Prochain point : lat="49.04125" lon="1.6884"
Between the Seine and the Vexin Plateau
An agricultural plain descending to the river
The village is located on the edge of the alluvial terraces of the agricultural plateau and hillsides. The old habitat is densely grouped around the Church of St. Martin. The outskirts of the village are occupied by orchards and gardens, where the vineyard plots once stood. They form transition areas to the vast agricultural plain occupied by grain crops. The name "La Garenne" (rabbit warren) in Saint-Martin-La-Garenne reminds us that this is "game territory."
The hamlet of Sandrancourt, etymologically "sandy island court", stretches along the river. On the horizon you can see Chesnay wood located in the towns of Vetheuil, Vienne-en-Arthies and Saint-Martin-la-Garenne. This beech and oak wood covers twenty hectares; it was classified by the Department of Val d'Oise as a Sensitive Natural Area of significant ecological and landscape value. It is said that in 1376 King Charles V got lost here during a hunt. After invoking the Virgin, he managed to find his way back and built the chapel of Notre-Dame-de-la-Desiree to show his gratitude.
The hillsides of the Seine
The slopes on the right bank of the Seine form a large, steep south-facing slope covered with the most important chalk grasslands in the Paris basin, in terms of size and diversity as well as condition. To preserve this wealth of biodiversity, the National Nature Reserve of the hillsides of the Seine was created in March 2009. Run by the Regional Park of French Vexin, it extends over 268 hectares including the municipal areas of Vetheuil, Haute-Isle, La Roche-Guyon, Gommecourt and Bennecourt. The site, with its unique landscape of chalk cliffs and pinnacles, is home to remarkable fauna and flora. 559 plant species have been recorded here since the eighteenth century, including species with Mediterranean affinities such as Astragalus Monspessulanus. The insect fauna is especially rich, with a procession of butterflies, grasshoppers, locusts and crickets. The site hosts about sixty bird species and four reptile species. A special regulation applies to them: it is prohibited to introduce non-domesticated animals and plants, gather plants, carry out work, drive and park vehicles, deposit waste, light fires, camp or bivouac. The site is also listed under the 1930 law on the protection of landscapes and is part of the Natura 2000 European network for the conservation of habitats and species.
