Vincennes, Medieval castle and commune in Val-de-Marne, France
Vincennes is a commune in Val-de-Marne on the eastern edge of Paris, with paved streets, residential areas and a large forest at the border. The buildings consist of multi-story structures in stone, small shops and cafés along the main roads.
The royal fortress arose in the 14th century and served French rulers as a residence outside the city. Later it was repurposed as a military facility and held prisoners during the Revolution.
The name derives from the Latin term for grapevines, though no vineyards shape the townscape today. Residents gather in the covered market halls and use the pedestrian zone for daily shopping and conversations with neighbors.
The two metro stations on Line 1 and the RER stop offer direct connections to central Paris in about 20 minutes. Walking paths lead from the station through residential streets to the forest at the eastern edge.
A porcelain workshop produced fine ceramics between 1740 and 1756 and developed techniques that continued later in royal production. Some of these early pieces still carry hidden signatures of the craftsmen on the underside.
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