Courson Park © Jean-Pierre Delagarde
Like most of the departments in the Ile-de-France region, Essonne owes its name to the river Essonne, which runs through the area. The department boasts several historical landmarks, including castles like the Château de Courances and Château de Chamarande, as well as renowned natural landscapes.
The Sénart national forest, with its 3 million visitors a year, is one of the most popular sites in Essonne. The forest was laid out in the 14th century by the King for deer and wolf hunting, and these long avenues are still accessible today.
The Domaine de Courson, consisting of a park and estate, is a significant cultural and botanical site. The park's landscape was designed in the English style, featuring picturesque elements such as rolling lawns, water features, and a variety of tree and plant species, including rare and exotic ones.
Courson Castle © Domaine de Courson
Essonne is also home to Paris-Saclay University. Times Higher Education ranks it 5th best among universities that are 50 years old or younger. The university's main campus is located in the Paris-Saclay plateau, an area designed to be a leading scientific and technological hub. The plateau hosts several other elite French higher education institutions, namely École Polytechnique, CentraleSupélec, ENS Paris-Saclay, and HEC Paris.
Etampes
Étampes is a historic town in Essonne, known for its rich architectural heritage and scenic beauty, with twenty-six listed monuments.
Did you know?
During the Middle Ages, Étampes flourished as a royal town under the Capetian dynasty. Royal residences, fortresses, and churches were built under the rule of the different kings, around which the town grew. Etampes played a vital role during the Hundred Years' War and the Wars of Religion, witnessing numerous battles and sieges.
Guinette Tower © Le Parisien
The many buildings from that era reveal Etampes’ prominence, like the 12th-century Church of Saint-Martin, and the 11th-century Tower of Guinette, a remnant of the medieval castle that once stood there.
At the start of the 20th century, Etampes became a pioneer city in aviation, with the construction of airfields in the area. Louis Blériot made the 1st city-to-city flight, flying to Chevilly in his monoplane in 1910. He later founded France's first flying school in Etampes.
Louis Blériot © The Engineer
Evry-Courcouronnes
Evry-Courcouronnes is the last step of the Olympic flame's journey in Essonne. The town developped during the 1960s, as an aim to decentralize the growing population of Paris, and it is characterized by modern architecture and spacious layouts.
Cathedral of the Resurrection © Grand Paris Sud Tourisme
The city stands out with sixteen buildings awarded with the "Remarkable Contemporary Architecture" label. This label is awarded to buildings less than 100 years old that are not protected as historic monuments. Among them is a notable modern landmark, the Cathedral of the Resurrection, which is the only cathedral built in mainland France in the 20th century.
Sport Facts
The Olympic Torch relay will journey through Marcoussis, the home of the National Rugby Centre. This state-of-the-art center serves as the training facility for the French national rugby team since 2002.
The French athletics team will be fielding two sprinters in the 200m, including Pablo Mateo. The Évry native, a member of Lisses Athletic Club, will also be competing in the 4 x 100 m relay.
On the mats, Arpajon-born Koumba Larroque will represent the French wrestling team in the 68kg category.
National Rugby Center © Destination Paris-Saclay / Pablo Mateo © Stadion Actu / Koumba Larroque © Le Monde