Small Boutique hotels in ILE DE FRANCE

Around the city of Paris, this historic region, a collection of royal grounds, dates back to the 10th century. Today Ile de France brings together the undisputed charms of the capital of France and a splendid countryside dotted with châteaux and lush forests. It is an agricultural plain crossed by the Seine, a navigable recreational river. For its size, from Paris any point is a stone's throw away. St-Denis, the necropolis of French royalty that houses the tombs of 43 kings and 32 queens, is accessed by subway.

28 km to the southwest stands Versailles, the royal palace par excellence. Baroque style, its gardens are another treasure and house more than 400 statues. You can tour the entire estate by bicycle.

The forest of Fontainebleau has been a recreation area for royalty since the 16th century and today it is for everyone. Its lavish palace houses 1,500 pieces of furniture and decorative arts. It is considered the best furnished in Europe, a symbol of French savoir faire. Chartres Cathedral of the 13th century is recognizable because of its two dissimilar towers: one Romanesque and the other Gothic. The palace of Chantilly, with its own dairy, became the name of the delicious whipped cream that was made there, famous among the European aristocracy in the seventeenth century.

In Île-de-France, you can choose to stay in Paris and from there tour the region, or on the other hand, stay in the charming countryside hotels and make incursions into the capital city.