EXPLORING THE CHEVREUSE VALLEY

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4 The Chevreuse Valley

Culture & Heritage 6

13 Nature & Wildlife

Local Products 14

Abbaye des vaux de Cernay

2 | EXPLORING THE CHEVREUSE VALLEY Large areas of nature at the gates of the Parisian agglomeration, the Chevreuse Valley, the Yveline forest and the Hurepoix plateau remain some of the most remarkable rural and forest areas in the Ile-de-France region. Around the villages of character, the countryside and the woodland still dominate; fauna, THE CHEVREUSE VALLEY flora, old stones, landscapes and history can be discovered during a walk in the forest or a very bucolic weekend.

Heritage Walking and outdoor activities

The Chevreuse Valley has the makings Hop on the RER and escape to the of a great region. Many princes and lords countryside ! Whether you are looking for a have lived here over the centuries, leaving gentle ramble or a long hike, there are 300 precious evidence of their passage with kilometres of way-marked paths for you to chateaux, manor houses, parks and explore. Some routes are also accessible to gardens, hunting lodges, mills and farms. cyclists and horse riders.

Montfort-l’Amaury From the Vaux-de-Cernay abbey to the And for a spot of culture, you can also walk Medieval village chateau of Dampierre, from the chateau of in the footsteps of Jean Racine, Elsa Triolet Saint-Jean-de-Beauregard to the national or Aragon. museum of Port-Royal des Champs, and Port-Royal des Champs Abbey Magny-les-Hameaux the houses of Maurice Ravel or Jean Monnet, there are plenty of opportunities Farms and local products to discover those who have marked history Chevreuse in the region. Here in the Chevreuse Valley, we pride Madeleine Castle Bucolic village ourselves on the quality of locally Chevreuse produced food. There are a number of RER B train station L’alchimiste Saint-Rémy-les-Chevreuse places you can visit such as an apiary, Chevreuse Valley Brewery Vaux de Cernay Abbey Chevreuse Le Perray-en-Yvelines Cernay-la-ville Coubertin Farm farms rearing cows, goats or even snails, Breteuil Castle Saint-Rémy-les-Chevreuse and “pick-your-own” farms. You might Choisel have a chance to sample freshly baked bread, delicious honey, cheese made with Saint-Jean de Beauregard Castle The Little Mill Saint-Jean-de-Beauregard unpasteurized milk, and old-time apple of Vaux de Cernay Cernay-la-Ville Molières Bakery Apihappy Apiculture varieties. Les Molières Les Molières

La Celle-les-Bordes Bucolic village Paysage

Les Clos Farm The identity of the Park refers to its name: Bonnelles the High Chevreuse Valley. It has a great Courson Castle reputation and off ers a picturesque Courson-Monteloup mosaic of green landscapes. Many FREE ADMISSION painters represented these valleys with PAID ADMISSION Rochefort-en-Yvelines wooded hillsides. However, a variety of Old seigniorial city atmospheres also make up this territory; LOCAL PRODUCT the wet undergrowth of the forest massifs, the sandstone screes on the hillsides, or VILLAGES the agricultural horizons of the plateau.

EXPLORING THE CHEVREUSE VALLEY | 5 CULTURE & HERITAGE

A journey through time

The Chevreuse Valley has the makings of a great region. Many princes and lords have lived here over the centuries, leaving precious evidence of their passage with chateaux, manor houses, parks and gardens, hunting lodges, mills and farms. From the Vaux-de-Cernay abbey to the chateau of Dampierre, from the chateau of Saint-Jean-de-Beauregard to the national museum of Port-Royal des Champs, and the houses of Maurice Ravel or Jean Monnet, there are plenty of opportunities to discover those who have marked history in the region.

Castle of la Madeleine Chevreuse

The castle is situated at the top of the hill pillaging. From this time, probably nothing future Pierre de Chevreuse. Royal to the center of the village, passing above Chevreuse, and offers a superb remained. The current tower was probably by the Château de la Madeleine. The keep Pierre de Chevreuse, an ennobled burgher, panoramic view of the Yvette Valley. This made of wood. was partially restored during the 19th magnificent fortress is closely intertwined transformed the castle into an urban In the 12e century, the “aula”, great hall century. with the history of France and of the most citadel. He began the reconstruction of the which hosted demonstrations of lordly noble families. The castle was at the height northern part of the battlements with three The road that goes to the castle is official power, was built by Milon the 3rd. All of it’s influence between the 11th and 15th towers surmounted by machicolations and called “road of the vine’s hill” because the that remains today is a wall with two centuries. It is one of the rare medieval build a terrace for cannons at the entrance. south oriented side of the hill was covered windows separating the higher and lower fortresses to remain in a good state of of vines until the phylloxera in 1860. (Ile- courtyards. The existing fortifications were largely preservation in the Ile-de-France. de-France was the first wine-producing improved under the reigns of Charles V One century later, probably under the reign region during Middle Age in France). The Maison du Parc (head office of the and Charles VI; they financed the outworks of Anseau de Chevreuse, the castle was Park), of modern architectural design, was with royal taxes. The modifications were The last modifications were in the 20th modified, notably with the construction built inside the castle walls, symbolising completed under Louis XI (1461 – 1483). century. The heart of the castle now of the machicolations. The gatehouse the Parc’s desire to “lean on the past to Along with the castle, the village was also houses the park headquarters for the was protected by a moat; the water was build the future”. fortified: a crenelated rampart, 3.5 m (11 regional natural park of the valley of retained by a dam for domestic use. ft) high with turrets, was built. The defence Chevreuse The lords of Chevreuse dedicated the The castles changed hands in 1356: was completed by a 15 m large ditch (50 castle chapel to Saint Madeleine and the Ingerger le Grand, lord of Chevreuse and feet). word spread out to the castle itself. Amboise, was taken prisoner by England Circa 1661, Jean Racine supervised The building started between 1030 and during the Hundred Years’ War. He was modifications of the keep; his name was 1090. Ordered by Guy the 1st, Lord of constrained to sell his domain to pay his given to the road from the convent of Port- Chevreuse to protect the city, victim of ransom; the castle was bought by the

6 | EXPLORING THE CHEVREUSE VALLEY EXPLORING THE CHEVREUSE VALLEY | 7 Vaux de Cernay Abbey Cernay-la-Ville

Vaux-de-Cernay Abbey was a Cistercian Evreux. In 1148 Vaux-de-Cernay, together monastery from 12e century. with the entire Congregation of Savigny, entered the Order of Cîteaux and became an affiliation of Clairvaux Abbey. From this The abbey was founded in 1118 when time on they prospered, building a church Simon de Neauffle and his wife Eve in the simple Cistercian style. Over time, donated the land for this foundation to the additional buildings were constructed, as monks of Savigny Abbey, in order to have well as a mill, and a fish farm. a monastery built in honour of the Mother Many of its abbots became well known. of God and Saint John the Baptist. Vital, Andrew, the fourth, died as Bishop of Abbot of Savigny, accepted their offer, and Arras. Guy of Vaux-de-Cernay, the sixth, sent a group of monks under the direction was delegated by the General Chapter of Arnaud, who became their first abbot. to accompany the Fourth Crusade in Besides the founders, others of the nobility 1203. Three years later he was one of came to the aid of the new Savigniac Vaux de Cernay Abbey the principal figures in the Albigensian community. Crusade, which fought against the As soon as the abbey was well established, Cathars. In recognition of his service he many postulants were admitted, thus was made Bishop of Carcassonne (1211) de-Cernay, also a monk of the abbey, Casimir, King of Poland. The monastery making possible in 1137 the foundation of and is commemorated in the Cistercian accompanied him on this crusade, and was suppressed in 1791 during the French Le Breuil-Benoît Abbey in the Diocese of Menology. His nephew Peter of Vaux- left a chronicle of the Cathars and the war Revolution and its members (twelve against them. priests) were dispersed. Vaux de Cernay Abbey It was under Thomas, Peter’s successor, The buildings, after passing through that Porrois Abbey, a Cistercian nunnery, various hands, were partly restored after later renamed the Abbey of Port-Royal, was the site was bought by Charlotte de founded and placed under the direction of Rothschild in the 1880s,[4] who saved the abbots of Vaux-de-Cernay. The ninth the ruins of the church and part of the abbot, Thibault de Marley (1235–47), a buildings, fully restoring the abbey. descendant of the Montmorency family, Today the buildings are used as a hotel was canonized. Towards the end of the with a capacity for 1,200 persons, fourteenth century the monastery began complete with restaurant and heliport, but losing its fervour, both on account of its still using the nearby spring as the monks wealth and because of the disturbed state did centuries before. of the Île-de-France during the Hundred Years’ War. After the introduction of commendatory abbots in 1542 there was little left of the monastic community beyond the name. In the seventeenth century the community was restored in spirit by embracing the Reform of the Strict Observance as promoted by Denis Largentier. During this time the commendatory abbot was John

EXPLORING THE CHEVREUSE VALLEY | 9 Saint-Jean de Beauregard’s Castle Saint-Jean de Beauregard’s Castle Saint-Jean-de-Beauregard

Remarkably preserved, this is retaining all the charm and elegance of its classical 17th century environment. In a setting of earth and wood, the seven courtyards, park and French garden boast a variety of treasures, including a chapel, outbuildings, a vegetable garden, a dovecote, an orangery, a water hole, an ice house, and Petit Moulin des Vaux de Cernay a moat… Everything we needed for life in the 17th Vegetable and flowery garden Le Petit Moulin des Vaux de Cernay the History of France, with wax characters. century. This property may be a Historic Cernay-la-Ville The domain presents eight scenes from Monument, but at heart it is still a living, Charles Perrault’s fairy tales, including breathing family home, whose current Dive into the heart of the stream of the five in sound and light. From spring to owners are dedicated to keeping it alive valley, where once six water mills formed a autumn, the events follow one another and sharing with the public. united chain. You will discover the different in the 75-hectare park, entirely open to Their passion for plants and gardens is on mechanisms of the mill, its economic role the public. Picnic areas and children’s display in the exemplary restoration of the as well as the life of the miller and his place playgrounds have been set up. kitchen garden and the launch of one of in the rural life. The monks of the Vaux-de- Labyrinth of a thousand boxwood, the first ever Plant Fairs in 1984. Over the Cernay Abbey had since the Middle Ages memory of the chimeric grove of the years, this has become one of the most two flour mills, the Grand and the Petit eighteenth century when young and old famous horticultural events in France. Moulin. Inhabited by a miller and his family have fun getting lost. Park and gardens until about 1900, the Petit Moulin is later classified «Remarkable Gardens». A real «transparent» castle, this château transformed into an inn. opens directly onto the surrounding Relive the era of landscape painters at the Château de Courson countryside and boasts a truly exceptional end of the 19th century: while Barbizon Courson-Monteloup panoramic view, earning it the title of and Pont-Aven have become too busy, «Beauregard». artists discover Cernay, a natural site Originally the home of the Lamoignon Inhabited all year round, it is fully that will inspire them many paintings. family, the castle has been inherited furnished and houses a number of Cernay was visited by Corot, Huet, Diaz, since the eighteenth century. Its historic portraits and family heirlooms. From Kroyer, Quignon, Rousseau and, of park was designed in the formal style the summer room to the library and course, Pelouse, the leader of the colony by a pupil of Le Nôtre in the eighteenth from the green room to the dining room, established on site. century. In the nineteenth century, the the remarkably well-preserved interior gardens were redesigned twice, first decoration is the perfect illustration of an Château de Breteuil around 1820 for the Duke of Padua exquisitely refined and delicate way of life. Choisel by landscape gardener Louis-Martin Berthault and again around 1860 by Since 1967, Henri-François de Breteuil, brothers Denis and Eugène Bühler. has relentlessly restored the castle which The castle is classified as a historical today has regained its brilliance. The castle monument in 1944 (facades, roofs, traces in its apartments four centuries of hydraulic installation) and registered in 1992 (park, perspective alley, facades and Château de Courson roofs of common, chapel). 10 | EXPLORING THE CHEVREUSE VALLEY EXPLORING THE CHEVREUSE VALLEY | 11 National Museum of Port-Royal-des- Champs Magny-les-Hameaux NATURE & WILDLIFE Founded in 1204, the abbey of Port-Royal des Champs became, from the beginning of the 17th century, a center of Catholic reform under the impetus of the famous 115 sites of ecological interest have been identified according to the diversity and rarity of Mother Angelique, who restored the the plant and animal species that they shelter. In total, there are more than 950 superior strict observance of the rule of Saint plant species. Benedict . Transferred to Paris in 1625, the community came under the jurisdiction Abbaye de Port-Royal des Champs of the Archbishop of Paris and became, in Protected habitats 1647, Port Royal of the Blessed Sacrament. Around 1635, the abbot of Saint-Cyran Geology, hydrology and relief have resulted in the most remarkable natural habitats. becomes the spiritual director of the can not reduce during his long reign. Today, it is considered that the wetlands and aquatic and open spaces of non- monastery, promotes the formation of the overexploited meadows host the vast majority of animal and plant heritage species of the In 1661, he ordered the dispersal of the group of «solitaires», installed in Paris and territory. Man, through his gestures and his eco-citizen practices, is the guarantor of this Solitaries and the closing of the Small the Champs, and inspires the foundation heritage. Schools. The «Peace of the Church», in of «small schools» that make Port-Royal 1669, marks a respite in the anti-Jansenist The Park carried out in 1995 an inventory of the natural environments of its territory one of the crucibles of modern pedagogy. policy, and the abbey has a second golden which resulted in a map of the ecological units. This shows a great diversity of both open Friend of Cornelius Jansen, Saint-Cyran is, age, under the powerful protection of and forest environments. In the current state of knowledge, the Park contains among with Antoine Arnauld, brother of Mother the Duchess of Longueville, cousin of the others: Angelique, the leader of a theological king. After the peace of Nijmegen and the • More than 1000 species of superior plants current, returning to the reading of death of his cousin in 1669, then from • More than 1,300 species of insects, including: 49 dragonflies, 426 butterflies, the fathers of the Church, mainly of St. 1705 to 1713, the aging king sought to • 44 Orthopterans (grasshoppers, locusts) and about 780 species of Coleoptera. Augustine. Condemned by Rome in 1642, remove the Jansenists from the kingdom. • 14 species of amphibians and 10 species of reptiles; Augustinus Jansenius becomes the subject Unable to reduce the nuns of Port-Royal to • 26 species of fish and 5 crayfish; of bitter polemics, of which Antoine obedience, he had them dispersed in 1709 • 162 species of breeding birds out of 273 in France Arnauld and the solitaries of Port-Royal are and shave their abbey two years later. • 46 mammal species the spokesmen. The destruction of the monastery gives a 115 sites of ecological interest have been delimited according to the diversity and rarity of Main home of the Jansenist thought in second wind to the Jansenist movement, the plant and animal species that they shelter. So, in terms of vegetation: France, Port-Royal appears as a place of which will often be the soul of resistance to resistance to royal power, which Louis XIV royal power in parliaments.. • 200 plant species of heritage value: • 45 protected species (10 at the national level and 35 at the regional level) • 20 very rare species in Ile-de-France • 57 rare species in Ile-de-France • 98 rather rare species in Ile-de-France This considerable natural heritage places the territory of the Park among the first sites of ecological interest of Ile-de-France, with the forest of Fontainebleau, the loops of the Seine, towards Moisson, and the Bassée Valley.

12 | EXPLORING THE CHEVREUSE VALLEY EXPLORING THE CHEVREUSE VALLEY | 13 The Volcelest are now recognized by watchmaker. The time has come for him enlightened amateurs and professionals. to set up his workshop on the territory he LOCAL PRODUCTS They were medalists at the Concours particularly likes, the Chevreuse Valley. Général Agricole and received very good For two years he shared the laboratory marks in the Guide Hachette des Bières of a baker friend in Buc, breads in the with two favorites and two three stars. morning, biscuits in the aft ernoon. A Farms and local products production under the brand Biscuiterie des Yvelines. But it is the territory of the Park Come and visit our local farms and sample our home-grown products. Here in the Collaboration with Cyril Lignac that interested him. A local located in the Chevreuse Valley, we pride ourselves on the quality of locally produced food. There artisanal area of Essarts-le-Roi allowed are a number of places you can visit such as an apiary, farms rearing cows, goats In 2016, Cyril Lignac, the famous chef him to take the step this summer. A small or even snails, and “pick-your-own” farms. visible on TV Channel «M6», contacted shop space will allow him to off er a private sale in the aft ernoon from the beginning of You will also have a chance to sample freshly baked bread, delicious honey, cheese Emmanuel Rey because he wanted to create a beer to his name, alcoholic, sweet autumn, as soon as the laboratory work is made with unpasteurized milk, and old-time apple varieties. If you take life’s completed. pleasures seriously, you’ll feel right at home! and fruity. The Homemade, an organic blond beer Some forty outlets are currently selling is now brewed by Emmanuel Rey at the the biscuit range, which includes eight Brasserie de la Vallée de Chevreuse and recipes: vanilla financial minis, crisp and Brewery of the Valley sold in the restaurants of Cyril Lignac. melting Florentines at the same time, Le Perray-en-Yvelines almond rocks that are made of delicious Another form of recognition of the little syringes ... All these cakes are brewery’s know-how ... additive-free, preservative-free, flavoring The Brasserie de la Vallée de Chevreuse The brewery was launched in 2008 and or coloring. produces organic and inventive beers, 10 years later, it produces 2000 hl and is a www.brasseriechevreuse.com appreciated by gourmets, for more than little cramped ... It should move soon and 10 years. increase its production capacity. Emmanuel Rey comes from the world of wines. He spent several years in the Biscuiterie of the Chevreuse Valey Coubertin Farm development of wines in various regions of The Volcelest Les Essarts-le-roi Saint-Rémy-les-Chevreuse France and the world. The beers produced by the Brasserie de la Like many, he made some amateur beers Vallée de Chevreuse are called Volcelest, Pastry chef for 35 years, Jean-Pierre Ternat Direct sales on the farm of dairy cows in the family kitchen and in December the old French which means the animal finally realizes his dream: to create his and goats just out of the RER, you can see 2006, during vinification in the United whose footprint is marked on the ground, biscuit factory. His marketing plan is as in the fields of the fift ies dairy cows of States, he discovered the extent of the explains Emmanuel Rey. beautifully craft ed as his packages: sober, the farm of Coubertin raised in the open phenomenon of micro breweries. transparent and in harmony with the air and fed hay. The Catteau family has What pleases the latter is the search for delights that adorn him. been producing dairy products from goat He completed an internship at the new recipes, experiments. It produces a and cow’s milk from their farms for two Recipes side, formed by Gaston Lenôtre, Brasserie Sancerroise, then followed a very balanced beer with cocoa and pink generations. You can also freely approach he knows how to combine subtlety and training at the French Institute of Brewery pepper. cows, goats, kids, rabbits, pigs, chickens, originality, all wrapped in a know-how and Malting Nancy. guinea fowl and attend the milking of He also experiments with beers aged in where only the quality has right of city. His cows. He develops his recipes and settles in new French oak barrels. What appeals career has led him to support the famous Bonnelles with the help of the Regional to Emmanuel Rey is the woody, caramel pastry chef in the kitchen before taking www.ferme-de-coubertin.fr Natural Park of the Upper Chevreuse and vanilla aspect brought by this type of care of the follow-up of his creations with Valley. barrels. the mass-market industry. Experience that has given Jean-Pierre Ternat a rigor and organization worthy of a Swiss 14 | EXPLORING THE CHEVREUSE VALLEY EXPLORING THE CHEVREUSE VALLEY | 15 A FEW KEY WORDS

Burstone / (FR : Meulière) Siliceous rocks used until 1880 to make grindstones for mills. «Meule» in french means «grindstone». It’s a typical stone in the valley, you can see them all around you. Houses and farms are built with this kind of stone. Chevreuse (village) Chevreuse word is inspired by the main activity of the Village during the Middle-Age. «Place where we breed goats». Goat in French is «chèvre». The main activities were breeding goats and tannery.

YOUR JOURNEY IN THE CHEVREUSE VALLEY

16 | EXPLORING THE CHEVREUSE VALLEY