La Plaine de Versailles

Presentation & History

Located between 2 plateaus and in the continuity of the Chateau de Versailles this mainly agricultural space has been highly coveted for many years. In fact, in 2000, 2 600 ha were classified by the state in the extension of the Chateau de Versailles. This classification aims to protect the perspective of the Palace towards infinity. It also intended to classify a site whose heritage has disappeared, or is in danger due to the urbanization.

Consequently, in 2001 after numerous requests, to the Chamber of Agriculture and the Association of Landowners to create a management plan for the lands of the plain which, following the classification, could no longer be used as before. But nothing happened from the state or the region.

Thus, farmers in the Paris region decided to come together to launch a parallel initiative for reflection and action to manage the quality of the living in peri-urban areas.
They, then, set up a heritage approach through the methodology of Pr Henri Ollagnon of AGROPARISTECH. The Regional Council participates in this approach and extends it to 4 regions of Île-de-France.
This approach leads to a shared observation that the quality of the Living has not been taken care of so far in this space, that it is largely based on agriculture, and that a meeting place is necessary between farmers and townsmen.
To do so, an association called "Agriculteurs et citadins de la Plaine de Versailles" was created, then transformed into a heritage association in 2004. This was extended to the unclassified part, as far as the Plateau des Alluets and the valley of the Mauldre.

Now in 2020 the association gather 27 municipalities, 145,000 inhabitants, 10,000 hectares of agricultural land and 70 farmers in a living territory full of innovation.

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