Forêt domaniale de Montmorency, State-managed forest near Saint-Prix, France
The Forêt domaniale de Montmorency is a state-managed forest near Saint-Prix, north of Paris, in the Val-d'Oise department. It covers hilly ground running from northwest to southeast, with chestnut trees making up most of the canopy and wild cherry and maple trees growing in the wetter areas.
The forest served as a royal hunting ground for centuries before the state began acquiring it in stages, starting in 1933. Since then, it has been protected as a public natural space open to everyone.
The forest was once a royal hunting ground, and traces of that past are still visible today, including the Château de la Chasse and the Fontaine Sainte-Radegonde. Local groups organize guided walks to help visitors understand how the forest is managed and what grows there.
The forest is freely accessible all year, with no entry fee. Some paths are wide enough for bikes, and part of the network is accessible for people with reduced mobility.
Several small streams run through the forest and feed into the Lac d'Enghien and the Oise river further downstream. The Tour du Plumet offers a panoramic view over the canopy, which comes as a surprise given how dense the trees are at ground level.
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