Peaceful Yvelines
15 unusual places in the Yvelines
There's more to the Yvelines than the Château de Versailles and Thoiry Safari Zoo. The Département also abounds in hidden treasures and unusual spots
There are the Yvelines museums and castles, and then there are the others. You know, the bizarre, the unusual – in short, the Yvelines you don’t often see on postcards. Would you like to discover some little wonders that are worth the detour, or hidden places that have stood the test of time? No problem, you’ll find what you’re looking for in this list of unusual attractions!
An Orthodox monastery in the forest
An unexpected discovery awaits you in the heart of the Bois du Fay in Mesnil-Saint-Denis! The Holy Spirit skit is an Orthodox monastery built by Russian monks in 1938. A magnificent site built in the pure Byzantine tradition in the heart of the Yvelines!
A Moorish salon in Port-Marly
This salon in the Château de Monte-Cristo, created in 1844 by two Tunisian craftsmen whom Alexandre Dumas brought back with him from one of his journeys, is reminiscent of the time of Al Andalus.
An iron house in Poissy
The structure of this house, built at the end of the Industrial Revolution, is made entirely of metal. A home with unusual architecture, a must-see in Poissy!
The Désert de Retz at Chambourcy
Although this secret garden has nothing to do with the Sahara, it does stand apart from the world and is home to some unusual wonders. A destroyed column, a temple to the god Pan, an open-air theatre, a Tartar tent and a pyramid icehouse… Created by François Racine de Monville at the end of the 18th century, the 17 hectares of this Anglo-Chinese garden will give your stroll a breathtaking character!
Villa Savoye in Poissy
Whether or not you’re a fan of modernist architecture, Le Corbusier’s Villa Savoye, perched on slender stilts, is sure to surprise you!
Apothecary in Saint-Germain-en-Laye
This unexpectedly intimate setting conceals an exceptional collection of blue-patterned earthenware pots, glass jars and hand-decorated medicinal plant boxes from the 17th and 18th centuries. An unusual insight into the profession of apothecary, ancestor of the modern pharmacist!
The Doulton House in Maisons-Laffitte
This unexpectedly intimate setting conceals an exceptional collection of blue-patterned earthenware pots, glass jars and hand-decorated medicinal plant boxes from the 17th and 18th centuries. An unusual insight into the profession of apothecary, ancestor of the modern pharmacist!
An old swimming pool in Médan
You won’t drown in this abandoned swimming pool on the island of Platais!
While it welcomed 6,000 people a day in 1930, today only the remnants of the pool remain: the slide, diving board and changing rooms can still be seen. Those who are brave enough to venture into this horror-movie setting will be the most daring!
The Marta Pan perspective
Contemporary art abounds in the new town of Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines, and it’s well worth the detour!
In Guyancourt’s Sources de la Bièvre park, this majestic metal sculpture in the shape of a snake gliding towards two large arches is an artistic curiosity by sculptor Marta Pan. Marta Pan lived with her husband, architect André Wogenscky, in a modernist mansion named after them in Saint-Rémy-lès-Chevreuse.
Trompes l’oeil in the Jussieu district of Versailles
An open-air museum. Come and take a look at the huge works of street art that have graced the Jussieu district of Versailles since 2020. Created by muralists from the Quai 36 collective on the façades of nine buildings: the result is breathtaking, both up close and from afar!
Moors in the Yvelines
Are you missing the south? There’s no need to go far! Most of the Yvelines’ forests are oak, but did you know that you can also find large pine forests with their sweet summer scents? It’s enough to transport you to the Landes for an unusual nature walk!
The Sourderie basin
The Arcades du Lac never cease to amaze locals and walkers passing through Montigny-le-Bretonneux! These arcades, designed by Catalan architect Ricardo Boffl, are in fact a residence of six buildings rising out of the water like a viaduct. The commune of Montigny organises ‘sound and light’ evenings during the summer to help visitors discover this curious site.
Wood Cottage in Le Vésinet
Built in the rustic style of an old timber-framed house, Wood Cottage is an architectural treasure emblematic of the town of Le Vésinet. It is one of a series of ‘Maisons fabriques’ inspired by the landscape design of the Comte de Choulot, blending classical, Gothic and English features. Today, this historic site hosts a variety of artistic and musical events throughout the year.
Sainte-Thérèse d’Elisabethville
This church, dedicated to Saint Therese of the Child Jesus and the Holy Face, has the distinction of being the first building of its kind to be built entirely in reinforced concrete and sculpted in set cement. An original, brand-new process inaugurated by sculptor Carlo Sarrabezolles in 1955. The thirty-five statues that make up the west façade can be admired in Aubergenville.
