A well-preserved territory near Paris

A few miles north of Paris, the French Vexin is a huge rural land area with a stunning range of natural and cultural heritages. Its luminous landscapes have remained as they were a century ago, when they attracted impressionist painters.
However, it is faced with serious problems including a massive rural exodus, pressures from urbanization, tourism and large infrastructure projects, which could destroy landscapes in only a few years’ time. That is why local authorities have joined with the national government in a contractual program to halt and reverse the process.


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The regional natural Park of French Vexin was founded in 1995 in order to preserve nature, protect the architectural and cultural heritages and guarantee a local development. It spreads on 66,000 hectares, north-west of Paris, and counts today 79 000 inhabitants on 94 townships (in the departments of Val d’Oise and Yvelines).

The main objectives are outlined in the Charter, ratified by the different partners (townships, the local council of the departments and regional council) who are therefore committed for ten years.