Municipality of Val-d'Oise, in the Île-de-France region, Presles takes place about twenty kilometers from the prefecture, Cergy, and about thirty kilometers from Paris and its many tourist sites. It is located between the forests of Carnelle and L'Isle-Adam, not far from Beaumont-sur-Oise, Nerville-la-Forêt and Noisy-sur-Oise.
Occupied since the Neolithic period, as evidenced by the burials found there, the territory of Presles developed in the Middle Ages, particularly under the influence of the Presles family. Built as a commune during the French Revolution, Presles has remained over the centuries an important place of agriculture and livestock.
Its proximity to the capital and the richness of its architectural and historical heritage make it a very popular vacation spot for visitors who come to discover the Ile-de-France region.
Listed as a Historic Monument, the Saint-Germain-l'Auxerrois church was rebuilt in the 15th century on the remains of a first building from the 12th century. Visitors can discover a Gothic choir flanked by a double aisle with groin vaulting, remains of the original building, as well as around twenty sculpted stalls from the 17th century from the church of Saint-Cloud. The latter represent satirical subjects as well as scenes of trades. Outside, we appreciate the apse with cut sides and rectangular base. Particularity of this flamboyant Gothic style church, vertical buttresses ending in a coping, as in the Renaissance.
While strolling through the town, be sure to discover the Pierre Plate dolmen, located in the heart of the forest of L'Isle-Adam. Listed as a Historic Monument, this covered walkway restored in the 1970s consists of three cover tables. The human remains discovered on the spot are now visible in the departmental museum of Île-de-France in Nemours.
Also very interesting, the Blanc Val covered walkway also benefits from a classification as a Historic Monument. This ancient funerary monument has a six-meter buried covered walkway in which several bodies were discovered.
The town of Presles is also attractive with several sites to admire from the outside, such as the 18th century Courcelles castle, the Grands Moulins flour mill in Presles or the Cave farm, a former post house described in the Balzac's novel, A Beginning in Life.
The Notre-Dame house, with its Indonesian-inspired wooden sculptures, is not lacking in interest either. These come from an Indonesian pavilion at the 1900 Universal Exhibition.
The weekly market is held every Friday at the end of the afternoon.
Every year, on the weekend of Pentecost, the town hosts the annual Lutte Ouvrière festival, one of the largest gatherings of the extreme left in the country.
A fireworks display is offered in mid-July on the occasion of the national holiday.
