Les Étangs de Corot Ville d'Avray, a green escape near Paris

Ten kilometers west of the capital, this hospitable hamlet opens up like a green setting where time seems to stand still. It's a daring move into the countryside. Yes, it's possible to recharge your batteries without straying too far from Paris.

Bérangère Chanel Published on 9/19/25 at 7:28 AM

All you have to do is cross the Paris ring road, without even having to go as far as Versailles. By car or train, it takes just 30 minutes from the center of Paris to take a relaxing break. Welcome to Ville-d'Avray, to the west, to the green lung of the Hauts-de-Seine. Here, at Les Étangs de Corot. Where the 19th-century painter Jean-Baptiste-Camille Corot found inspiration for his naturalistic canvases.

A green setting that inspires artists

It's true that the light is beautiful. Many amateur photographers come here to try their hand at capturing it. The site invites you to stroll along the banks of these watering holes, named after the French artist. The oldest was dug in the Middle Ages, while the second dates back to the time of Louis XIV, when his brother Philippe, Duc d'Orléans, commissioned a system to supply the château and park of Saint-Cloud with water.

There's something refreshing about looking at the water lilies delicately placed on the water.they can also be seen from Les Étangs de Corot, the eponymously-named 4-star hotel, another tribute to the landscape painter in this Relais & Châteaux, which underwent a facelift in 2022. Originally a popular guinguette in the 1900s, known as the Cabassud inn, it was later transformed into a hotel by the Bordeaux owners of Sources de Caudalie. The address is now in the portfolio of the Rennes-based Beautiful Life Hotels group. It is just as well "prescribed" for romantic stays as for times when you need to slow down the pace.

Nature at its heart

Here, there are no boundaries between the exterior and interior of the 42 rooms and suites. It's almost as if nature penetrates each one of them, in the same way that Corot immortalized it in his oil paintings. This is the work of architect Christophe Bachmann, who has chosen atmospheric motifs that are sometimes rural or wild, sometimes exotic, even Japanese. In shades of green, blue and ochre, the decor never loses its connection with plants and animals. In the end, you get the impression of living in a country house with chic, yet unostentatious luxury.

christophe Le Potier

At the spa, which is open to outside visitors, we recommend sinking into the open-air whirlpool baths overlooking the pond, to keep in touch with this relaxing environment. A bubble of serenity to be experienced with or without champagne bubbles. The journey of the senses is ensured by a host of massages and treatments using products from KOS and Phytomer. The experience quickly makes you forget the stress caused by the hustle and bustle of big cities. And the benefits of relaxation are easily sustained thanks to the direct connection with the surrounding calm. Electric and non-electric bicycles are available for touring the ponds. The loop is easy and can be completed in around 20 minutes.

The Étangs de Corot also offer direct access to the Fausses-Reposes state forest, the former hunting grounds of the kings of France in residence at Versailles. Hardy walkers will enjoy a 2h30 stroll through oak and chestnut trees.

The bucolic interlude opens onto gastronomy

A stroll through the countryside would not be complete without a visit to Rémi Chambard's kitchen. Watercress from Méréville in Essonne, white asparagus from Coubert in Seine-et-Marne... This chef, originally from the Charente-Maritime region of France, draws from his gourmet basket to create a gastronomic itinerary at Le Corot restaurant. You can choose the length of your walk. For lunch or dinner, this farmer's grandson pays tribute to his host region. This dedication could not be clearer, with the names of the dishes referring to each locality in the Île-de-France region: Meudon, Chelles, Crécy-la-Chapelle...

Some of these Ile-de-France products are also on the menu of the bistro Le Café des Artistes, a more accessible refuge set up underneath old boats. The atmosphere is just as relaxed when you sink into the sofas of the chic guinguette, known as Les Paillotes, open in fine weather.