Essonne, a department south of Paris, combines landscapes of forests, grain-growing plateaus and lush green valleys, dotted with numerous châteaux and manor houses that bear witness to the region’s appeal to the Parisian nobility and bourgeoisie since the Middle Ages.
Courances is one of the most beautiful water parks in France: its waterfalls, reflecting pools and classical arbours frame a Louis XIII-style château of remarkable elegance. Méréville, whose 18th-century landscaped park was one of the most admired in Europe, bears witness to the Enlightenment’s enthusiasm for picturesque gardens. The Château de Chamarande, now owned by the Departmental Council, hosts contemporary art exhibitions and cultural events within a 98-hectare natural setting.
Essonne is also home to Vaux-de-Cernay, a former Cistercian abbey converted into a charming hotel in the heart of the forest, and numerous country manor houses that dot the roads of the Beauce and Gâtinais regions.