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| Versailles Hall of Mirrors |
Ile de France enjoys the best of both worlds. Despite its proximity to Paris, it has wide open spaces, densely wooded rural areas and charming villages. Yet Paris is within quick and easy commuting distance using the efficient urban train network – the RER.
Various kings and queens also thought it the ideal getaway retreat, so the region has more than its fair share of palaces, châteaux and vast forests used for their hunting expeditions. At the turn of the 19th century, artists, writers and musicians were of the same opinion, the banks of the rivers Seine, Oise and Marne providing their inspiration.
| Essonne |
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- Medicinal herbs in Milly la Forêt – along with Cocteau’s grave and decorated church
- One-eyed Cyclops in the forest
- Historic Etampes is another ‘Little Venice’
...more about Essonne
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| Hauts-de-Seine |
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- The royal palace and grounds just outside the city gates at Saint Cloud are easy to get to and free
- Daring architecture and high technology at La Défense
- World famous Sèvres porcelain on show in the National Ceramic Museum
...more about Hauts-de-Seine
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| Paris |
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- The Eiffel Tower and the Champs Elysées
- Artists sketching in Montmartre near the Sacré Coeur
- It has to be the most romantic city in the world
...more about Paris
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| Seine-et-Marne |
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- Well-to-do Fontainebleau with its royal palace and sprawling forest
- Smaller is more beautiful at Vaux le Vicomte, the alternative to Versailles
- Art lovers head for the artists’ haunt of Barbizon, near Fontainebleau
...more about Seine-et-Marne
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| Seine-Saint-Denis |
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- Royal burial ground under the motorway interchange at Saint Denis
- Stade de France, the temple to football in Saint Denis
- Flight museum at Le Bourget
...more about Seine-Saint-Denis
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| Val-d'Oise |
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- Pontoise has a remarkable cathedral – almost an architectural history lesson
- The Musée Pisarro in Pontoise
- Art students can see Van Gogh’s wheatfield at Auvers sur Oise
...more about Val-d'Oise
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| Val-de-Marne |
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- The Bois de Vincennes and its adjoining botanical garden
- The royal town of Vincennes with château, infamous dungeon, and zoo
- Singing and dancing in Nogent’s riverside restaurants
...more about Val-de-Marne
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| Yvelines |
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- Versailles is one of France’s “must see monuments”
- St Germain en Laye is the national antiquities centre
- Ile de Chatou on the Seine, was the inspiration for many Impressionists
...more about Yvelines
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