Culture of the Ile-de-France

Structure

The Ile-de-France is the cradle of the Gothic architecture whose jewels are the Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Paris, the Basilique of Saint-Denis, the Château of Vincennes, the Conciergerie and the the Ste Chapelle.

Urban culture

Rural culture

It is often forgotten that the Ile-de-France in its peripheral part of Paris was until the time of the decision of the creation of the new cities a very rural whole made up of very fertile grounds. Today, nearly 80% of regional surface always consists of cultures and Forêt S.

Each small area which surrounds the capital preserves, in spite of the expansion of the Paris and its suburbs, a marked rural vocation and very often, an important inheritance so much monumental (Château X, classified church S…) that Vernacular (laundrettes, cross of way, firm S strengthened, some Mill S…). Since the Years 1980, the classification of certain sites (French Vexin) then the creation of regional natural parks contribute to preserve this inheritance.

Among the historical areas which surround Paris one counts:

the French Vexin in the North-West, limited to the east by Pontoise and the valley of the Oise, to the west by the Epte, to north by the Thelle and to the south by the valley of the the Seine. This area is for its francilienne part become the Regional natural park of French Vexin;
the Country of France , in the north of Paris, from which the northern part, very rural, is now preserved thanks to the Regional natural park Oise-Country of France;
the Multien and Goële in the North-East of Paris;
the Brie in the east;
the French Gâtinais in south-east, to some extent preserved thanks to the Regional natural park of French Gâtinais;
the Hurepoix in the south, to some extent integrated in the Regional natural park of the high valley of Chevreuse;
the Mantois in the west.

Random links: