The Yvelines is home to the most famous palace in the world: Versailles. The official residence of the kings of France from 1682 to 1789, this palace and its gardens, designed by Le Nôtre, are the ultimate symbol of the French absolute monarchy and its influence across Europe. Listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Versailles welcomes over ten million visitors from all over the world every year.
But the Yvelines are not just about Versailles. The department boasts an exceptionally rich heritage of castles: Rambouillet, a presidential residence whose Gothic castle and English-style park bear witness to five centuries of royal history; Breteuil, a family home open to the public with its collections and French-style gardens; Dampierre, a masterpiece by Hardouin-Mansart on the banks of the Yvette; and Maisons-Laffitte, a classical palace by Mansart the Elder.
The Seine Valley, the Rambouillet Forest and the Chevreuse Hills have always attracted the nobility and aristocracy, who have dotted this area with sumptuous residences, making Yvelines one of the departments with the richest heritage of stately homes in France.