Bouffémont is a commune in the Val-d'Oise department, in the Île-de-France region, 10 km north-west of Sarcelles.
Its territory of 4.5 km² is located on the edge of the Montmorency forest (which covers a total of more than 2000 hectares), and which constitutes more than half of the area of the locality, to the south and to the South West.
Divided nowadays into three districts (the historic village, the residential area of Hauts-Champs in the northeast and the Trait-d'Union which makes the junction between the first two), Bouffémont appeared in the Middle Ages as a dependency of the priory of Bois Saint-Pierre, itself under the abbey of Saint-Victor in Paris.
Until the 19th century, the population remained modest and lived mainly from agriculture, chestnut picking and woodworking.
During the 19th century, wealthy families in the capital built second homes and the village was connected to the rail network. However, it was not until the 1970s that the emergence of a new district comprising social housing boosted the demography of the town, which now has some 6,200 inhabitants.
A pleasant residential town, Bouffémont is still one of the "gates" to the Montmorency forest and has a varied leisure offer: enough to arouse the interest of hiking enthusiasts, in particular!
Several elements and heritage sites in the small town are worth a look. A discovery trail can begin with the parish church of Saint-Georges, whose foundations date from the 12th century. Thus, the nave and its aisles were built in the 16th century in addition to a span serving as a choir and a saddleback bell tower (whose roof has two slightly inclined slopes) from the 12th century. These two sets of different heights and with dissimilar roofs astonish the visitor: on the other hand, the same coating covers the facades to restore harmony to the building, of which all the bays are semicircular. In addition, we observe that the portal is protected by a forepart decorated with a pediment.
An 18th century covered washhouse fed by a fountain has also been preserved in the village.
In another vein, the private college on rue Pasteur dates from 1930, designed by the architect Maurice Boutterin. Transformed into a sanatorium after the war, then raised by one floor, it has a roof terrace. Its entrance hall, the central staircase and the library have retained their original architecture with "art deco" decorations. Two sculpted sphinxes are located in the establishment's park, which has become a health center for students.
Nearby, we notice the Villa du Manoir, designed by the architect Frantz Jourdain (1847-1935), built in brick and millstone, which has many gables, deliberately asymmetrical volumes and an octagonal tower…
Château Empain (also called de Bouffémont) is, on the other hand, a perfect example of Louis XIII (classical) style. Built in 1860, it was for a long time the property of Baron Empain (one of the builders of the Paris metro) and then of his descendants. The main building is framed by two perpendicular pavilions, the whole being equipped with French roofs. Some skylights evoke the Renaissance. Built in freestone and brick, the castle has a porch covering barrel vaulted arcades, and it is accessed by a double spiral staircase. Caryatids (sculpted women) frame the door. The noble and vast building, still private, now hosts receptions, seminars or cultural events. Inquire on +33 1 39 91 20 94.
Finally, mention should be made of the outbuildings of the former Château des Brouillards (now gone), on the edge of the forest.
On the cultural side, activities are regularly offered at the library (contact on +33 1 39 91 97 11) and shows and association events are scheduled throughout the year at the cultural center (rue Jean-Baptiste Clément): information on +33 1 39 91 92 18.
In the same street, the municipal sports complex is accessible, which includes a synthetic football pitch and tennis courts (indoors or outdoors): information on +33 1 39 35 43 83. In addition, two bowling alleys are available (rue François Mitterrand and square Jean Moulin) and a city stadium has been set up on rue Alfred de Musset.
Finally, it is strongly recommended to take advantage of the potential represented by the Montmorency forest… Hilly, it was only acquired by the State in the 1970s. It is mainly composed of copses of chestnut trees planted from of the 18th century, and is now the subject of a tree species diversification program initiated by the ONF.
The forest is crossed by a number of themed trails. A 27 km long edge path allows you to go around the massif, this path highlighting the ecological specificities of the forest and certain heritage elements. Among these, the Château de la Chasse (a few hectometres south of the municipal territory of Bouffémont), around which "a Philosopher's path" has been laid out which encourages hikers to reflect on the historical, literary and botanical riches of that sector.
For access by mountain bikers, follow the signs. Maps and information on +33 1 39 64 42 94.
For horse riding, forest side or not, contact the Bouffémont pony club on +33 6 75 39 95 00.
