garlic for around 14 months , before they are sent off to restaurants or sold in the small boutique store on the farm . It is also possible to take a tour of the farm , before you head home with your chewy snails for dinner .
Other highlights of the region :
Domaine de Dampierre
This magnificent château dominates the small village of Dampierre . The château itself has been under restoration for several years now , but it ’ s a beautiful walk around the estate with its magical pond and 17th century outbuildings .
Port Royal des Champs
The sister Abbey to that of Vaux-de-
Cernay , there is not a great deal which remains of this 13th century nunnery . Largely destroyed under Louis XIV because of religious conflict , later buildings were used as a school , or to keep the memory of the abbey alive . Located in Magny-les-Hameaux , the ruins are a tranquil place to spend an afternoon , and some of the buildings have been converted to a museum .
Rambouillet
This restored château , former royal palace and now one of the official residences of the French President , has seen the likes of Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette , Napoléon Bonaparte and Josephine , and Emmanuel and Brigitte Macron .
In the sweeping grounds , which include an artificial lake populated with white