Baron James de Rothschild commissioned Englishman Joseph Paxton to build for him a splendid château in which to house his art collections. Completed in 1859, this vast Renaissance-style building defied the conventions of the time. Balustrades, galleries and colonnades feature throughout, but each façade is different. Inside, the estate’s history is explained in the Red Room, while on the second floor the Musée de l’Imaginaire displays contemporary works.