"Bougival" Bougival by Elisabcn

Bougival Travel Guide: 10 reviews and 28 photos

WATER . . .

Bougival is a smiling village by the Seine River, at only 17 km from Paris in Ile de France. During XIX century Impressionists chose this peaceful place as one of their favourite base camps to paint “en plein air”. People like Monet, Sisley or Berthe Morisot spent long periods in this village trying to catch the beauty of the river and its banks, being Bougival’s landscapes the subject of some of their masterworks. More than a century has passed since then but we still can recognise most of those spots.
But this colourful revolution was not the only revolution in Bougival. Two centuries before, the peaceful life in Bougival was troubled by a king. A king who decided to construct here the Eighth World Wonder . . .

This page, the first VT page about Bougival, is dedicated to WATER. Water reflections inspired the most beautiful Impressionist paintings; water regulated, allowed the navigation of the Seine and developed the trade between these small villages and Paris; water was the origin (and the engine) of the Eighth World Wonder

Let’s start our visit from the Train Station, where you are supposed to arrive if you don’t have a car, to walk down until the Seine’s banks.

Pros and Cons

Pros:Water
Cons:No cons for a day trip
In a nutshell:I have to visit again in Spring!

Intro Updated Mar 8, 2010
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Reviews (10)

By Train Transportation (1)

Bougival is very easy to reach by public transport. SNCF trains leave every half an hour from Saint Lazare Station.... more travel advice

Le Chemin de Mi-Côte Things to Do (9)

This path joined all the Machine’s installations from the Seine River until Louveciennes’ aqueduct on the top of the... more travel advice

La Machine de Marly was in Bougival Things to Do (9)

The Machine de Marly was in Bougival! Let’s go back in time to meet Louis XIV. By the year 1680 he was busy with the... more travel advice

Bougival’s canal locks Things to Do (9)

These 3 locks were built at the end of XIX century to regulate the Seine’s water level. Without these locks the water... more travel advice

Comments (6)

breughel Mar 26, 2011 at 8:20 AM Report Abuse

Bonjour Elisa, superbe idée d'avoir créé cette destination. J'ai certainement du voir ces paysages dans des tableaux. J'aime beaucoup Berthe Morisot et ses portraits de femme ("Le Berceau" au Musée d'Orsay).
willy_wonka Nov 22, 2010 at 9:53 PM Report Abuse

fantastic page on this gorgeous little place. the church and its square looks so cute! must be great to live so close to charming day trips!
Nemorino Jun 17, 2010 at 4:03 AM Report Abuse

Thanks for posting VT's first and only Bougival page. I suppose priests are not allowed to use PowerPoint during mass, but it's great that he still gave a brilliant lesson in micro-economics. I didn't know about the Marly machine.
alza Apr 5, 2010 at 6:06 PM Report Abuse

I was interested in la Machine too... I went to Bougival by bus from Champ-de-Mars/Tour Eiffel to La Défense, transfer and on to Bougival. I have days like this... avoid the Métro haha! Loved that Church area also :)
kokoryko Apr 1, 2010 at 1:58 PM Report Abuse

Next time I go to Bougival, I’ll have to open my eyes; this wash house looks very interesting and beautiful! The Normans seem to have a problem with St Michel :) Did you visit the island on the Seine?
Toshioohsako Mar 28, 2010 at 10:54 AM Report Abuse

Very nice town. Have not been here. Its nice to go!