Yvelines, Department in western Île-de-France region, France.
Yvelines is an administrative area in the western part of the Île-de-France region, extending from the densely built edge of Paris to forested zones and farmland. The territory includes settlements of different sizes, from commuter suburbs to small villages set among open countryside and wooded areas.
The area was formed in 1968 from the western section of the former Seine-et-Oise department and received Versailles as its administrative seat. The reorganization followed a reform that restructured the administration of the growing Paris agglomeration.
The name comes from the Yveline forest area near Rambouillet and points to the wooded character of this territory. Today visitors encounter a mix of well-kept historic estates with formal gardens and rural zones with traditional farmsteads, while the suburbs closer to Paris show modern residential developments.
The western parts with forests and smaller towns are suitable for walks and quiet stays, while the eastern suburbs near Paris are more densely built and offer more urban infrastructure. Access roads and rail lines run from the capital in all directions, so trips can be planned according to interest.
Among the place names the range extends from Saint-Martin-de-Bréthencourt with the longest spelling in the department to Buc with just three letters. These differences reflect the varied origins of settlement names, stretching from medieval patron saints to Celtic or Latin roots.
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