Lots of history here, and lots of memories visiting and riding once living in nearby Versailles. It has been a while and perhaps nostalgic ,glad to found me an older pic in my cd rom vault to share here for you and me, As an anecdote when came to live permanently in France back in August 23rd 2003, looking for an apartment I was offered one here with no deposits required! However, chose Versailles instead, Therefore,here is my take on this is Croissy sur Seine !!! Hope you enjoy it as I.
The town of Croissy-sur-Seine is in the Yvelines department no 78 in the Île-de-France region of my belle France. It is 16 km from Paris, 6 km from Saint-Germain-en-Laye, and 10 km from Versailles. Its neighboring communes are Chatou 3 km, Rueil-Malmaison 4 km, Bougival 2 km, Louveciennes 5 km ,Le Port-Marly 5 km, Le Pecq 5 km, and Le Vésinet 3 km. The town is by the RD 321 running north-south and RD 121 running east-west which lead to the bridges over the Seine at Le Pecq and Chatou and Maréchal-de-Lattre-de-Tassigny.
The Chapelle Saint-Léonard was built at the end of the 12C, in the historic heart of the town. Accurately dating the construction of the chapel, the oldest building in the town is impossible due to a lack of historical sources. The only certainty is that it emerged at the very end of the 12C to become Croissy’s first church. The chapel, the village’s historic church, finally lost its religious purpose at the end of the 19C, after the construction of the current church, which also bears the name of Saint-Léonard. The Chapelle Saint-Léonard having become too small for the growing number of inhabitants, it was deconsecrated in 1882 and purchased by the painter Théophile Poilpot, who thus saved it from destruction. The gallery railing features fourteen portraits painted by Bonifacio Bembo in the 15C. The cult held there is that of Saint-Léonard, patron saint of prisoners and sterile or pregnant women. Queen Anne of Austria visited the chapel in person after the birth of her son Louis XIV. She contributed to an initial restoration at the time. Once deconsecrated, the chapel was sold to private individuals before being finally purchased by the town in 1976. Today, the chapel is open to the public and serves as an exhibition space and a classical music concert hall. It was completely restored in the 1980s and 1990s.
Some other things to see here are : The Château de Croissy 18C, 12 Grande-Rue. Restored, it now houses the Grenouillère Museum, as well as the Local History Pavilion. The PHL is a small free museum managed by the historical association La Mémoire de Croissy. A visit provides an overview of the town’s history, events, people, buildings and an evocation of Croissy the market gardener, queen of the Paris Halles, using illustrated panels, display cases, and a presentation of old market gardening equipment and tools. The house known as Joséphine de Beauharnais. This property of the Public Assistance built in the middle of the 19C on the site of older buildings has been preserved, Former Charity House built in 1852 thanks to the legacy of the Marquis d’Aligre who gave his name to the small square located in front of the facade. Saint-Léonard Church, neo-Gothic style building built in 1882. A Louis XIII style private mansion built for the industrialist Ernest Goüin in 1869 at no. 2 Berge-de-la-Prairie, at the corner of Avenue Émile-Augier. The brother of his son-in-law and nephew of Émile Augier, the poet Émile Guiard known as Dargil, lived there after him. The villa also belonged to the musician Jean-Michel Jarre and the actress Charlotte Rampling, Villa Desmarest, a small castle built in 1857, at no. 10 Berge-de-la-Prairie, for Ernest Desmarest, lawyer, mayor of the 9éme arrondissement of Paris and “protector” of artists. Its park housed a performance hall built for his friends and clients: Céleste Mogador, the singer Pauline Viardot, the composers Gounod, Bizet etc, The property later belonged to Jules Goüin, regent of the Banque de France, In 2002, to maintain the cultural heritage left by the Impressionists in the Yvelines, Croissy-sur-Seine, along with eight other towns along the Seine, Carrières-sur-Seine, Chatou, Bougival, Louveciennes, Marly-le-Roi, Le Port-Marly, Le Pecq and Noisy-le-Roi, created the label and structure “Pays des Impressionnistes” ,The Grenouillère Museum, revived the famous floating café “La Grenouillère” where Claude Monet and Pierre-Auguste Renoir met at the end of the summer of 1869 to paint their first Impressionist canvases. The museum presents a collection of paintings, engravings and objects in a Belle Époque atmosphere and organizes exhibitions. I must add here is the home of the British School of Paris at 38 Quai de l’Écluse, private and a good one also consideration for my boys but chose Bel Air in Le Chesnay.
The official Yvelines dept 78 tourism on the way of Impressionists: https://voyagesimpressionnistes.com/en/banks-seine/chemin-des-impressionnistes/
The official Grenouillére museum: https://www.grenouillere-museum.com/grenouillere/visites-2/pratique/
A bit of history I like tell us that in the 11C, the lordship of Croissy, which was relatively poor, belonged to the lords of Marly. The inventory that Philippe Auguste had drawn up in 1204 of the fiefs he had united with the crown domain was that the lords of Croissy were simple men of fiefs occupying the lowest rank of the feudal nobility. In the second half of the 14C, the lordship of Croissy, which had until then been under the vassalage of Neauphle-le-Château, became a vassal of Charles I of Montmorency around 1368. In 1634, Louis XIII acquired half of the land of Croissy for the royal hunts of Vésinet. In 1644, Croissy was purchased by the knight François de Patrocles, chief equerry to Queen Anne of Austria. In 1779, the land of Croissy passed into the hands of the receiver general of finances, Jean Chanorier. In 1790, during the French revolution, he was the first elected mayor of Croissy. In 1793, Joséphine de Beauharnais reportedly stayed in a house there to seek refuge during the Terror.
The Town of Croissy sur Seine on its heritage: https://www.croissy.com/la-ville-et-vous/vivre-croissy/cadre-de-vie-et-patrimoine
The local Saint Germain Boucle de Seine tourist office on Croissy sur Seine: https://www.seine-saintgermain.fr/en/exploring-saint-germain-boucles-de-seine/croissy-sur-seine/
The Yvelines dept 78 tourist office on Croissy sur Seine: https://www.destination-yvelines.fr/musees-et-maisons-dhommes-celebres/?_commune=croissy-sur-seine
There you go folks, a historical wonderful area we love from our former hunting ground. The town of Croissy sur Seine is worth the detour to visit ,shop, and to live, and you should enjoy it all surrounded by lush surrounding in noble French traditions. Again, hope you enjoy this post on this is Croissy sur Seine !!! as I .
And remember, happy travels, good health, and many cheers to all !!!
Paris1972-Versailles2003 