Where are we?

The Château de la Barre is in department 78, Yvelines, of the Île-de-France region of north-central France.  Located in the verdant “Parc Naturel Régional” of the Vallée des Chevreuse, it is situated on the hill above the village of Senlisse. Here you are in the middle of a rural area bustling with life, yet only about 37km, as the crow flies, from Paris.  In the months of July and August,  when the whole of France decamps to the South, you can go from the front door to sitting on the Champs Elysees with a cup of coffee in around 40 minutes.

Easy Connections – for work or holidays.

But better than battling the Périphérique, is taking the train.  The terminus of the RER B, which takes you right into the beating heart of the city, is at St. Remy les Chevreuse, a mere 6.5km away.  Stay on this train and you will go through Gare du Nord with its Eurostar terminal, and continue to the end and you find yourself at Charles De Gaulle airport, with a transfer to Orly along the way.  Or you can take a 20-minute car drive to St. Quentin en Yvelines and find the RER C, which gives you easy connections to the north-west of the city and La Defense.

The important things ….. like bread !

The local École Primaire is 1.5km down the hill in the centre of the village, right next door to the local Mairie. The post office, butcher, baker and local shops are in the nearby village of Cernay la Ville, also a quick 1.5km along the road.  Go a few kilometers towards Essart Les Rois and you will even find…………. a snail farm.  Yes … really ! The whole area is a thriving community with farm shops and artisanal outlets everywhere, yet still within easy reach of significant employment pools including those of St. Quentin en Yvelines, Paris, Saclay and Rambouillet.

Things to do – something for everyone.

Directly behind our property you will find the Haras de Malvoisine. Formally a fortified farm from the 15th century, it is now a celebrated equestrian centre (centre équestre) renowned for its stables and breeding of sport horses, and which hosts an annual National Show Jumping Competition. Two years ago (2018) the Ryder Cup Golf Championship was played at the Albatros Course of Le Golf National in Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines, only 20km away, whilst Versailles’ Château and gardens are only 25km away.

Whether you are a cyclist, a walker, a culture vulture, a lover of gastronomy or just looking for some peace and quiet, there is something for everyone in the area.

Senlisse is just a stone’s throw away from Paris