Dear to the heart of countless kings of France, from Louis VI to Louis XIV, Saint-Germain-en-Laye cherishes the heritage they have left behind: its château-museum,its gardens including the Grande Terasse which overlooks the

Seine valley,its XVIIth and XVIIIth century mansions lining the streets of the town. Moreover, its royal destiny is closely bound up with the nearby forest, an ideal setting for hunting parties.

Here, on 5 September 1638, Louis XIV was born