Chevreuse village & valley
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Chevreuse - by Philippe Schmidt on Google
Description
Chevreuse is a scenic small village in the Yvelines department, to the southwest of Paris, close to the city of Versailles. It is located within the Vallée de Chevreuse (Chevreuse Valley) which also covers other villages such as Dampierre, Choisel or Saint-Rémy-lès-Chevreuse. Besides villages and short countryside hikes, highlights include various monuments and estates such as Château de la Madeleine, Château de Méridon, the Domain of Dampierre-en-Yvelines (reviewed separately), Château de Breteuil and the restored Vaux de Cernay Abbey (reviewed separately).
Access & Transport
It so happens that Saint-Rémy-lès-Chevreuse is at the end of the RER B line (B4) so it can easily be reached in about 45' from downtown Paris. From there you can rely on the local bus network or walk. The best way to discover the region it to tour it by car though, taking the N118 until Saclay followed by the D306. We highly recommend having a map or GPS app !
Instructions & Recommendations
A good full day itinerary would include a quick visit of the village + Chateau de la Madeleine followed by a hike, then lunch in one of the villages. In the afternoon you can take on Domaine de Dampierre (they have a restaurant as well) or Chateau de Breteuil before heading on to the Vaux de Cernay Abbey and why not have dinner there.
Environmental & Social
Green activity, except for the driving around. Positive for the local rural economy that sees little tourist revenues and helps preserve the architectural heritage of the region.
Conclusion
A visit to the Chevreuse valley with its various villages and monuments makes for a pleasant half-day or full day outing from Paris but this is an activity we would recommend for those with time to invest in discovering the region (or Ile de France residents). If you are pressed for time and it is your first trip to the Paris region then you may want to hit a few more top-rated attractions first.
Key positive
Enjoyable countryside close to Paris
Several Chateaux worthy of a detour
Key negative
Need a car to visit efficiently
The villages and the valley are nice but not A-list
Suitability
Accessible for visitors with reduced mobility except for the forest trails
About this Rating
TYPE
Desktop
RESEARCHED IN
May 2024
PROVIDER
Koreval
av. transport time:1h 10m
est. visit time:3h
Sunrise / early morningNo
MorningOk
Lunch timeOk
AfternoonOk
Sunset / eveningOk
Night – bef. midnightNo
Night – aft. midnightNo