The 235-metre stretch of the Rouillon that has been restored to the open air, along with a new footpath for walkers, gives Villejust a tangible connection to its landscape. Other points of interest include the park and lakes, geological conservation, church history and ethnobotanical walks. When planning your trip, you can decide whether to focus on landscapes, history or plant knowledge.
Park, River and Geological Heritage
The Parc des Deux Lacs is a park of around ten hectares in the southern part of the Courtabœuf business district. It was created in the late 1980s and contains lakes above ground. It thus combines a designed park landscape with a focus on water. The date of its creation places the park in its historical context, while the lakes add to its landscape character.
The 235 metres refers to the stretch of river that has been restored to the open air. A new footpath for walkers was another outcome of the same ecological restoration. The river restoration and the path are two distinct aspects of the project: one concerns the waterway, the other provides a route for walks.
The sand quarry in the Bois de Lunézy lies between Villejust and Saulx-les-Chartreux and has been protected by the Réserve des Sites Géologiques de l’Essonne since 1996. This adds a geological focus to the park and river restoration. A former gravel pit has become overgrown with vegetation and forms a landscape area to be preserved.
These landscape features have distinct focuses: the Parc is defined by its layout and lakes, the Rouillon by its ecological restoration and footpath, and the sand quarry by its geological protection. The former gravel pit draws attention to vegetation and the preservation of a landscape area.
Church History and Plant Knowledge
A chapel or church had existed in Villejust before the 12th century. The church of Villejust was consecrated on 13 May 1356; at the consecration, Charles, Bishop of Megara, blessed its four altars. The two dates are far apart and offer two historical perspectives: the early presence of a religious building and a precisely dated church event from the 14th century. A cultural visit can therefore focus both on early religious history and on a specific medieval consecration.
Ethnobotanical walks are led by Ramona Strachinaru. She is an ethnobotanist, herbal gardener and specialist in edible plants and tree heritage. The activity has a clear focus on plants, combining walks with edible plants and the cultural heritage of trees. If these topics interest you, you can consider the walks as a separate activity alongside the landscape and history attractions. As personnel may change, check the latest information about the walks before making plans.
Discover more destinations: Gometz-le-Châtel, Angerville, Abbéville-La-Rivière, Viry-Châtillon, Les Ulis, Montlhéry, Brétigny-Sur-Orge, Saint-Chéron
For the regional travel overview: Essonne.
