The Ile de France region includes eight departments such as Seine et Marne, Essonne and Hauts de Seine, and is home to the country's capital: Paris.
It is a highly urbanized region but also has large forests - Fontainebleau, Rambouillet and Saint Germain en Laye; numerous urban parks; and vast valleys - the Seine and Marne valleys. Above all, Ile de France is a highly cultural region.
Among the visits not to be missed: the Château de Versailles - plan a full day -, the Basilica of Saint Denis (known as the "Basilica of the Kings") and the Cathedral of Notre-Dame de Paris - masterpiece of Gothic architecture. Also take advantage of your vacation to walk along the Champs Elysées - the "most beautiful avenue in the world" - or to stroll along the Trocadero, particularly pleasant in summer with its huge fountains, its water cannons and its breathtaking view of the Eiffel Tower.