A plain of character Carrières-sur-Seine, Le Mesnil-le-Roi, Montesson

At Carrières-sur-Seine we recommend a stroll along the Seine on the towpath, where you’ll come across several species of birds such as cormorants and swans, and a few fishermen also settle here to enjoy the peace and quiet.

You can continue your walk along the towpath to Bezons via the market garden plains, but a diversion to the historic centre is a must. With its old stones and picturesque streets, the old village is a reminder of Carrières-sur-Seine’s medieval past. You can still see the tithe barn, the old mill and the old wine press, carefully preserved in the courtyard of the Soleil.
While the town enchants visitors today, these landscapes have also been a source of inspiration for many artists. Monet and Vlaminck immortalised it in the 19th century, and nowadays other artists draw their creative energy from it. Also worth a visit in Carrières-sur-Seine is the Chemin des Impressionnistes.

The banks of the Seine at Le Mesnil-le-Roi offer a beautiful stroll through lush vegetation, while the more courageous can continue as far as Maison Laffitte and those wishing to take a break will appreciate the recently created relaxation areas.

A flock of Soay sheep have been grazing in the Mesnil-le-Roi meadow for a number of years. Introduced by the “Téma la vache” association to maintain these extensively grazed paddocks and thus contribute to the preservation of biodiversity, they are pampered by the “La Salamandre verte” association. Its mission is to protect nature through practical action to manage natural areas. Its activities are organised around two major projects: maintaining the alluvial meadow, classified as a nature reserve, through extensive eco-pasturing, and also restoring and developing a traditional heritage orchard.

The town of Montesson is known for its plain, which represents more than 450 hectares of agricultural and natural land at the gateway to Paris. The plaine de Montesson is one of the last remaining market garden production areas on the Paris inner ring road, which in the past and today supply Paris and its inner suburbs.

There are around fifteen market gardeners and two mushroom growers, who can be found at several sales outlets set up on the plaine and also at markets in the towns of Saint Germain Boucles de Seine.

The Plaine d’avenir association, which looks after the market garden plains, has published three walking routes that you can follow to discover the plain and its natural riches.

At Montesson we also advise you to pass through the Boucle de Montesson departmental park. Venturing along its paths, you may be lucky enough to spot fascinating species such as the Coot, the majestic Mute Swan and the Great Cormorant. An ideal place for nature lovers, where every walk is an opportunity to discover the wealth of local wildlife.