Cities & towns of Ile-de-France

The capital of France attracts more visitors with every passing year, and with good reason! At once romantic, prestigious, lively, vibrant, creative and incredibly rich in culture and architecture, the city of Paris is brimming with countless attractions. Its various districts, all very different from each other, and its plethora of museums, exceptional monuments, magnificent parks, designer boutiques, Art Déco brasseries, typical little bistros and old bookshops are sure to enchant you. Art-lovers can’t help but be seduced by the masterpieces at the Louvre, the Impressionist collections of the Orsay Museum, the canvases and sculptures at the Picasso Museum, or the paintings at the Carnavalet Museum. There is plenty of architectural heritage too, and the greatest eras of history have made their mark all over Paris. From Antiquity, with the Gallo-Roman thermal baths in Cluny, to the 19th century with the unmissable Eiffel Tower and the majestic Arc de Triompe, through the Middle Ages with the famous cathedral of Notre-Dame de Paris and the picturesque John the Fearless Tower, visitors in search of sightseeing are spoilt for choice! And after a pleasant walk on the banks of the Seine or along the peaceful paths in the Garden of Plants, Monceau Park or the Tuileries Garden, you surely won’t want ever want to leave this charming and splendid city of a thousand faces!

West of Paris and crossed by the River Seine, the département of the Hauts-de-Seine is well-known for its European business district and its many green spaces. Numerous hiking trails, the banks of the River Seine, and forests, parks and gardens to walk in are some of the main reasons to visit the Hauts-de-Seine.

Famous for its basilica, the département of Seine-Saint-Denis is also well-known for its vast flea market and Stade de France stadium.

With its guinguettes (cafés, usually open-air, with a dance floor) on the banks of the Marne, boat trips, parks and gardens, the Val-de-Marne is an ideal destination for those who love leisurely strolls.

A secret garden in Ile-de-France, the department of Essonne, with its scenery of fields, forests, valleys and rivers, has many beautiful parks and gardens which are ideal for a relaxing stroll, like the ones in Courances, Courson and Saint-Jean-de-Beauregard. Discover Essonne by taking a look at its many castles and museums, and don't forget to visit the medieval town of Dourdan, the charming village of Milly-la-Forêt, the Church of Saint-Sulpice-of-Favières and Estampes, Town of Art and History.

The Seine-et-Marne département in the east of the Île-de-France region boasts extensive agricultural land and a rich natural and built heritage, including the celebrated Fontainebleau forest, a paradise for outdoor activities, magnificent parks and gardens, sumptuous palaces such as Fontainebleau and Vaux le Vicomte, the beautiful Grand Morin valley, a favourite haunt of the Impressionists, and medieval fortified towns like Provins, Moret-sur-Loing and Meaux. The Seine-et-Marne is also home to the world-famous theme park Disneyland Paris (in Marne-la-Vallée), a magical experience for kids and grown-ups!

The Val-d'Oise département, located just north of Paris, is crossed by the river Oise, flanked by the river Seine and home to two regional nature parks, the Vexin Français and the Oise-Pays de France. Composed of a variety of picturesque scenery whose charm has inspired many famous artists, the area also boasts much built and cultural heritage of interest, including abbeys, châteaux, typical villages, and museums, and offers a wide range of outdoor activities, from walking, horse riding, cycling and golf to water and aerial sports.