St.Germain-en-Laye (en Laye ‘in the forest’ in Celtic), only 12 miles away from the centre of Paris, has a population of around 42,000. Its origins go back to roughly 1000AD, with some parts of the Old Castle dating from the 12th Century. Even before this, Charlemagne and the early kings of France hunted in what is now the national forest (comprising over 3,500 hectares). The only remains of the New Castle, meanwhile, are the Henry IV Pavilion, birthplace of Louis XIV (explaining the cradle on the town coat of arms), whose architect Le Nôtre built the famous terrace in the parks with its wonderful view of Paris. Since 1862, the Old Castle has been home to the National Museum of Archaeology. St Germain-en-Laye is popular with people who work in Paris but would rather live in the leafy suburbs, and is thus well served by RER and SNCF trains, motorways and busses. It is a town of schools (with a well-known International College) and museums, as well as boasting a theatre, several markets and lots of shops, not to mention the headquarters of PSG football club. For these reasons, and doubtless many more, there’s no shortage of people who are of the firm conviction that St. Germain-en-Laye really is the ideal place to live, combining the charm of sleepy provincial towns with the flair of one of the world’s liveliest capitals.
 |
 |
 |
 |
| The Old Castle | St.Germain Church | Henri IV Pavilion | View of Paris |
 |
 |
 |
 |
| The Royal Stables | Street of Paris | The Old Castle | St.Germain Church |
(C) 2006 - Alle Rechte vorbehalten