Eat local produce
The valley includes part of the ancient forest of Rambouillet , former hunting ground of French kings , where you can still see wild sangliers and graceful deer through the whispering trees .
Close to the Abbaye des Vaux de Cernay is a large network of paths , many of which converge on the sparkling green Étang des Cernay , from where the monks replenished their water supply ; a little further on , you can view the cascades which powered the Petit Moulin de Cernay .
The sandstone under your feet is lucky to be there - in the beginning of the 19th century , much of it was excavated and sent by train to Paris to become its cobblestoned streets .
You won ’ t even need to pack your picnic lunch on your day in the valley . Whether you ’ re in the car , on foot or on your bike , stop in one of the tiny village boulangeries for a warm and fresh baguette , and at La Ferme de Coubertin for a round ( or two ) of cheese .
This locally recognised farm raises its own cows and goats and makes award winning cheeses of all varieties . Make sure you pick up some flavoured yoghurt for your dessert .
For something a little bit different , yet completely French , why not visit a snail farm ?
Snails are not just for the tourist restaurants in Paris , they are a popular dish in their own right all over France , especially at Christmas .
The Ferme de Fanon , in Senlisse , emblematic of the Valley region , has been raising their own snails for almost 20 years . The thousands of snails here snack daily on fresh parsley , shallots and