Ile-de-France region
Most people think of the Ile-de-France as being Paris. Whilst Paris is obviously an extremely important part of the region, there is much more to be discovered. Paris is a wonderful city with all the sophistication you could possibly want and the opportunities to indulge your favourite pursuits are endless. The city is legendery for its shopping, hotels, restaurants, galleries, museums and fantastic atmosphere. For families the Disneyland Paris theme park is a must. Travel links with this region must be just about the easiest in France. There are many flights to the various airports from all parts of the UK, the Eurostar direct into the city centre and easy motorway access fromt the Channel ports. The surrounding departments within the region are very varied. They offer rural peace and tranquility and many outdoor activities within easy reach of the city centre.
Whatever your taste and budget, you are sure to find accommodation to suit you in this region. Some of the best hotels in the world are in Paris, but there are many more humble places to stay. Gites and apartments abound and there are numerous hotels of every star rating available. There are rural areas to enjoy life at a slower pace, or there are city centre busy places as well. The choice is yours, but whatever that choice, you are sure of a memorable holiday.
The Departments
The department of Seine-et-Marne is the largest department of the region. It has vast expanses of forest and many rivers and canals. There are many sites of architectural and historic interest, including the UNESC World Heritage site at Provins. Disneyland Paris is in this department and is place that must be on the visiting list of every family. The beautiful town of Fontainebleu, in the forest of the same name, was once a popular hunting area for the French monarchy and is still a fascinating place to visit. The department is perfect for walking and cycling with a superb mix of rural and city to suit everyone.
Yvelines has some wonderful abbeys and chateux to visit, the most famous of which is Versailles with its opulent interior and fabulous gardens. The Chateau de Rambouillet is another royal residence set in 20,000 hectares of forest. There are also many museums in the department including one dedicated to the history of the railways at Rambouillet. There are beautiful walks to be enjoyed within the miles of forest as well as some stunning scenery.
Several of the sites on the Route of Gardens and Chateaux are to be found in the department of Essonne, many of which are spectacular buildings. The museum at Cerny has a collection of airplanes from the very earliest to the present day and is a very interesting place to visit. This is another heavily forested department with several rivers. Activities on offer in this green and rural department include golf, fishing, boating, horse riding and rock climbing.
The department of Val-d'Oise is to the north west of Paris and is the smallest of this region. Activities on offer include hiking, golf, horse riding, canoeing and boating. There are some fascinating sites of architectural and historic interest to visit and some areas of stunning scenery to enjoy. Some of the small towns and villages date from medieval times and are great fun to explore, with many surprises in the narrow twisting streets.
Most people think of the Ile-de-France as being Paris. Whilst Paris is obviously an extremely important part of the region, there is much more to be discovered. Paris is a wonderful city with all the sophistication you could possibly want and the opportunities to indulge your favourite pursuits are endless. The city is legendery for its shopping, hotels, restaurants, galleries, museums and fantastic atmosphere. For families the Disneyland Paris theme park is a must. Travel links with this region must be just about the easiest in France. There are many flights to the various airports from all parts of the UK, the Eurostar direct into the city centre and easy motorway access fromt the Channel ports. The surrounding departments within the region are very varied. They offer rural peace and tranquility and many outdoor activities within easy reach of the city centre.
Whatever your taste and budget, you are sure to find accommodation to suit you in this region. Some of the best hotels in the world are in Paris, but there are many more humble places to stay. Gites and apartments abound and there are numerous hotels of every star rating available. There are rural areas to enjoy life at a slower pace, or there are city centre busy places as well. The choice is yours, but whatever that choice, you are sure of a memorable holiday.The Departments
The department of Seine-et-Marne is the largest department of the region. It has vast expanses of forest and many rivers and canals. There are many sites of architectural and historic interest, including the UNESC World Heritage site at Provins. Disneyland Paris is in this department and is place that must be on the visiting list of every family. The beautiful town of Fontainebleu, in the forest of the same name, was once a popular hunting area for the French monarchy and is still a fascinating place to visit. The department is perfect for walking and cycling with a superb mix of rural and city to suit everyone.
Yvelines has some wonderful abbeys and chateux to visit, the most famous of which is Versailles with its opulent interior and fabulous gardens. The Chateau de Rambouillet is another royal residence set in 20,000 hectares of forest. There are also many museums in the department including one dedicated to the history of the railways at Rambouillet. There are beautiful walks to be enjoyed within the miles of forest as well as some stunning scenery.Several of the sites on the Route of Gardens and Chateaux are to be found in the department of Essonne, many of which are spectacular buildings. The museum at Cerny has a collection of airplanes from the very earliest to the present day and is a very interesting place to visit. This is another heavily forested department with several rivers. Activities on offer in this green and rural department include golf, fishing, boating, horse riding and rock climbing.
The department of Val-d'Oise is to the north west of Paris and is the smallest of this region. Activities on offer include hiking, golf, horse riding, canoeing and boating. There are some fascinating sites of architectural and historic interest to visit and some areas of stunning scenery to enjoy. Some of the small towns and villages date from medieval times and are great fun to explore, with many surprises in the narrow twisting streets.