_The castle belongs to the Count Turquet de La Boisserie, who allows it to be visited. Apply to the concierge._ [Illustration: ENTRANCE TO THE CASTLE AND THE HÔTEL DES TROIS-POTS] _The entrance shown in the above view is in the Rue du Châtel, quite close to the square of Parvis-Notre-Dame._ On the left side stands the old Hôtel des Trois-Pots, so called from the signboard which hangs from the first floor, and formed of three pots which are being filled by a thin stream of water. This old dwelling recalls all the history of France from the Gallo-Roman conquest to the reign of Henri IV. [Illustration: RUINS OF THE CASTLE CHAPEL] The castle itself, of which only a part exists (visible on the left in the above photograph), was erected on the site of an old Roman fort. At the foot ran the boundary line of the town, partly formed by the wall which encloses this side of the estate and the tower which flanks the north front of the buildings. [Illustration: CASTLE AND PRIORY OF SAINT-MAURICE] The Merovingian and Carlovingian kings often inhabited the castle, situated as it was in the midst of their favourite hunting-grounds. It was the theatre of numerous historical events: Pépin, Duke of Aquitaine, grandson of Charlemagne, died imprisoned there, and Baldwin of Flanders carried off from there the daughter of Charles the Bald. In 987, the last Carlovingian king having died while out hunting, the French lords assembled in the castle and elected, as king, Hugues Capet whose dynasty reigned in France until the Revolution. Philippe-Auguste held festivities there on returning from his wedding with Elizabeth of Hainault. Saint Louis founded the priory of Saint-Maurice. During the Hundred Years War, Catherine of France was married to Henry V. of England at Senlis, in 1420. After Henri IV., the castle, being very dilapidated, was gradually abandoned. Justice was still administered there until the falling in of the Audience Chamber in the eighteenth century. The interior of the castle is in ruins. There is one room to be seen, called Henri IV.'s room, which is shown on the following page. It dates from the thirteenth century, and is covered with fine panelling. The fireplace was altered in the fifteenth century, but the big circular section flue remains just as it was two centuries earlier. [Illustration: ROMAN ENCLOSURE] On the left of this fireplace a thirteenth century window (now blocked up) can still be distinguished. The one at the further end of the room belongs to the sixteenth century. In the photograph some tombstones are seen, resting against the wall; on a fragment placed against the chimney-piece are the arms of Diane de Poitiers (characterised by the crescent); the two cannon balls are of stone; these were hurled from catapults and from the first bombarding machines. [Illustration: HENRI IV.'S ROOM IN THE CASTLE]