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Though rather small in size, Ile-de-France is a whole region composed of 8 departments (Paris, Seine-et-Marne, Yvelines, Essonne, Hauts-de-Seine, Seine-Saint-Denis, Val-de-Marne and Val d'Oise) where 11 million people (18% of the French population) live. It surrounds Paris for an area of 50 miles and its name comes from the rivers that encircle it. Since the 5th century Ile-de-France has been the residence of the Kings of France and there are numerous castles in this region : from the famous Versailles to Rambouillet, Saint-Germain-en-Laye, Fontainebleau, and many other ones in the attractive Chevreuse valley. If Paris is considered the main attraction of Ile-de-France, its surroundings are also full of curiosities and interesting sites, with beautiful forests, ponds, charming rivers and villages, abbeys and convents. This makes it an area where most activities are possible : cultural visits, riverboat rides, hiking, biking, horse riding, etc.
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Paris, Evry, Nanterre, Melun, Bobigny, Créteil, Cergy-Pontoise, Versailles.
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> More than 100 museums in the Parisian area.
> Barbizon (old artists colony) and Auvers-sur-Oise (village where impressionist painters such as Van gogh, Cézanne and Daubigny have stayed)
> Castles and gardens (Fontainebleau, St Germain en Laye, Versailles, Vaux-le-Vicomte, etc.)
> Provins and Moret-sur-Loing (medieval villages)
> Walks in the Chevreuse and Bièvre valleys. |
 
Gastronomy in Ile-de-France is mostly influenced by its border regions (Normandy and Champagne) though Ile-de-France is also famous for its cheeses (Brie, Fontainebleau, Coulommiers, etc.) and has lots of mushrooms in its forests.
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> Ile de France is crossed by numerous rivers (Seine, Marne, Oise, Essonne, Bièvre, Yvette, etc…).
> Climate is temperate.
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