The Vexin, a nature reserve just a stone’s throw away
There are places we pass through without really noticing them. The French Vexin Regional Nature Park is the exact opposite: as soon as you slow down, as soon as you step out of the car and set foot on its chalk paths, it reveals itself with a rare clarity. Endless agricultural plateaus, white-stone hamlets slumbering in the golden morning light, forest edges where the silence is almost palpable — the Vexin is a paradise for walkers seeking a breather, far from the hustle and bustle of Paris.
Le Clos des Vignes is situated in Neuville-Bosc, on the edge of this unspoilt area. Less than an hour from Paris, our guests find themselves wandering through landscapes that seem to belong to another century, before returning to recharge their batteries in the estate’s twelve-hectare park, amongst ponds, animals and leafy trees. This is the promise that the Vexin region keeps, without ever failing.
Our favourite walks
The Vexin offers a wide range of walks to suit all paces and preferences. Here are five routes that we particularly like to recommend to our guests — our reception staff will be happy to provide you with up-to-date maps and practical information before you set off.
The agricultural plateaus and their vast skies. This is the hallmark of the Vexin: open expanses where the eye is lost on the horizon, punctuated by hedgerows and dirt tracks. A walk across the plateau in fine weather offers breathtaking views and a sense of absolute freedom. As the seasons change, the landscape transforms — golden wheat fields in summer, romantic mist in autumn, low-angled light and frost in winter.
The white-stone villages. The Vexin is home to villages of understated, authentic beauty, built from the local chalk that gives them their distinctive luminous hue. Linger in one of these narrow streets, discover a Romanesque church off the beaten track, have a natter with the locals — it’s a different way of walking, slower, more curious, and just as rejuvenating.
The Park Centre in Théméricourt. Just under half an hour’s drive from the estate, Théméricourt Castle is home to the Maison du Parc, the perfect starting point for exploring the region, its landscapes and its biodiversity. The site itself is well worth a visit, and the permanent exhibitions will leave you seeing the Vexin in a whole new light.
The Epte Valley. This river, which forms the border between Normandy and Île-de-France, carves out a cool, wooded valley dotted with mills and wet meadows. The wildlife here is abundant — kingfishers, grey herons and dragonflies skimming the water’s surface — and the shade provided by the riverside woodland makes these paths particularly pleasant when summer temperatures rise on the plateau.
La Roche-Guyon and the Seine Valley. About fifty minutes from the estate, the village of La Roche-Guyon — listed as one of the Most Beautiful Villages in France — rises strikingly between a chalk cliff and a bend in the river. A stroll here combines spectacular scenery, medieval heritage and the banks of the Seine. It’s a detour well worth taking at least once.
When to go — and what to pack?
The Vexin is a great place to go for a walk all year round, but each season has its own charms. Spring is irresistible: the orchards are in bloom, the paths are carpeted with fresh grass, and migratory birds stop off in the wetlands. Summer, set off early in the morning to enjoy the cool air and golden light before the heat of the plateau sets in. Autumn offers a sumptuous palette of colours in the woods and an atmosphere that is both melancholic and gentle. Winter Finally, on a clear, cold day, it reveals stark landscapes of a mineral-like beauty.
Don’t forget to pack the following in your rucksack: walking shoes (the chalk paths can be slippery in wet weather), an extra layer even in summer (the wind on the plateau can be surprisingly chilly), plenty of water, and a snack. The estate’s reception can advise you on the day’s conditions and suggest routes suited to your fitness level and the time you have available.
“Walking in the Vexin means rediscovering a connection with the landscape that the fast pace of modern life has robbed us of. Every path here is an invitation to be fully present.”
After all that hard work, it’s time to relax at the estate
Returning to Le Clos des Vignes after a day’s walk in the Vexin is an experience in itself. The twelve-hectare grounds — with their ponds, animals and shaded lawns — serve as a natural breathing space even before you step through the estate’s gates.
The spa It’s the perfect place to soothe tired legs with its treatments, whirlpool and relaxation areas, where the silence is broken only by the sound of the water. A massage after a workout, and the day takes on a whole new dimension.
In the evening, the restaurant Chef Cyril Ramon’s cuisine completes the picture: a cuisine rooted in the local terroir, which brings to the table the dialogue with the Vexin that began that morning on the trails. Regional producers — cheeses, vegetables, meats — echo the landscapes you have just passed through.
Our consequences, some of which have a private terrace overlooking the park, offer the perfect retreat for extending your stay by one or more nights. Because you can only truly discover the Vexin by taking your time.
Fancy planning your hiking trip? Take a look at our page Access & Directions to visit the estate, and please don’t hesitate to get in touch with our team: we’ll put together a bespoke programme tailored to your preferences, your pace and the season. The Vexin has so much to offer — let us help you discover the very best it has to offer.
