Between towns and urban villages
Since the late 1960s, many Parisians have left the capital to settle on the outskirts, particularly in the Yvelines region, in search of space, peace and greenery. This led to a proliferation of housing estates and urban development projects in many small towns and villages - such as the new town of Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines. An innovative city with a strong intercommunal structure (comprising Élancourt, Guyancourt, La Verrière, Magny-les-Hameaux, Montigny-le-Bretonneux, Trappes and Voisins-le-Bretonneux), the town has developed in a balance of innovative architecture and natural spaces, while respecting its rural and historical heritage and its privileged environment. Elsewhere, as in the Vallée de Chevreuse, villages have retained their old-world charm. Last but not least, certain architectural errors, such as those of the "grands ensembles", are now being rehabilitated.
A thousand and one castles..
The Yvelines département is packed with castles and royal residences built over the centuries. However, a number of them have now been destroyed or abandoned. This is particularly true of buildings from the modern period, such as Château de Marly, built by King Louis XIV, of which only the foundations remain, or Château de Clagny, built for Madame de Montespan. Others have been converted into museums or are privately owned.
Château de Saint-Germain-en-Laye
A jewel of the Renaissance, built at the request of François I by Pierre Chambiges, the Château de Saint-Germain was constructed on the foundations of a fortified castle built in the 14th century by Charles V. The chapel built by Saint-Louis in 1238 was incorporated, and Louis XIV established his residence here, making it the first seat of government in his kingdom. In 1867, on the initiative of Napoleon III, the Museum of Celtic and Gallo-Roman Antiquities was established here. It now houses the Musée National d'Archéologie.
Château d'Hennemont
From a distance, Château d'Hennemont resembles a pink-and-white pastry shop, with its ochre walls, white serrations, turrets and graceful battlements. The 1907 building was designed by Henri Canone, the pharmacist who invented the Valda lozenge! Part neo-Gothic, part Renaissance, it is surprisingly asymmetrical, with a keep, 16th-century gables and a main building surrounded by two 17th-century buildings. It is now home to the Lycée International de Saint-Germain-en-Laye.
Château de Maisons-Laffitte
Built in 1640, Château de Maisons-Laffitte welcomed Louis XIV, who came to stay with its owner, the Superintendent of Finances. Over the centuries, it was almost bought out by Louis XV, who liked to stay there with Madame du Barry, and welcomed Voltaire, who was ill with smallpox. In the early 19th century, banker Jacques Laffitte acquired the property, but his bankruptcy forced him to sell it in 1850. It then passed successively into the hands of a Russian painter and a property developer. The latter planned to demolish the château, which was saved by its purchase by the French state in 1905.
Château de Médan
Château de Médan is an architectural marvel. Formerly a hunting lodge, it was built in the 15th century, and its peaceful calm has attracted many prestigious guests: Ronsard wrote verses here, Paul Cézanne put down his brushes here, and Maeterlinck had one of his plays, L'Oiseau bleu, performed here. Dedicated to the arts, the château was abandoned after the Second World War and converted into a printing works for the "Combat" newspaper in the 1960s. Bought back in 1977 by a group of private individuals who loved the château, it now enjoys a new lease of life, thanks to a fantastic restoration and frequent exhibitions.
Château de Dampierre
Built in the 16th century, the former Château de Dampierre was destroyed in 1670, then rebuilt from 1675 to 1683 by Jules Hardouin-Mansart for one of the most distinguished minds of his time, the Minister of State Charles Honoré d'Albert. The park was designed by the famous André Le Nôtre. He somewhat altered the view of the manor house with its water feature, the Grand Canal and the île aux quatre canaux, distributing basins, carving a "horseshoe" into the hillside, piercing roads and stars through the woods. Surrounded by wide, water-filled moats, the château has two parallel buildings forming a courtyard separated from the main courtyard by a moat.
Château de Breteuil
This 17th-century château in the heart of the upper Chevreuse valley has been owned by the de Breteuil family for 400 years. Its roots in a family famous for its great servants of the state, finance ministers, diplomats and patrons of the arts, is a major factor in the appeal of this estate. Let yourself be guided by the voice and anecdotes of the guide, who shows you the richly furnished rooms still inhabited by the wax avatars of the illustrious kings, queens and artists who have stayed or lived there - such as Louis XVI, Marie-Antoinette, Marcel Proust and, of course, Charles Perrault, whose fairy tales serve as a common thread throughout the visit to the château.
...and castles
The Yvelines region also boasts a large number of fortified castles. While many of them have not withstood the test of time, or have been abandoned by their owners, most of the buildings still standing today are privately owned. Even so, there is still plenty of heritage to visit, taking you back to the days of knights and invasions.
Château de la Madeleine
In the heart of the Chevreuse Valley, this 11th-century military edifice is in a respectable state of preservation. You can admire the enclosure with its two square towers, keep and well, machicolations and ramparts. It passed through the hands of a number of buyers, including Jean Racine, who supervised work on it in 1661. Medieval festivals are regularly held here, reviving the trades of yesteryear.
Houdan keep
Standing like a block, the Houdan keep commands respect with its massive appearance and 25 m height. Built in the 12th century, it was part of the town's fortifications and is the only remaining vestige. Used as a water reservoir, its size was perfect for this purpose.
Château de Montfort-l'Amaury
Situated 180 m above sea level, Montfort-l'Amaury dominates the Roman road from Beauvais to Chartres. The first foundations of this fortified castle were laid around the year 1000. A stronghold of the Montforts, a family close to the kings of France, it was destroyed during the Hundred Years' War. Its picturesque ruins inspired Victor Hugo in his Ode aux Ruines. The two remaining towers and part of the main building can be visited throughout the year.
Sparse religious architecture
In contrast to its castles, the département has a more modest heritage in terms of religious buildings. There are five abbeys and just one monastery. The Cistercian abbey of Les Vaux-de-Cernay dazzles with its extraordinary 12th-century architectural ensemble. In Magny-les-Hameaux, the abbey of Port-Royal-des-Champs stands in the middle of the forest, although it was largely destroyed by order of Louis XIV at the very end of his reign. In Mesnil-en-Yvelines, you'll discover the monastery and abbey of Notre-Dame-de-la-Roche. The abbey of Notre-Dame-de-Clairefontaine has lain fallow since the departure of the Dominican sisters in 1996. Finally, Abbecourt Abbey was demolished in 1827 and used to construct various buildings in Orgeval.
