Successively a royal residence, a military barracks, a workhouse and a retirement home, the Château de Villers-Cotterêts has led more than one life and has seen many occupants pass through its walls. These are all stories that continue to inhabit the premises of this monument, now known as the Cité internationale de la langue française. Between the Cour des Offices and the Cour du Jeu de Paume, come and explore the various spaces of this castle with a thousand and one lives to understand its transformation over the centuries. Let yourself be guided by the many voices that have echoed through these halls to share its most beautiful tales.

• From castle to city

The signing of the Ordinance of Villers-Cotterêts by François I in 1539 marked the beginning of the bond between the château and the French language. This relationship, now celebrated by the opening of the Cité internationale de la langue française, has guided the development of this unique cultural project, which accompanies the restoration of the monument. The façade of the ‘ ’ (Royal Residence), the King’s Staircase, the Queen’s Staircase and the chapel invite you to take a look behind the scenes of this heritage revival. You can then wander at your leisure through this stunning setting, which now houses the permanent exhibition, for a fun-filled rediscovery of the French language and Francophone cultures.

Price: €40 per group
Duration: 1 hour 30 minutes
Accessibility: Please contact us to ensure your visit is tailored to your group’s specific needs
Maximum number of people: 15
Meeting point: Cour du Jeu de Paume

The permanent exhibition at the Cité internationale de la langue française features over sixty multimedia, audiovisual and interactive displays. The tour will allow you to discover a selection tailored to your group’s level.

The Visitors and Education Department is on hand to help you plan a bespoke tour and organise workshops tailored to your expectations and needs.

Tours are available in French only.