Accommodation Ile de France, France

Ile de France

Le Grenil Cottage

Bray Sur Seine

Ile de France is the small area surrounding Paris. The Seine-et-Marne is one of the regions in the Ile de France. It is virtually the heart of France with Paris as its centre piece. The rich countryside incorporates a historic royal region of monumental splendour. The whole area became a favourite of the Royals particularly after the time of Francois I who transformed Fontainebleau into a Renaissance palace.

Nourished by the Seine, and Marne rivers , the serene poplar and plane lined avenues and the rustic charm of the region has been an inspiration to painters such as Corot, Pissarro, Sisley and Cezanne.

The palaces and cathedrals of the Ile de France will delight the visitors. Fontainebleau , Vaux le Vicomte, Champs sur Marne, Blandy and many others.

There are many medieval villages with lovely quiet streets , familiar to us through the painters, Sisley, Cezanne, Rousseau etc. These include Barbizon, Moret-sur-Loing, Souppes-sur-Loing, Provins, Fontainebleau, Coulommiers, all in the Ile de France. Champagne and Upper Burgundy also have many other delightful villages and towns, including Troyes.

Festivals

There are almost too many events to mention but here are some of the larger ones in the area:- Fontainebleau, Coulommiers, Open air opera at the Vaux-Ie-Vicomte Chateau, Talenscope, the comedy festival at Moret-sur-Loing, International Jazz Festival at Samois-sur-Seine, Festival of classical music at Provins, Couperin concert at the Chateau-sur-Marne, Painting festival at Barbizon, Horse festival at Fontainebleau, Medieval festival in Provins, Harvest Festival in Provins and the International Cheese and Wine Fair in Coulommiers.

There are many museums in the area including those in Saint-Cyr-sur-Morin - the Country of the Seine and the Marne, Montereau Earthenware Museum, Museum of Provins and the Provinois in Provins. Museum of the Capucins in Coulommiers, The Moret Nuns Barley Sugar Museum, The Gatient Bonnet Municipal Museum in Logny-sur-Marne, The Briard Museum in Jouarre, The Horse-shoeing Collection in Misy-sur-Yonne, and the Nemours Chateau and Municipal Museum.