Château de la Madeleine, Medieval castle in Chevreuse, France

Château de la Madeleine is a stone castle above Chevreuse whose 70 by 50 metre curtain wall encloses a keep with 11th-century openings and 15th-century windows. The wall has two square towers facing the village, two round towers, one topped by a watch turret, and a gate whose stone pediment collapsed and was replaced by a wooden lintel.

The first fortifications began between 1020 and 1090 under Guy I of Chevreuse as wooden structures. During the 12th century these were replaced with solid stone walls that define the castle today.

The castle's name comes from its chapel, dedicated to Sainte Marie-Madeleine, and the name later passed to the whole fortress. The keep was altered around 1661 under the supervision of Jean Racine, and the road from Port-Royal des Champs to Chevreuse via the castle bears his name. The courtyard served as an outdoor filming location for the Kaamelott series.

The upper courtyard can be visited free of charge, while the lower courtyard is divided into private plots and closed to visitors. Access to the park headquarters passes through the opening of the former drawbridge. A few rooms are open and an exhibition presents the castle's history.

The castle courtyard served as an outdoor filming location for the Kaamelott series. The keep was partly restored in the 19th century, and the 20th-century park headquarters inside the walls was built with meulière stone, mixing modern architecture with the old rooms.