Rambouillet, the real thing
Montfort l’Amaury, an iconic village
On the edge of the Rambouillet forest, the village of Montfort l'Amaury lies at the foot of the ruins of its fortified castle. A small medieval town in the Yvelines region (78), Montfort l'Amaury offers 1,000 years of history through its historic monuments. Come and tread the cobblestones of its narrow streets, discover its church and its exceptional collection of 16th-century stained glass windows, its old charnel house, the ruins of the medieval castle of the Counts of Montfort, or admire the Tour d'Anne de Bretagne.
A little history…
The history of Montfort l’Amaury dates back to the High Middle Ages, when Robert the Pious (976-1031) received the Yveline forest as a perquisite. The young king commissioned Guillaume de Hainaut to build two strongholds, one at Epernon and the other at Montfort, to defend his domain. On his death, his son Amaury I inherited his titles. Under his authority, the castle, ramparts and churches of Saint Pierre and Saint Laurent were built by Hugues Bardoul, captain of the castle.
In the 11th century, Bertrade de Montfort, daughter of Simon I de Montfort, was kidnapped by the King of France, Philippe I, from her husband, the Duke of Anjou. She became Queen of France in 1104, after a series of twists and turns.
The Montfort family continued with Yolande, whose marriage to Arthur II, Duke of Brittany, linked the county to the Duchy of Brittany. This union gave birth to Anne de Bretagne, twice Queen of France and Duchess of Brittany, who embellished the town with her buildings.
Montfort became a stopover for the kings of France: Henri IV passed through the town on his way to the capital, as did Louis XIII.
With the construction of the Château de Versailles and the relocation of the French court, Montfort l’Amaury became the place of residence for country squires, men of royal rank. This led to the town becoming more dynamic.
The revolutionary period is rather confusing, as most of the archives have disappeared. However, the presence of a clog maker, the town’s mayor at the time, who is said to have instigated the Terror, has been confirmed.
Today, Montfort l’Amaury has become a place where artists come to relax and find inspiration.
To the sound of the Boléro
“It’s a small house, a sort of little pavilion, not even a villa… from the outside, it looks a bit like a slice of badly cut camembert”.
Manuel Rosenthal Composer and conductor (1904-2003)
Seduced by the calm and beauty of Montfort-l’Amaury, Maurice Ravel (1875-1937) settled at Le Belvédère in 1921. This house, which he converted and transformed, became his refuge for sixteen years, a place for composition and meditation. He welcomed friends and musicians, and gave life to works such as the Boléro, which are still performed around the world today. Let yourself be surprised by this special place, where the melodic breath of this great composer still resonates.
A cultural heritage to discover without moderation!