In the Upper Chevreuse Valley , when the sun comes out , the tops come down . Of the convertibles , I mean . That ’ s how you know spring is finally here ; under the sunshine of the newly verdant trees , open-topped red cabriolets , sleek motorbikes and packs of colourful cyclists compete for space on the twisting , turning roads . There are castles and châteaux , crumbling medieval abbeys and watermills , and a lovely , meandering stroll along the petits ponts of the Yvette river .
It ’ s a short drive from Paris , only an hour or so to the southeast . Paris is exquisite , but here , the slow-moving river bordered by undulating green hills , dotted with stone houses and church steeples is a fairy-tale setting .
Officially known as the Parc Naturel régional Haute Vallée de Chevreuse , the area encompasses more than 25,000 hectares , and there ’ s a lot to see .
Chevreuse
This charming petite cité médiévale , which gives its name to the valley , is home to one of the most recognisable sites in the area - the Château de la Madeleine . The castle fortress casts a protective eye on the village below from its hilltop perch , as it has done for over 1000 years . It was named for the Saint Marie-Madeleine Chapel , built in the 13th century , but unfortunately destroyed prior to the French Revolution .
Chevreuse was considered a prime position , marking the boundary between the duchy of Normandy and France , and its prosperous tanning industry made it a wealthy town .