Beyond Fairytales: 7 Must-See Places In Marne-La-Vallée

Marne-La-Vallée is a town in the department of Seine-et-Marne in the Île-de-France region of the country, located in the eastern suburb of Paris. While Marne-La-Vallée is now mainly famous for Disneyland Paris, there is more to it than fairytales and dreams coming true.

1. Château de Champs-sur-Marne

This is a splendid 18th century château in a very large park with trees which was constructed in Louis XV taste and has a pink exterior. Visit stately rooms furnished in the style of the time with originals, such as Queen Marie Antoinette’s bed, and Gobelins tapestries, and take a leisurely walk through the landscaped gardens, adorned with statues and fountains which look as if they were drawn right out of pages of a French fairy tale. Do not leave the castle without visiting the Orangerie, where citrus trees were brought during the winter time and now it is also used for art exhibitions and concerts.

2. Bry-sur-Marne

Another lovely town located near the river is Bry-sur-Marne, in which there is a beautiful central square that is full of cafes and restaurants and where people gather during the weekdays and especially on the market days. Make a stop and get fresh local produce and other ready-to-eat foods before heading to a perfect picnic area near the Marne River. Stare at the neo-Gothic St George church and taste the town’s gastronomic specialty – Brie cheese served with cream.

3. The Art Center and Educational Foundation La Ferme du Buisson

Founded in 1981, La Ferme du Buisson focuses on multidisciplinary contemporary arts and is located in a modern triangular building that looks like a flying saucer in this agglomeration of green lands. Watch modern dance performances, plays, and musicals, and sit through art gallery performances of upcoming artists. Just learn sculptor, photography, pottery, and many more and you will be amazed to find the artist in you.

4. Guermantes Riverside Walk

Find a blast of the scenery along the Circuit des Boucles de la Marne – a trail, that goes around the Marne River and passes through small villages with half-timbered houses in rustic appearance. Begin your visit to the village of Guermantes to visit the 12th-century church and ruins of the lord's castle. The emerald water continues its course flowing through the village of Jossigny which hosts an old water mill that mills flour up to this date.

5. Lagny Open-Air Market

Lagny-sur-Marne has one of the most attractive open-air markets in the region and it has been operating for at least a thousand years, welcoming shoppers every Wednesday and Saturday morning. Stroll through the complex filled with frenzied vendors and shoppers, taste local cheeses gastropub dishes, and fresh fruits in a covered market, then wander through the flower stands, bars of handmade soaps, clothes, and other items. It is recommended that you do not leave Lagny without having tasted the famous savory specialty of this region, namely the dragées made from almonds covered in a thin layer of chocolate.

6. Parc du Grand Voyeux

Parc du Grand Voyeux is a large park that spans more than 140 hectares of land and encompasses Chessy and Coupvray; people visit this park during the weekends to take a boat ride around the lake. Read a book while swimming in a public pool and be in the countryside of Île-de-France. There are large amusement parks playgrounds and mini pony riding zones where the tiny toddlers can run amok while the mommy can sip coffee while enjoying the beauty of the terrace overlooking the water.

7. Ferme de Montauger

Here on this working farm that is also suitable for children, the young ones are allowed to feed pygmy goats, donkeys, horses, chickens, and geese as they learn more about issues to do with farming. Enjoy a tractor ride through the apple and other crops and finish your tour with a taste of fresh apple juice squeezed on the spot at the farm store and freshly baked pecan pies. During Saturdays and Sundays in the summer, assist in shearing the angora rabbits or try weaving with wool that has been obtained from sheep in wool workshops that make farming experiences come alive with hands-on light.

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