Discover Nemours

Discover Nemours through its cultural history and the landscape along the Loing. The Musée de Préhistoire d’Île-de-France spans the period from the earliest hunters to the first metalworkers; the Château-Musée, Église Saint-Jean-Baptiste and natural areas add further layers of history and perspectives. For planning, it helps to distinguish between the historic centre, which can be explored on foot, and activities by the river or in the forests.

From prehistory to the history of the town

The Musée de Préhistoire d’Île-de-France explores the major stages of prehistory and protohistory in Île-de-France. The exhibition spans the period from the earliest hunters to the first metalworkers, bringing a long stretch of regional history together in one place. The museum is in Nemours, at the edge of the forest; its location adds a landscape dimension to the archaeological themes. The museum offers a free visitor app for smartphones and tablets in French and English. Before your trip, check whether this digital service is currently available.

Town castle, church and mill site

The Château-Musée de Nemours is one of the few surviving 12th-century town castles in Île-de-France. It houses around 25,000 works of graphic art, painting and sculpture. The castle’s architectural history and the approximate size of its collection offer different ways to explore it: you can focus on the medieval building or on the art forms of graphic art, painting and sculpture.

The Église Saint-Jean-Baptiste also provides a specific historical point of reference: Gautier I de Nemours founded it in 1170. It has been classified as a Monument historique since 1977. Its foundation dates it to the Middle Ages, while its later classification reflects its status as a protected historic monument. La Minoterie (Le Moulin de Nemours) offers another link to the 12th century, as it stands on the site of former seigneurial mills from that period.

Explore the historic centre on foot

The Circuit touristique de Nemours invites you to explore the historic centre on foot. The GR13 passes through landscapes in Nemours such as the municipal forest. This offers two distinct points of reference: the Circuit focuses on the historic centre, while the GR13 takes in landscapes such as the forest.

Nature and the river along the Loing

Île du Perthuis lies in the centre of Nemours, on the banks of the Loing and beside the former mills. It is a Natura 2000 natural area. A footbridge allows visitors to observe plant and animal biodiversity and offers views of the Loing and the Château-Musée. This combines nature observation from the footbridge with the specific views of the river and town castle mentioned above. As infrastructure and access should be checked before your trip, check access to the footbridge before your visit.

Canoeing, stand-up paddleboarding and electric boat trips are available on the Loing at Nemours. The activities listed range from paddling to travelling by electric boat. As activities and providers may change, check current availability before making plans.

Forest routes and their destinations

The Le Rocher Vert trail runs through the Nemours forest to the Grotte des Troglodytes and to a viewpoint overlooking the Loing valley. Another marked route through the municipal forest leads to various viewpoints, former sand quarries and oddly shaped rocks. This route is about eight kilometres long. The destinations listed distinguish the two forest routes: Le Rocher Vert focuses on the cave and valley views, while the marked route takes in viewpoints, sand quarries and rock formations. Check current trail conditions before setting out.

Discover more destinations: Saint-Mammès, Thénisy, Barbizon, Ville-Saint-Jacques, Carnetin, Quincy-Voisins, Villevaudé, Amponville.

For the broader travel overview: Seine-Et-Marne.