Another life is invented here
The Vexin Français régional Natural Park
The Vexin Français is protected by a Regional Natural Park since 1995. This Park covers 97 communes and is backing a concerted sustainable development project for the region based on:
• a managing space and preserving the landscape and the natural and built heritage;
• a promoting the sustainable development of agriculture, tourism and the economy;
• a raising awareness and informing and educating the public to place people at the heart of
regional planning
Lying to the north-west of Ile-de-France, the Vexin Français is a land where nature, history, heritage and culture are permanently intertwined. It has conserved the authentic charm of a region with a strong agricultural vocation. The harmony of its housing is reinforced by the use of locally sourced building materials. From the hillsides on the banks of the Seine to the verdant valleys of the Viosne and the Sausseron, this vast limestone plateau is recognized for the richness of its biodiversity and its landscapes.
Less than an hour from Paris, the Vexin Français is an ideal destination for walks and relaxation, with over 1,000 km of paths for hikers. Round every corner is a new glimpse of the area’s remarkable rural heritage, testament to local traditions and customs. A land rich in history, the Vexin Français also offers a multitude of outdoor and leisure activities that can be enjoyed alone or with family or friends.
A regional natural park is a management and development tool serving a territory and its inhabitants. It implements a harmonious and balanced development project, based on the preservation of its natural, cultural and built heritage. It operates in different areas: town planning, landscaping advice, development of soft traffic routes, heritage enhancement, cultural development, support for businesses, commerce and crafts, development of tourist accommodation, maintenance and diversification agriculture, energy management and rehabilitation of built heritage, fauna and flora inventories, preservation of biological connections and habitats of emblematic species such as the owl or bats, management and animation of Natura 2000 sites and the reserve national nature of the Coteaux de la Seine, environmental and territorial education, citizen participation... Its project is included in a Charter developed in consultation with all local stakeholders for a period of 15 years. Its administrative headquarters is based in Théméricourt.
The Vexin Français Regional Natural Park is one of the 58 Regional Natural Parks in France and one of the 4 Regional Natural Parks around Paris.
The Maison du Parc
Discover and learn
The Maison du Parc has been installed in the château de Théméricourt, a fortified house and a 15th century place of residence which is typical of the Vexin Français. In the middle of a 6-hectare park with a pond fed by the Aubette de Meulan, this is an agreeable place to walk and is an unavoidable starting point for setting out to discover the Vexin Français. The outbuildings of the castle host the museum of the Vexin Français
which offer the visitor a trip through history and natural surroundings. And if you want to bring back a souvenir of the Vexin Français, the Park shop has a wide choice of books, regional products and local crafts.
