In making this admiring statement, the writer Jean Giraudoux neatly summarizes the challenge. Everything has already been said : which Paris? The French Capital and its qualities? The renowned "city of light"? The city of famous monuments and museums? Of the most beautiful avenue in the world and of its fashionable districts? The Paris of postcards and its lightning 48-hour visits? Of world-famous films and songs? Of the popular districts? The Paris of the banks of the Seine and the heights of Montmartre? The town of intellectuals or that of the popular Parisian "titis"? There are a hundred Parises, there are a thousand. Let's humbly try to recall a few of them...

Despite the pressure of urbanization, in particular in the areas close to the capital, it has succeeded in preserving many of its vast forests. Its past is written large on the pages of France’s history and its artistic heritage is second to none, with several unmissable sites like the Chateaux de Versailles and Fontainebleau, which were royal residences, as well as the Chateaux of Chantilly and Vaux-le-Vicomte, the Saint Denis basilica, etc… This unique region also boasts many chateaux, churches, abbeys and stately homes which offer surprising visits to curious tourists who wish to explore sites that are off the beaten track

The kingdom and the nation of France started with the small realm of the Capetian kings, whose borders expanded over the centuries. The primary and secondary royal residences alternated over the centuries between Paris, Vincennes, Fontainebleau, St-Germain-en-Laye, Marly-le-Roi, Versailles, and Rambouillet. Today, the architectural heritage of the French kings draws tourists from all over the world. Even more varied, and equally interesting is that of the Church, whose power and riches were for a long time greater than that of the king.

The first abbeys appeared in the fifth century, and there was a veritable explosion of construction during the 10th through the 17th centuries. The most prevalent order was that of the Cistercians—created by the preacher Saint Bernard of the Cîteaux Abby in Burgundy. Some abbeys in the Ile-de-France are in ruins, but others have been restored and many of these historic buildings are now romantic settings for culture (concert halls, conference rooms, museums, etc.) or relaxation (unique hotels, seminar retreats, etc.) To mention just a few: Royaumont, founded in honor of the King St-Louis; Chaalis, in the Chantilly Forest; Port Royal-des-Champs, where Racine lived; Les Vaux-de-Cernay, in the Chevreuse Valley, etc.

It was in the Ile-de-France that Gothic art was born, starting in the 12th century. This major architectural movement, famous for its tall structures and its attention to light, spilled over the region’s borders—most of the largest constructions of this period, outside of Notre-Dame-de-Paris, were in Amiens, Chartres, and Beauvais, which are on the outer edges of the region. The Basilica of St-Denis, an exceptional edifice, shelters the tombs of five centuries worth of French kings. The secular architectural heritage is as prestigious as the religious, as the kings of France continually attracted princes and courtesans. Here French architecture, including garden design, reached its summit, thanks to the gifts of artists like Mansart, Le Vau, and Le Nôtre. Their talents shined in the royal residences mentioned above, as well as Vaux-le-Vicomte—which foreshadowed Versailles—Champs-sur-Marne, Sceaux, Chevreuse, Dampierre, Breteuil, Ecouen, Grosbois, and others….

Even more amazing than the extraordinary urban development, the birth of new towns, the creation of commercial and industrial zones, and the convergence of highway and railway networks, is the presence of dozens of relatively well-preserved forests and valleys in Ile-de-France. Once the hunting preserves of the kings of France, a multitude of forests form a greenbelt around the urban area: Chantilly and Ermenonville to the north, Ferrières to the east, Fontainbleau and Sénart to the south, Marly-le-Roi and St-Germain to the west. Planted with a wide variety of trees that act as biodiversity reservoirs, these forests have become settings for all forms of leisure activity, from hiking and climbing, to studying nature, to hunting game or mushrooms. Victor Hugo expressed his admiration for these lush groves when he wrote: “A tree is an building, a forest is a city, and, above all, that of Fontainebleau is a monument.” One can also find many beautiful valleys with rolling landscapes in Ile-de-France, such as that the valleys of the Chevreuse, the Grand and Petit Morin, and the Ourcq. As well as a collection of tiny towns that have preserved their historic medieval or Renaissance center, with half-timbered houses and mullioned windows.

The Impressionist painters immortalized many sites in Ile-de-France, whose landscapes became one of their favorite subjects. Corot painted Fontainebleau Forest and country scenes, Théodore Rousseau and Millet set up shop in Barbizon, Edouard Manet captured the banks of the Seine near Gennevilliers, and Claude Monet, who lived in Véteuil and then at Giverny, painted downstream of Mantes. The area around the Isle d’Adam and the banks of the Oise River were painted by Corot’s disciples; those of the Loing by Sisley; the village of Auvers, its streets, and the surrounding countryside by Van Gogh. Bougival, Chatou, Louveciennes, so many places lining the Seine’s edges that evoke famous works by Impressionists like Berthe Morisot, Caillebotte, and Renoir. Thanks to painters we have a visual testament of the landscapes and inhabitants of the Ile-de-France in the days before photography.

So many places that are as charged with history as the royal palaces and castles. Such as Meaux with its Episcopal palace where Bossuet was made bishop. Blandy-les-Tours, the archetypal medieval fortress, in the heart of Brie. The park of Vallée aux Loups, in Châtenay-Malabry, where Chateaubriand once lived. The confluence of the Seine and the Oise, Conflans Ste-Honorine, capital of the river shipping fleet. Crépy-en-Valois, named after the dynasty that was born there, and that later ruled France. Dampierre Castle, with its perfect proportions, designed by the architect Hardouin-Mansart. Dourdan or Etamps, royal towns under the Capetian kings. Jouarre Abbey, one of the oldest in France, with ruins that date from the Merovingian epoch. The medieval town of Provins, once site of the huge country fairs of Champagne. Rueil-Malmaison, where Bonaparte lived the perfect love with Josephine. Montfort l’Amaury where Ravel composed many of his works.

One can also find traces of the lives of ordinary people in Ile-de-France, like ancient marketplaces covered by huge roofs in the Gâtinais, fountains and dovecotes in Brie, and closer to the city, the “guinguettes,” open-air riverside dance halls, on the edges of the Marne, so joyous and popular during the period between the two World Wars….Many other sites bring back memories of life during other epochs. Today, we add several large theme parks to the list. There are many in Ile-de-France, such as Disneyland Resort Paris, which welcomes over 10 million visitors each year; Parc Astérix, near the Chantilly Forest; Thoiry, with its gardens and African animal park, etc.

Among the many events in the region, you can find—sometimes surprisingly—festivals celebrating plants, lilies, perennials, the harvest, beans, green peas, carrots, hunting, ham, honey, grape harvest, etc. These themes testify to the importance of agricultural activities in the region only a few decades ago….Among the regional products with a proud history count Brie cheese and its many varieties: Meux, Melun, Coulommiers, and Nangis, each one possessing a unique character. The Hurepoix area, which was for a long time the capital’s primary source of produce, is still associated with beans; its center is Arpajon. If the asparagus of Argenteuil and the peaches of Montreuil disappeared from market stalls a long time ago, one can still find certain traditional products in the local markets in the small towns of the region. Poultry is still raised in the Gâtinais, notably the famous Houdan hen, and certain traditional dishes have names that recall their local origins: Argenteuil scrambled eggs, St-Germain soup, Clamart soup, Senlis watercress puree…

In Ile-de-France, like everywhere, the best recipes are those that are linked to memories, a reminder of the region’s rich past…

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