Discover Saint-Cloud

Saint-Cloud brings together expansive parkland, historic buildings and museum collections. If you are weighing nature and culture when planning your trip, you will find different points of interest: the Domaine national de Saint-Cloud offers views of Paris and the surrounding area; the Musée des Avelines and the church of Saint-Clodoald provide further insights into the history and culture of the area.

Parkland and the Grande Cascade

The Domaine de Saint-Cloud covers 460 hectares. The Grande Cascade is the central feature of the Domaine national’s design and offers a unique spectacle of water and sculptures. Its dimensions can be described in two ways: the structure extends for almost 200 metres, and the difference in elevation is 20 metres.

The water supply is also part of the park’s design. The Grande Cascade forms the downstream end of the park’s hydraulic chain and, through gravity, helps operate a series of 19 basins. The cascade thus brings together design, water and a technical function within the park.

If you would like to explore the Domaine as part of a guided tour, allow about an hour and a half. Guided visits last about that long and require a reservation. As reservation arrangements may change, check them before your trip. The views of Paris and the surrounding area offer another point of interest, distinct from the cascade and its design.

Art and history in Saint-Cloud

The Musée des Avelines displays its permanent collection in the Villa Brunet, documenting the history of Saint-Cloud. The collection includes 15 paintings, 43 drawings and 3 lithographs by Eugène Carrière. These figures give a concrete sense of the number of his works in the museum’s collection; the three listed categories also represent different artistic media.

Another historical landmark is the church of Saint-Clodoald. It has been listed as a historic monument since 1995. Its bell tower is more than 60 metres high. The church and museum thus complement the park with two different perspectives: the architecture of a historic building and a collection devoted to the history of the area.

Horse racing and virtual walks

The Hippodrome de Saint-Cloud dates from the beginning of the 20th century and was originally designed to entertain the public. Visitors can watch and cheer on horses and jockeys there all year round, either from the grandstands or from the edge of the racecourse. The focus of a visit today is therefore different from the park and museum themes: here, the racing is at the centre.

CityGem offers another option for digital exploration. The free mobile app guides users on foot, by bicycle, scooter or car. It includes virtual walks through the Pasteur/Magenta, Montretout/Coutureau, Centre/Village, Hippodrome and Coteaux neighbourhoods in Saint-Cloud; the listed routes may be updated. App features and availability may change, so check in advance whether the app is available for your trip. The guided tour of the Domaine takes about an hour and a half and requires a reservation, while CityGem offers virtual walks through several named neighbourhoods.

Discover more destinations: Nanterre, Rueil-Malmaison, Suresnes, Chaville, Colombes, Vaucresson, Ville-Dʼavray, Clichy.

For the regional travel overview: Hauts-De-Seine.