Historic residences in Saint-Germain-en-Laye

Departure from the RER station at the church in Saint-Germain-en-Laye.

(S/E) Head towards the church and make your way to Place Charles de Gaulle.

Place Charles de Gaulle:
Directly opposite you is the Château-Vieux, which now houses the National Archaeology Museum and the gardens of the Domaine National.
The Church of Saint-Germain and its portico with six Ionic columns.

Cross the square and follow Rue de la Salle to the right.

Rue de la Salle:
Named as such since 1640 in honour of the city’s captains-governors, and also because it contained a hall where the townspeople used to meet.
At No. 16: This is the oldest house in the town. With its half-timbered structure, it is typical of the late Middle Ages. The façade has been restored.
At No. 18: Hôtel des Maréchaux de Villeroy. Owned by Nicolas de Neuville, governor under Louis XIV, and later by his son François, who was also a governor, but under Louis XV.

Head towards Rue du Pain, turn left, and you’ll reach the Maison Claude Debussy at No. 38.

Maison Claude Debussy:
In the courtyard, admire the magnificent staircase with its wooden balusters, the only one of its kind still visible in Saint-Germain-en-Laye. It dates from the late 17th century. Take the staircase up to the first floor. You have now reached the Claude Debussy Museum. The composer was born here on 22 August 1862. His parents lived in a modest flat on the ground floor and ran a shop selling earthenware and porcelain. The upper floors were occupied by other families.

Return toPlace Charles de Gaulle, turn right and you’ll soon reach Rue du Vieil Abreuvoir.

(1) Rue du Vieil Abreuvoir:
At the entrance to this street there used to be a large drinking trough, which was demolished in the 18th century to facilitate the passage of ‘coches’, the public carriages that were the forerunners of stagecoaches.
AtNo.24: The mansion known as ‘De la Feuillade’, which belonged to the Duke of la Feuillade. A great admirer of King LouisXIV, he had a statue erected in his honour in the Place des Victoires in Paris.
At No. 23: The mansion of the Marquise de Maintenon, Louis XIV’s mistress and later his second wife; she purchased this house in 1680. The imposing wrought-iron balcony dates from 1880.
AtNo. 22: The Hôtel de Montausier, owned by the Duke of Montausier, governor to Louis XIV’s eldest son. It was also in this residence that the future Marshal Lyautey stayed from 1887 to 1891. At the time, he was merely a captain.

Carry on to the next junction, then turn right into Rue des Coches.

Rue des Coches:
This street has borne this name since 1700 as it was the departure point for the ‘coches’, the public carriages that travelled to neighbouring towns, notably Paris and Versailles.
At No. 17: Hôtel de Guise: this mansion was once owned by Henri II de Lorraine, Duke of Guise, the grandson of ‘Le Balafré’. Albert Alain, the famous organist of Saint-Germain-en-Laye, was also born in this house.

Turn left onto Rue des Vieilles Boucheries.

(2) Rue des Vieilles Boucheries:
It has borne this name since the Middle Ages as it was the site of the meat market. This street was closed off by a gate at night to prevent theft.
Follow this street to the end, then, opposite No. 8, turn right (Rue du Vieil Abreuvoir). At Rue de Paris, continue along the narrow lane opposite, between Nos. 40 and 42. You will arrive at Place du Cour Larcher.

Cour Larcher:
It owes its name to Regnault Larcher, a former archer in the service of King Philip Augustus, who founded a ‘Maison Dieu’ (hospital) there. This small hospital took in the poor residents of Saint-Germain-en-Laye as well as pilgrims and travellers.

Cross the square to reach the start of the Allée des Récollets.

(3) Allée des Récollets:
This narrow lane stands on the site of the former Récollets convent. The Récollets were part of the Franciscan order and were originally under the patronage of Henry II and Catherine de’ Medici.

Follow this alley to the end, then turn right (Rue Voltaire).

Rue Voltaire:
Named in honour of the Enlightenment philosopher who lived in Saint-Germain-en-Laye for two months in 1729.
From No. 6 to No. 2: the Hôtel de Fieubet. Gaspard de Fieubet, an adviser to King Louis XIV, bought and subsequently refurbished this house. This residence was remodelled in the 19th century, unlike the previous house (No. 8), which has remained in its 18th-century state.

Head towards the junction of Rue Saint-Pierre and Place de Mareil.

(4) Continue to the right along Rue Saint-Pierre and carry on to Place Saint-Pierre.

Rue Saint-Pierre:
At No. 19: the Hôtel de Folard, named after an 18th-century knight, soldier and military strategist. To the right of the door, a height marker, topped with the crown and the royal cradle, indicates the altitude at which we are: 65.838 metres above the Seine.
On Place Saint-Pierre, the Colbert Fountain was originally situated opposite the Château. After being restored, it was moved here and unveiled in 1989.

Turn round, go back to No. 19, and turn right into Rue du Gast.

Rue du Gast:
This street has borne this name since 1700, in reference to a family of prominent figures: one of its members was a notary under Henry IV, whilst another was a ‘Garde Manteau’, that is to say a forestry officer under Louis XIV.
At No. 6, the façade features a small niche housing a statue of Saint Christopher. Opposite, a wrought-iron gate offers a glimpse of the gardens of the Hôtel de Créquy, the entrance to which is situated between Nos. 10 and 12 Rue de Paris.

At the end of the street, turn right (Rue André Bonnenfant) and, at the next junction, turn left into Rue du Vieux Marché.

Rue du Vieux Marché:
Markets had been held on this street since their establishment by François^I in 1526. At the end of the 18th century, it was decided to move them to what is now the Place du Marché Neuf, situated between Rue de Pologne and Rue de Poissy.

At No. 32, turn right onto Rue des Louviers.

Rue des Louviers:
There are several theories as to the origin of the name ‘Louviers’. It may be a corruption of the word ‘louvetier’, the court official responsible for wolf hunting, or it may refer to cloth merchants from the town of Louviers in Normandy.
At No. 15 stands the Institut Saint-Thomas-de-Villeneuve, the town’s oldest school, which is still in operation.
At No. 34, at the end of Impasse des Louviers, a niche houses a statue of Saint Peter.

Continue to Rue des Écuyers on the left and turn into it.

Rue des Écuyers:
It has borne this name since 1618, no doubt in reference to the many knights living in Saint-Germain-en-Laye accompanied by their squires.
Opposite the school, take a look at the coat of arms of the town of Saint-Germain-en-Laye: it features a cradle on a blue and gold background, with a fleur-de-lis. The inscription ‘5 September 1638’ marks the date of birth of Louis XIV, who was born in our town.

Walk past the Crèche des Comtes d’Auvergne, onto Rue de la République, and continue to the end of Rue des Écuyers, where you’ll reach Rue de la République. Follow this street to the right.

Rue de la République:
At No. 11, the chapel of the Institut Saint-Thomas-de-Villeneuve, with its peristyle of four Ionic columns, built in 1788.
At Nos. 24 and 26, The Hôtel d’Henri d’Orléans, Duke of Longueville, who married for the second time to a great beauty of the 17th century, Anne-Geneviève de Bourbon, sister of the Grand Condé and the Prince of Conti. The residence was completely remodelled in the 19th century.
At No. 27, an 18th-century building that has remained intact since its construction. The small balconies date from the Louis XV period.

After a few metres, turn left onto Rue des Bûcherons and continue to Rue de Pontoise, near the Town Hall.

Rue de Pontoise:
At No. 16 stands the Town Hall of Saint-Germain-en-Laye, which moved here in 1842 into the former Hôtel de la Rochefoucauld, dating from the 18th century.

Turn left, head towards the roundabout, and you’ll find Rue d’Alsace on your left. 

(5) Follow this street to No. 11.

Rue d’Alsace:
At No. 11 stands the Hôtel de Noailles. This sumptuous residence of the three Dukes of Noailles, who governed the town until the French Revolution, was built by Jules Hardouin-Mansart. Mozart stayed there in 1778.

Then walk back to the Town Hall, walk past it, and turn left onto Rue Roger Nézot.

Rue Roger de Nézot:
Named after Roger de Nézot, a councillor for Saint-Germain-en-Laye during the Prussian occupation (1870–71).
At No. 9, the Hôtel de Bontemps, home to Louis XIV’s chief valet and right-hand man.

At the end of this street, turn right to reach the RER station (S/E).