In the footsteps of Kings Marly-le-Roi

You’ll be seduced by Marly-le-Roi, its village lined with colourful houses and steep streets, its royal estate and the craggy relief of its forest, here everything invites you to relax and stroll. To discover this pretty Yvelines town, start with a stroll through old Marly, continue with a gourmet break in one of its many restaurants and then visit the park and the Musée du Domaine royal de Marly to learn more about the history of this vanished castle.

A little history

Marly, a small village in western Paris, became a royal town under Louis XIV

The Château de Marly, the “intimate” home of Louis XIV, and its National Estate
Recognising the potential of this wonderful little village perched on its hill and on the edge of the great hunting forests, Louis XIV chose it as his place of residence, and made it the royal town of Marly. This place of residence and relaxation was much more intimate than the one he already had at Versailles. As Gérard Mabille writes in Vues des Jardins de Marly, le roi jardinier, “what the king sought and found at Marly was perhaps, ultimately, what was missing at Versailles.”

In fact, he built his residence at Marly, of which only the foundations remain today, in the centre of the royal park of Marly. The greatness of Marly lies precisely in this superb national estate. Built by Jules Hardouin-Mansart at the request of Louis XIV. It was later sublimated thanks to the marble Coustou horses commissioned by Louis XV.

Reproductions of these famous Marly horses (the originals are kept in the Louvre), below the water mirror, overlook the beautiful drinking trough. The Abreuvoir, also built between 1696 and 1698, is a strong symbol taken up in painting on numerous occasions by Alfred Sisley.

On either side of the pedestal of the Château de Marly several statues have been arranged, and their copies installed in the early 2000s such as Apollo, Daphne and Hippomenes by Coustou, or Hamadryade and Le Berger flûteur by Coysevox.

©Discover Saint Germain Boucles de Seine by bike|JOEL DAMASSE

We like : Family outings in Marly-le-Roi

There are several walking routes to discover the old village, the park and the forest of Marly.

They will take you through Marly-le-Roi’s royal past and in the footsteps of the Impressionists, who were greatly inspired by the landscapes of Saint Germain Boucles de Seine. The Impressionist Trail at Marly-le-Roi takes in 6 reproductions of paintings by Sisley and Cassatt. With a length of 3.4 km, it is very accessible for families, but for the more experienced we advise you to complete it with the one on Louveciennes.

To find out about the history of the town, there are two options: download the Citygem app or drop in to see us at the information office to get the itinerary for discovering the old village.

Good plan

The Musée du Domaine royal de Marly offers booklets and game trails to help you discover the museum’s collections in a fun way.

Find out more

Jean Vilar Cultural Center

Franck Esposito Municipal Swimming Pool

Poney-Club de Marly-le-Roi

Hôtel B&B Louveciennes

Hôtel B&B Le Port-Marly

Charming furnished 2 room apartment

Our favourites The old village

Besides its radiant past, the old village of Marly still boasts a number of must-sees to be discovered as you wander through the pedestrianised lanes.

The Town Hall: the current town hall takes up its position in the former King’s Kennel; just behind it, the Parc du Chenil offers the perfect relaxing break in an English-style garden created in the 19th century. And if you’re feeling peckish, don’t miss “Au Vieux Marly”, the oldest restaurant in the village, just across the road!
The Place Victorien Sardou: named after a former playwright (no relation to the singer Michel Sardou!). Next, you’ll see his former home, the Château du Verduron. Then there’s the imposing allée des sphinxes behind the magnificent gate donated by the Académie Française. And finally, the church of Saint-Vigor, whose bell tower dominates the village. Don’t hesitate to push open the door to admire the stained glass windows.
The Grande Rue: this is the village’s main thoroughfare; its colourful facades give it the feel of a Provencal village.
Finally, the last gift given by Louis XIV to the people of Marlychois is the church of Saint Vigor, whose paintings and stained glass windows were restored in 2012. In 2015, the church itself also underwent major restoration work.

Good to know

The Tourist Office regularly offers guided tours of the village of Marly as well as Giant Cluedos with the Artecie company. To find out about upcoming dates the easiest way is to subscribe to the newsletter.

For groups we offer guided tours of the village with commentary by guide-lecturers, you can supplement these with a guided tour of the Domaine royal de Marly and the Museum of the Domaine royal de Marly. To find out more, please contact our sales team!

Come and see us!

The Marly-le-Roi Tourist Information Office is located at 2 avenue des Combattants, and is open on Wednesdays and public holidays from 2pm to 5.30pm, Saturdays and Sundays: 11am – 1.30pm / 2pm – 5.30pm until 30 September.

You’ll find a very pretty shop there, as well as a number of brochures on the sites to discover in Saint Germain Boucles de Seine and the surrounding area.