Bougival, Administrative commune in Yvelines department, France.
Bougival is a commune on the left bank of the Seine, about 15 kilometers west of Paris, with residential neighborhoods and green spaces spread across rolling terrain. Several roads pass through the area, and waterside paths run alongside the river for walking and cycling.
In the late 17th century, the area hosted the Marly Machine, a complex system of waterwheels and pumps that transported water to supply the fountains at the Palace of Versailles. This engineering feat positioned the location as a vital part of royal infrastructure.
The name comes from an early Christian saint, and today the place appears as a residential community deeply connected to the river and its banks. Locals regularly use the waterside paths and green spaces for daily walks and leisure, making the Seine a natural part of everyday life.
The Bougival train station on the Paris-Saint-Lazare line offers regular service to central Paris and other regional destinations. Public transportation is straightforward here, and the area is also easily accessible by car.
Composer Georges Bizet wrote his famous opera Carmen while staying here, and Russian writer Ivan Turgenev owned a villa called Les Frênes in the area. These artistic residents gave the location cultural weight that remains part of its story today.
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