Vaujours is a town in the Seine-Saint-Denis department, in the Île-de-France region, 11 km northeast of Bobigny.
Its territory of 3.7 km², bordering Seine-et-Marne to the east, is located on the hillside and dominates the natural region of the plain of France.
These lands, which belonged to the Bishop of Paris, Etienne de Senlis, were given to the Abbey of Saint-Victor in the 12th century.
In the 17th century, Henri IV owned a hunting lodge there.
Until the beginning of the 20th century, the locality was renowned for its vines, its fruit crops and its straw and fodder traders. As for the old seigniorial castle, it had been transformed into an orphanage in the 19th century. The operation of plasterworks and the installation of a unit of the Atomic Energy Commission which did not leave the town until 1997 then boosted the mutation of Vaujours.
Crossed by the Canal de l'Ourcq, urbanized but dotted with green spaces, the city now has around 7,000 inhabitants. Its heritage and its leisure offer are not lacking in attractions.
In terms of heritage, the seigniorial castle of medieval origin was destroyed by Baron de Maistre in 1770. He erected in its place a building in the neo-classical style consisting of a main building flanked by two pavilions. We notice on the facades, at the level of the central body, a curved pediment on the courtyard side and an Attic style pediment (in reference to ancient Greece) on the garden side.
Its ironwork elements (stair railing) and its sculpted and painted decorations justified its inclusion in the Inventory. It is thus noted on the ground floor that a vestibule with Tuscan columns serving two rooms, decorated with bas-reliefs (Louis XVI style), has been preserved.
From 1839, the estate was transformed into an orphanage and then a high school. The park, for its part, has been reduced due to the city's population growth. The estate is open to visitors during Heritage Days.
Near the castle, the old tithe barn has also been preserved (the bases of which date from the 13th century) where the taxes paid in kind were stored.
Next, see Saint-Nicolas church, rebuilt in 1769 on the foundations of a Romanesque building of which only the bell tower has been preserved. Note that the beautifully crafted stained glass windows date from the 19th century. As for the presbytery, erected earlier (1730), it is the only vestige of the priory dependent on the Saint-Victor abbey. Inside, there are wainscoting, marble fireplaces and a beautiful staircase with wooden balusters.
Still in terms of heritage, the Château Mathieu visible from rue de Coubron, in brick and stone, with turrets, is characteristic of the architecture of the Second Empire... As for the fort of Vaujours, it has was built after the defeat of Napoleon III at Sedan, between 1876 and 1882, as part of the fortified belt of the capital. The site was made available from 1955 to 1997 to the Atomic Energy Commission (CEA) for its cold firing experiments using uranium. The facilities covered about fifty hectares. Part of this area has been converted into a gypsum quarry but the whole remains closed to the public.
Finally, this discovery of heritage can still be punctuated by the buildings of the former national gunpowder factory of Sevran (19th century), a sundial on a facade in the rue de l'Eglise (19th century), a bollard flush with lys (hamlet of Montauban) or the elegant town hall (last third of the 19th century)
In terms of culture, events (readings, literary cafés, exhibitions) are offered regularly at the library (contact +33 1 49 63 39 13) and shows are scheduled at the conservatory of music, dance and dramatic art or at the Roger Grosmaire complex (information on +33 1 48 61 09 95).
For athletes, a fitness trail has been set up near the Place des Fêtes (Fénelon district) and it is possible to reserve a tennis court with the local club (contact +33 6 21 96 53 63).
Walkers and hikers will benefit from a number of parks and areas protected from urbanization in the municipality. Let us mention the Bois de Bernouille, to the south, over 45 hectares (presence of orchids near the Aqueduct de la Dhuis, Natura 2000 area, which adjoins the Promenade de la Dhuis which extends to Seine-et-Marne), and the Parc de la Poudrerie (north-east) and its 137 hectares of woodland. Activities are offered there linked to its remarkable ecological diversity: information on +33 6 89 10 17 36. The Alexandre Boucher park, in the city center, that of La Garenne, to the south, with its playgrounds, are also to be recommended...
And for larger hikes, on foot or on two wheels, in order to reach Seine-et-Marne and the Grand Paris trail or the confines of Vexin to the north, maps and information on +33 1 48 61 96 75 or +33 1 48 54 00 19.