Thoiry: Holiday apartments and houses

The Château de Thoiry is partly listed as a historic monument and partly classified as a historic monument; today, it is used as a museum. Its architecture is based on the golden ratio and other remarkable proportions and is intended to express the esotericism of the French Renaissance. The transparent axes of its windows form the concept of a solar calendar together with the horizon.

Those who choose Thoiry as a place to stay may wish to rent a holiday apartment there.

Culture

The town's historic buildings also include the Church of Saint Martin, which appears to date from the 17th century; the upper part of its bell tower was built in 1639. Thoiry's washhouse was fully restored using original plans from the 19th century and is supplied by the Fontaine spring. The historic fountain in a square in Thoiry was built in 1863 to supply the château with water. The Croix-Buissée is permanently decorated with boxwood and was faithfully rebuilt after the original cross was destroyed in the storm of 1999.

The Salon Mille et Un Fils takes place in Thoiry every two years and brings together more than 20 specialists in embroidery, patchwork, lace, sewing and knitting. The programme includes demonstrations of bobbin lace-making, patchwork, knitting, counted-thread embroidery, traditional embroidery, crochet and Hardanger embroidery.

Nature

In the French garden of the Château de Thoiry, Claude Desgot created a remarkable optical illusion in 1715, making the perspective appear to recede. The château's green maze comprises 5,600 yew trees, 2.3 kilometres of paths and nine bridges.

The walk-through park at Thoiry Safari & Zoo covers more than 90 hectares and is home to more than 750 animals. The safari follows an 8-kilometre route and can be experienced in your own vehicle or on a safari truck.

Getting there

Thoiry can be reached by bus route 78 from Mantes-la-Jolie, Saint-Quentin or Pontchartrain. From the Mairie de Thoiry stop, it is then a three-minute walk to the Château de Thoiry.

Other places: Montalet-le-Bois, Hargeville, Sailly, Le Vésinet, Grosrouvre, Villennes-Sur-Seine, Auffargis, Jouy-En-Josas

For the broader travel overview: Yvelines.