Île-de-France

Île-de-France

Île de France is the historical core of the nation. While Paris is the heart while the surrounding region is where you find centuries of national history and architectural grandeur. A road trip here gives you quick access to world famous landmarks royal forests and elegant châteaux that shaped tje French nation. The landscape outside Paris is dominated by powerful symbols of monarchy and ambition. You can drive directly to the colossal Palace of Versailles, the masterpiece of Louis XIV. You can explore the sprawling medieval and Renaissance history of Fontainebleau. The only French château continuously inhabited by monarchs for eight centuries. The driving routes connect these massive historical sites allowing you to tour the history of the entire country in one compact region. Beyond the ring road you find charming towns great forests and the physical legacy of France’s greatest kings and queens. This region gives you unparalleled access to history, art and architecture that few other places can offer. It is the perfect road trip destination to explore the roots of French national identity.

Île-de-France highlights

Part of these road trips

Follow the routes that cross this destination

The Scenic Route
The Heritage Drive
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History of Île-de-France

The history of Île-de-France is simply the history of France itself. From the tenth century onward the Capetian kings made this region their permanent base. They slowly consolidated their power and ensured that Paris would always remain the political and religious core of the entire kingdom. The absolute golden age arrived with the powerful Bourbon kings. They began an ambitious construction program outside the walls of Paris to showcase their immense wealth. You can drive today to the colossal Palace of Versailles built by Louis XIV which became the unrivaled symbol of European royal power. Prior to that medieval and Renaissance kings expanded the magnificent Fontainebleau making the entire region a dense collection of royal monuments. Île-de-France has always maintained its position as the nation's cultural and administrative heart. Its history is written in stone in its massive cathedrals, royal hunting grounds and countless châteaux. Your road trip here is a journey into the past granting unparalleled access to the places where kings ruled, empires were born and the French modern nation was shaped.
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