LOUVECIENNES: AN UNEXPECTED ROAD TRIP IN FRANCE By: AuthorSophie Nadeau
"Stop the car!” I cried, “We absolutely have to see more of this town.” Drive through the French countryside with me, and you’ll notice a recurring theme. I insist on stopping everytime I spot something that might be vaguely interesting- as was the case with Louveciennes.
But then again, you won’t find this quaint little town in many brochures. Nor will you find it on any tourist maps… Instead, the charm of this quintessentially French destination lies in its off the beaten tourist track nature, as well as its status as inspiration for many an impressionist painter.
A visit to Louveciennes One of my favourite things about France is that you could spend ten lifetimes exploring each and every region, and yet still uncover hidden gems just waiting to be explored. The town of Louvecinnes is no exception.
Barely fifteen kilometers from the center of Paris, the town lies between the iconic town of Versailles and the adorable town of Saint-Germain-en-Laye. Situated in the Yvelines department to the West of Paris, this quintessential French town was once the muse of the Great French painters who populated the region around the turn of the last century.
Pissarro, Renoir, and Sisley all found a tranquil place to paint out here in the French countryside. Even Monet, the most famous of all the impressionists, ventured the ten kilometers out of Paris. He too, unable to resist the lure of this typical French town.
In fact, Camille Pissarro was so enamoured with Louveciennes that he relocated to the settlement with his entire family in the spring of 1869. The French town soon became synonymous with early impressionism, along with the nearby equally charming village of Voisins.
A quintessentially French town near Paris It was a blustery April afternoon when we pulled up into the car park at Louveciennes. The town’s only car park. Spots of rain splattered on the car. It was the kind of weather which wouldn’t have seemed at all out of place in the English countryside.
Apart from we were in France. There was no mistake about it. After all, it was a Sunday afternoon and every local business was closed. Wandering the streets, we were alone. The town was once known as ‘Luciennes’ and the population of the town and local area numbers just 7000.
It was the ‘sleepy’ nature of the town which had first caught the attention of the impressionists over a century earlier. And wandering around the empty streets I could see why. But the town wasn’t always so tranquil. Louveciennes started off life, like many towns in the Yvelines region, following the construction of an abbey in the local area.
A brief history of Louveciennes In the VI Century, Louveciennes was predominantly a farming community. However, a few hundred centuries later in the twelfth century, this all changed. Louis XIV moved the court to nearby Versailles and the surrounding towns soon became a hub for nobility, royalty and their entourages.
Dozens of French Châteaux were constructed; many of which still survive to this day. Did I mention how gorgeous all these French palaces are? Many are still worth a visit; yet another reason to embark on a road trip around the Yvelines region.
By the eighteenth century, the town of Louveciennes had once again faded out of the spotlight. And with the royalty gone, the numerous Châteaux the only reminder that they once ruled the region. Impressionists flocked to the charming town and it remains much the same today as it did all those years ago when Monet first visited…
St. Martin and St. Blaise Church In the very heart of this town of just 8000, the church was constructed during the 19th-century and is now a Roman Catholic church. Free to visit, wander in at any given moment and you’ll soon discover features dating back to the 13th-century and beyond.
Château de Monte Cristo Just under two miles away, in the equally historic town of le Port-Marly, Alexandre Dumas’ former home can be visited for a small fee. Perfectly pretty and easily one of the best Château day trips from Paris, this mansion turned house museum features treasures and hidden gems such as paintings, engravings, is surrounded by a moat and even features a garden à l’anglaise.
