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Rambouillet is a town and commune in the Yvelines département, lying about 50 km south-west of Paris. Population (1999): 24,758. Due to its proximity to Paris and Versailles it has long been an occasional seat of government.

Contents 1 History 2 Features 3 Miscellaneous 4 External links

History

Rambouillet was in the spotlight during the Kosovo Crisis, where parties to this conflict met in February/March 1999 under the auspices of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation. The meeting was meant to end the crisis there, with calls for restoration of Kosovo's automony, ceasefire by Yugoslavian paramilitary forces and allow NATO peacekeeping forces in Kosovo. Yugoslavian authorities refused to sign the Rambouillet Agreement, claiming a deferred independence to Kosovo. This started the Kosovo War: NATO's reaction to the refusal to sign the agreement was a air strike on Yugoslavia (Now Serbia and Montenegro) carried out between March and June 1999.

Features

The old fortified Château de Rambouillet was acquired by Louis XVI of France in 1783 as a private residence; it is still the official summer residence of French presidents. In 1784 Louis XVI had a range built as a meeting for the government (the palace was subsequently rebuilt and occupied as the Palais du Roi de Rome by Napoleon Bonaparte's son).

It was largely ignored until February 1896, when Rambouillet was visited by President Félix Faure, with a view to spending the summer months there. Rambouillet thus became the official summer residence of the Presidents of the Fourth Republic and has retained its position.

Many other buildings owned by substantial political figures are to be found in the town and nearby area.

Miscellaneous

Rambouillet was the birthplace of:

• Ulysse Chevalier (1841-1923), bibliographer and historian
• Robert Benoist (1895-1944), Grand Prix motor racing driver and war hero

External links

• Rambouillet city council website (in French)

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