And here I am again updating this wonderful post in Marly le Roi, the Yvelines dept 78 of the Île de France region of my belle France. This is heavens ,history, architecture and good views all over. I have seen a lot but just touching the surface, there is so much more to see in my belle France! I like to tell you about a walk, promenade, that became a museum. About an idea of an aqueduct that became just a dream, and about impressionists painters, some of the best all in one area. This is Marly-le-roi and Louveciennes towns. I passed by them often and even visited Franco-American friends at Marly-le-roi. Not to mention walked these places of history and beautiful quant villages/towns. I have it here as visited under the old name ,however, since 2019 it is name the musée du Domaine royal de Marly. Therefore, for this post let me tell you about the Museum promenade/aqueduct of Marly le Roi !!! Hope you enjoy it as I.
You will walked/visit the national domain of Marly-le-Roi , even if today there is nothing left of the castle of the time, pavilions and basins built for king Louis XIV, (thanks to the French revolution) , the estate retains a royal charm with its many aisles, its statues and the remains of the old buildings. You can visit the Musée-Promenade de Marly-le-Roi-Louveciennes , The museum traces and illustrates, with the help of an interactive model of the estate and its fine arts collections , archaeology and decorative arts, the splendour of the ancient residence of the Sun King. Models and technical objects present the famous machine of Marly, admirable hydraulic prowess, built under king Louis XIV to supply water to the fountains of Marly and Versailles. A room is dedicated to the favorite of king Louis XV, Madame du Barry, and to Madame Vigée Lebrun, portraitist of Marie-Antoinette, both residents of Louveciennes. The museum regularly offers temporary exhibitions, animations, guided tours, lectures, concerts…etc.
Think of going back down to the village in front of the sublime place de l’Abreuvoir which served as a diverting the waters of the gardens of the estate. Now to the banks of the Seine river, whose changing and dazzling colors attracted many painters: Corot, Sisley, Pissaro, all painted these recognizable views from Port-Marly. Many have come to settle there to enjoy the tranquility of this pretty town on the banks of the Seine. Follow the banks of the Seine, and you will discover the representations of the most beautiful impressionist paintings, posed, at the same place where the painters laid their easels! In the program « Le village de Voisins » (neighbors) painted by Pissarro in 1872, the « Barrage de la Machine de Marly » (Dam ) by Alfred Sisley or the « Route de Versailles » by Renoir.
The Louveciennes aqueduct, sometimes called the Marly aqueduct: built between 1681 and 1685 by Jules Hardouin-Mansart and Robert de Cotte during the reign of king Louis XIV to bring to the reservoirs serving the palaces of Versailles and Marly the water pumped from the Seine by the Marly machine located in the city of Bougival, to the north, below Louveciennes. It is a lead-lined canal 640 meters long supported by 36 arches 23 meters high by pipes laid on two paved ramps, it made it climb the nearly 150 meters of elevation of Louveciennes Hill. The water rising from the Seine is conveyed into the so-called Levant tower that served as an observation post to the future Emperor William 1er and to Chancellor Bismarck. Then, at the southern end of the aqueduct, a siphon in the so-called Jongleur tower, brings the water to the reservoirs of the Batterie in Marly. This tower was renovated between 1998 and 2000. Beneath the aqueduct lies the Louveciennes landscaped cemetery and the Arches Battery. The aqueduct was taken out of service in 1866 and replaced by underground pipes during the Siege of Paris in 1870, After the 1870 war against Prussia, the need arose to build a series of fortifications to protect Paris. The Arches Battery at Louveciennes is part of the defensive complex known as the Séré de Rivières around Paris, built from 1879.
The official musée du domaine royal de Marly : https://musee-domaine-marly.fr/
The city of Marly le Roi on the museum : https://www.marlyleroi.fr/Mus%c3%a9e-du-Domaine-royal-de-Marly/471/
The Seine St Germain en Laye tourist office on the Royal Domaine museum of Marly le Roi : https://www.seine-saintgermain.fr/en/file/760663/musee-du-domaine-royal-de-marly/
The Association Friends of the Domaine de Marly to keep it and improve it nicely for the future : https://www.amis-domaine-marly.fr/
The Seine St Germain en Laye tourist office on the Louveciennes aqueduct : https://www.seine-saintgermain.fr/en/file/4883554/aqueduc/
There you folks, there is a lot more to see than castles here, and you should enjoy it all surrounded by lush surrounding in noble French traditions. Marly le Roi is a chic nice place to stroll and see the wonders of my belle France, Again, hope you enjoy this post on the Museum promenade/aqueduct of Marly le Roi !! as I.
And remember, happy travels, good health, and many cheers to all !!!
Paris1972-Versailles2003 