L'Isle-Adam
L'Isle-Adam, or Balzac's « earthly paradise ». Here, you’ll find beautiful houses, museums, events, and a riverside beach that will add to your joy! On the agenda for visits: the Impressionists’ valley, the Saint-Martin church, the Stors castle and its chapel... plenty to enjoy for a great day out!
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L'Isle-Adam
Val-d'Oise
Accessible by car (1h)
The Cyclop by Jean Tinguely
This 22.5-meter tall sculptural work offers us a unique visual and sound experience! This 300-ton giant made of concrete and metal, erected in the heart of the Milly-la-Forêt forest from 1969 to 1994 by a collective of artists led by Jean Tinguely and Niki de Saint Phalle, looks like it came from another world.
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The Cyclop by Jean Tinguely
Le Bois des Pauvres, Milly-la-Forêt (91)
Accessible by car (1h10)
The Desert of Retz
A desert in the Île-de-France? Almost! The Desert of Retz, an Anglo-Chinese garden from the late 18th century, now spans 17 hectares and still features seven picturesque or extravagant constructions: the Ruined Column, the Tartar Tent, the Ruined Gothic Church, the Temple to the God Pan, the Almost Ruined Little Altar, the Open-Air Theatre, and the Pyramid Icehouse. Between 1774 and 1789, François de Monville, an Enlightenment man passionate about architecture, botany, and music, created the Desert of Retz.
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The Desert of Retz
Anglo-Chinese Garden
Chambourcy (78)
Accessible by car (50 min)
Dammarie-les-Lys and its Royal Abbey of Notre-Dame-du-Lys
The abbey was ravaged during the Hundred Years' War; it took almost two centuries for the Cistercians to rebuild it. By the eighteenth century, the Abbey of Lys gradually lost its fame. Today, only a few parts of the choir and transept of the church, the foundations of the cloister, and a staircase with nearly a hundred steps remain.
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Royal Abbey of Notre-Dame-du-Lys
407, Avenue du Lys – Dammarie-les-Lys (77)
Accessible by car (1h15)
Troglodyte Church of the Annunciation
This is the only church of its kind in Île-de-France, making it a fascinating oddity! The bell tower is the only part made of masonry, while even the exterior facade consists of the chalk rock left in its natural state. The unique nave is entirely carved into the rock. The church has been listed in the Supplementary Inventory of Historical Monuments since 1926.
Troglodytic Church of the Annunciation
144, Route de la Vallée – Haute-Isle (95)
Accessible by car (1h)
Vaux-le-Vicomte Castle
More confidential and less touristy, the Vaux-le-Vicomte Castle is a hidden gem that you shouldn't miss, especially in the sunshine. Nicknamed "the little Versailles", it showcases the very first collaboration between the three geniuses commissioned by Fouquet: Le Vau, the architect; Le Brun, the painter-decorator whose touch can still be seen in some spots; and Le Nôtre, the famous gardener.
The Vaux-le-Vicomte Castle
Maincy (77)
Accessible by car (1h15)
The Sands of Cul-du-Chien
If you're tempted by a "forest bath" and could use a little beach time too, then we have the perfect spot for you: the Forest of Fontainebleau. Not only is the name legendary – the Sands of Cul-du-Chien – but the scenery is absolutely stunning. It looks just like the Landes! Thirty million years ago, a warm ocean laid down quartz here, which has over time transformed into sand.
The sands of Cul-du-Chien
Cul-du-Chien Sand Path – Noisy-sur-École (77)
Accessible by car (1h15)