Versailles, park and royal estate
Park, formal gardens, Petit Trianon and Grand Trianon estates or Hameau de la Reine, the Château de Versailles estate covers 815 hectares of greenery. In the past, the Grand Parc was the royal hunting grounds. There are many remarkable sites to discover during your visit - with a day ticket for the château and gardens, or free of charge for the park - such as the Grand Canal, a 23-hectare cross-shaped water feature, or the Orangerie and its French parterre, which predate the construction of the château.
"Silva Aequilina
Another name given to the Rambouillet forest, when it was still part of the mythical Yveline forest. Classified as an exceptional and protected forest, it is also the largest forest in the region, covering almost 14,000 hectares, 75% of which is deciduous and 25% coniferous. It also boasts a rich ecological heritage (biodiversity of so many animal species, diversity of soils, varied landscapes and vegetation), historical heritage (royal property of Pepin the Short, then of the Abbey of Saint-Denis, and finally of the Counts of Monfort and Angennes) and archaeological heritage (the Gallo-Roman villa at La Millière aux Menuls and the Ardoue Stone found at Les Bottes Rouges).
Natural areas to protect
Created by the département, the ENS are natural sanctuaries scattered throughout the Yvelines. You will find below a presentation of each site, in the hope of inspiring you to visit these conservation areas. There's only one motto here: be attentive and silent, and let nature show you its most beautiful side. For further information: www.sigcg78.maps.arcgis.com.
Once crossed by a Gallo-Roman road linking Paris to Normandy, this forest owes its name to the chapel dedicated to the saint of the same name. Remarkable oak trees were planted here in 1688 by Chancellor de Pontchartrain, to provide timber for the construction of warships.
2. Parc départemental des Côtes Montbron
A secluded 25-hectare valley, this green setting is the perfect place to discover the Ru de Saint-Marc and its three ponds, from which several paths lead off. Between woods and meadows, you'll find the spirit of 19th-century English parks.
3. Rochefort forest
This woodland reveals a heather moorland landscape that is atypical for the département. This plant is particularly favorable to wild bees and the domestic black bee. Made up of a number of hillocks, you'll have a fine view of the village of Rochefort and the Rabette valley, with the chance of spotting the rare whippoorwill.
4. Bois des Gaules departmental forest
Situated on a hillside overlooking the ru de l'Aulne, this bird protection site offers magnificent views of the valley below. A stroll through these woods, part of the Rambouillet Massif, will also allow you to encounter roe deer, hinds, stags and wild boars.
5. Etang départemental du Bout du Monde
The Bout du Monde plain, just a stone's throw from the Elisabethville district, is a paradise for migratory birds such as shoveler, green-winged teal and osprey. This remarkable site is therefore only accessible on supervised visits, so as not to disturb the animals.
6. Méridon departmental forest
This forest owes its name to the Château de Méridon, once owned by the de Breteuil family. Located on the southern slopes of the Yvette valley, it also includes the former Vossery quarry to the northeast, which is heavily wooded and of real entomological interest.
7. Ronqueux departmental forest
Overlooking the Aulne valley, this forest is remarkable for the presence of a wetland zone that supports a number of protected biotopes. This is the case, for example, of the 25 species of dragonfly that have been recorded here and the 38 birds that come to enjoy this oasis.
8. Forêt départementale des Terriers
Situated on the Mantois plateau, near Buchelay, Magnanville and Mantes-la-Jolie, this is a suburban forest of restful calm. The forest is adorned with oak, maple, ash and hornbeam trees, opening onto long avenues that will delight walkers and hikers alike.
9. Parc départemental de la boucle de Montesson
This park is divided into two areas: Domaine de la Borde and its 2 hectares of tranquility, with a collection of trees and perennials; and Etang de l'Épinoche, which extends over 17 hectares to the south, with its reed bed. An observatory enables visitors to study the birds that nest there.
10. Grands Bois departmental forest
Above the village of Morainvilliers, on the northern slopes of the Alluets plateau within the massif of the same name, you'll find an alder grove in the wettest part of the forest. A tree-climbing course is available for children aged 3 and over.
11. Forêt départementale de Pinceloup / Saint-Benoit
This area, which includes the Bois du Roi, the Forêt des Plants, the Bois de Pinceloup and the Forêt de Saint-Benoit, was once inhabited by wolves until the 18th century. There are numerous pools and ponds, including the "fosse aux loups" (wolf pit), as well as a green walkway for exploring the area.
12. Beauplan departmental forest
The 30-hectare Domaine de Beauplan in Saint-Rémy-lès-Chevreuse overlooks the confluence of the Yvette and Rhodon rivers. Criss-crossed by hiking trails, one of them leads to the nearby Champfailly départemental forest.
13. Bois Chauveaux departmental forest
This forest was planted in 1700 by the heirs of Antoine Daquin, the Sun King's first physician. In spring, more than 80 species are in bloom. There are several vantage points from which to admire the Bièvre valley.
14. Forêt départementale des Flambertins
Once a millstone quarry, this forest lies on a clay plateau. It is criss-crossed by two "Promenade et Randonnée" trails, one in Herbeville and the other in Crespières.
15. Champfailly departmental forest and Moulin pond
Very rare in the Yvelines landscape, the Chamfailly forest is home to a calcicole meadow. It also contains the Etang du Moulin, a ravine woodland and a river. A protected butterfly can be seen here: the Great Turtle.
16. Parc départemental du Peuple de l'herbe park
The largest park in the département, it is dedicated to the preservation of insects - which can be observed at the Maison des Insectes. You can set off on a connected walk along one of the educational trails.
17. Forêt départementale de la Madeleine
Shaped by heavy rainfall, this forest is home to the characteristic canyons of the Chevreuse valley, where you can discover mountainous flora. Once a royal hunting ground, its oak trees are said to have been used for the framework of the Château de Versailles.
18. Abbécourt departmental forest
Once part of the hydraulic network of the ancient Abbécourt abbey, this forest still shelters a wetland at the bottom of the valley. A place of change for walkers, with its remarkable trees.
Regional nature parks
Yvelines is also home to two exceptional Regional Nature Parks, which contribute to the département's green reputation. Unique destinations more or less intimately linked to geographical or historical entities, they bring to life a genuine heritage, both prestigious and secret. To the north, almost encircled by the Oise, Seine and Epte rivers, lies the French Vexin. It begins in the Yvelines and continues into the Val-d'Oise, before ending in Normandy. It's one of the most characteristic and best-preserved of the 300 countries that make up France's diversity. It combines the charms of a plateau overlooking the Seine valley, with a mosaic of landscapes (limestone hillsides, chalk cliffs, wetlands such as marshes and reedbeds, woods and forests, and meadows that have replaced vineyards) and authentic, unspoilt villages, made up of castles, fortified farms and discreet cottages. The park also harbors a number of treasures from centuries gone by, from megalithic monuments dating back to the Neolithic to evidence of a Christian past in the 11th, 12th and 13th centuries. To the south, on the borders of the Beauce and Hurepoix regions, the Haute Vallée de Chevreuse is characterized by its varied panoramas. The area is characterized by grain-farming plateaus, never very extensive, punctuated by hamlets and farms. Wooded areas account for 40% of the park, thanks in particular to the eastern part of the game forest of Rambouillet, criss-crossed by roads and crossroads dating back to royal hunting. Valleys, some of them very steep, are irrigated by 90 km of rivers - the Yvette, the Rémarde and their numerous tributaries - and 160 hectares of ponds, some of which were created in the 17th century to supply the Versailles water reservoirs, making them ideal biotopes for certain animal species (mainly batrachians and nesting birds) and recognized as being of ecological interest.
Green walks and circuits
In addition to the many walks and other circuits offered throughout the département by tourist offices and other tourist attractions, the region also features more fun, open-access "nature trails": treasure hunts (at the Parc du Peuple de l'Herbe in Carrières-sous-Poissy), orienteering races (at the Bois des Terriers in Magnanville), connected walks (in the Méridon forest, in Chevreuse), discovery trails(the Sentier des 4 Dragons in Rochefort-en-Yvelines or the chemin de la Salamandre in Chevreuse)... For architectural heritage enthusiasts, you'll need to follow in the footsteps of the ancient castles and chateaux of the Yvelines. For more information, take a look at our Architecture section.
