I am caught up in nostalgia, not big tourist attractions but more of the every day life of a family in France . We drove all over the Yvelines to see its wonders of our world even away from our dear Versailles, I am glad to found these pictures in my cd rom vault that should be in my blog for you and me. I like to tell you about this nice quant historical town of Mesnil Saint Denis, Therefore, here is my take on this is Mesnil Saint Denis !!! Hope you enjoy the post as I.
The town of Le Mesnil-Saint-Denis is located in the Yvelines department no 78 in the Île-de-France region of my belle France. The town is part of the Haute Vallée de Chevreuse Regional Natural Park. It is located 6 km from Élancourt on the D58 road,7 km from Trappes on the D36 and D58 roads,6 km from Dampierre-en-Yvelines on the D58 road, 4 km from Coignières crossing the N10, 3 km from.La Verriére,on the D13 and D58 roads, 21 km from Versailles, and 446 km from my current home, I came here from Versailles,along the Rue de la Paroisse, Rue du Maréchal Foch continue onto Avenue de l’Europe , continue onto Avenue du Général de Gaulle continue onto Rue Royale, then turn right onto Rue du Général Leclerc (D10 road) ,then turn left onto Rue du Maréchal Joffre (D91 road) continue changes name to Avenue Clément Ader continue to connect with the N12 highway by exit/sortie 4 dir Saint Cyr l’école /Dreux get off at exit/sortie 5 onto the R12 continue at round about bear left onto the D58 road it crosses overlay the N10 highway continue into City center on the D58 look for panels château entrance on your right hand side.
The Château du Mesnil-Saint-Denis was built for Louis Habert de Montmort, Henry III’s secretary of finance and treasurer general of war, probably from 1579-1580. Several owners succeeded one another until the château and its grounds were acquired by the Husson-Carcenac family, In 1865, it was acquired by Pierre Adolphe Husson and his wife Pauline Carcenac. The Husson-Carcenac family had the château restored and a chapel built there in 1884. Their daughter Marie-Adèle-Alexandra Husson-Carcenac (in religion Sister Marie de la Nativité) was the founder of the Monastery of the Sacred Heart of Mesnil-Saint-Denis. During the Franco-Prussian War of 1870, the castle was occupied by Prussian troops commanded by Grand Duke Frederick Francis II of Mecklenburg-Schwerin and later by Prince Frederick William of Hohenlohe. The war of 1914 was almost fatal for the castle: the estate was divided up, the surrounding walls were demolished and housing developments were created. In 1929, it passed to the Norwegian Minister Fredrik Herman Gade. In 1940, the exiled King Zog I of Albania and Queen Geraldine resided there. In 1947, the château was purchased by Milton Reynolds, of Chicago IL USA, who manufactured the first ballpoint pens marketed in France in the outbuildings. In 1952, the château was purchased by the town of Mesnil-Saint-Denis to house the City/town hall, schools, and various municipal services.
Inside you can see the chapel, now the wedding hall, to the left of the entrance. Upon exiting, we find ourselves facing the staircase. Then, on the right, we begin with the reading room, move on to the small drawing room, and finally arrive at the large drawing room, now the municipal council chamber. This can be seen by appointment or on Heritage Days only,
Other things to see here are the Church of Saint-Denis ,dilapidated in 1469, it was rebuilt in 1584 and dedicated to Saint Denis, the first bishop of Paris. The main body of the church dates from the 16C. Created in 1684 by Vauban, the Étang des Noës was dug for the major construction of the ponds and channels intended to supply the pools and fountains of the Palace of Versailles. The pond is 87 cm deep on average and 580 meters wide. The three calvaries of Mesnil Saint Denis confirm to travelers the direction of two abbeys. The arms of the cross indicate Notre Dame de la Roche, a place of devotion to the Virgin Mary, on one side, and Port Royal des Champs, the heart of Jansenism, on the other. In Rodon, the Mathurine Cross and the Rodon Cross are respectively placed on a capital and on an overturned pillar from the 12C, probably coming from the Port Royal Abbey, which was razed in 1709, on the orders of Louis XIV. The Mousseau Cross, or Calvary of Saint Norbert, was erected on Christmas Day 1888. All three bear a Jansenist Christ whose arms form a Y. The Skit of the Holy Spirit. In the Bois du Fay, this Russian Orthodox monastic site, in the Byzantine style, was founded in 1934. The monks do not lead a communal life, each following their own rhythm. Visitors admire frescoes and icons and understand their essential role in the liturgy. The Porte Henri-IV gate and its Norman-inspired half-timbered houses.
A bit of history I like tell us that in 768, Pepin the Short gave the monks of the Abbey of Saint-Denis a fiefdom in the Yvelines forest. They established its headquarters at the current location of the town, more precisely at the fortress of Beaurain. The name Mesnil-Saint-Denis appears in the 12C. In 1543, a prosecutor of the Parliament, Philippe Habert, acquired a house and land in Mesnil. His son, Louis Habert, treasurer of wars, inherited it and became the lord of the country. He had a castle built opposite the fortified house of Beaurain, and obtained the elevation of his estate into the lordship of Mesnil-Habert. During the siege of Paris in 1870, the headquarters of the 6th Prussian division was installed in Mesnil-Saint-Denis.
The town of Mesnil Saint Denis on its heritage : https://www.lemesnilsaintdenis.fr/patrimoine-architectural
The Yvelines dept 78 tourist office on Mesnil Saint Denis : https://www.destination-yvelines.fr/visiter-mesnil-saint-denis/
The private site on the Château de Mesnil Saint Denis : http://mesnil.saint.denis.free.fr/chateau-anglais.htm
The official Association of Friends of the castle of Mesnil Saint Denis : https://www.lesamisduchateau-lemesnilsaintdenis.fr/
There you go folks, this is a nice town worth the detour and more time in it me think. We are kept together by these memories of my travels early on with my dear parents and wife here, memories forever. Again, hope you enjoy this post on this is Mesnil Saint Denis !!! as I.
And remember, happy travels, good health and many cheers to all !!!
Paris1972-Versailles2003 