Thoiry: Château, Safari and local history

Thoiry can be explored through a range of interests: the Château de Thoiry offers a museum, architecture, and a garden, while Thoiry Safari & Zoo offers a park and safari. The town also has historic buildings and the Salon Mille et Un Fils, held every two years.

Château de Thoiry: Museum, Architecture, and Garden

Parts of the Château de Thoiry are listed as historic monuments, while other parts are classified as historic monuments. Today, it is used as a museum. Each of these two protection statuses applies to parts of the building; its use as a museum and its monument designation refer to different aspects.

The Château’s architecture is based on the Golden Ratio and other notable proportions, and is intended to express French Renaissance esotericism. The transparent axes of its windows, together with the horizon, form the concept of a solar calendar. In this way, proportions and a symbolic interpretation of light and the horizon exist side by side.

The green maze at the Château de Thoiry consists of 5,600 yew trees, 2.3 kilometers of paths, and nine bridges. In 1715, Claude Desgot created a remarkable optical illusion in the French garden, making the perspective appear to recede. The garden thus showcases two distinct design ideas: a network of paths and a play on the perception of depth.

Park and Safari

The walk-through park at Thoiry Safari & Zoo covers more than 90 hectares and is home to more than 750 animals; the animal population and the scale of operations may change. The safari is a different experience: it covers 8 kilometers and can be visited in your own vehicle or in a safari truck. For planning purposes, the main difference between the areas is how you get around. Check safari access options before you travel, as they may change.

Crafts and Local History

The Salon Mille et Un Fils takes place in Thoiry every two years and brings together more than 20 specialists in embroidery, patchwork, lace, sewing, and knitting. The program includes demonstrations of bobbin lace-making, patchwork, knitting, counted-thread embroidery, traditional embroidery, crochet, and Hardanger embroidery. If the salon is a key reason for your trip, check the exact event dates.

The Croix-Buissée is permanently decorated with boxwood; the original cross was destroyed in the 1999 storm and rebuilt faithfully. The Church of Saint-Martin appears to date from the 17th century, and the upper part of its bell tower was built in 1639. The washhouse was fully restored using original 19th-century plans and is supplied by the Fontaine spring. A historic fountain in a square was built in 1863 to supply the Château with water. The church and cross are part of the area’s religious heritage, while the washhouse and fountain are associated with water and its supply.

Getting There by Bus

Bus route 78 takes you to Thoiry from Mantes-la-Jolie, Saint-Quentin, or Pontchartrain. From the Mairie de Thoiry stop, it is then a three-minute walk to the Château de Thoiry. Check the route again before setting off.

Discover more destinations: Trappes, Houilles, Le Tremblay-Sur-Mauldre, Les Essarts-le-Roi, St. Arnoult-En-Yvelines, Voisins-Le-Bretonneux, Blaru, Jouy-En-Josas.

See the broader travel guide: Yvelines.