ABOUT HOUDAN AND THE SURROUNDING AREA.
Houdan is a commune in the Yvelines department in the Île-de-France region in north-central France.
Houdan is 63 kilometres (39 mi) west of Paris in the Yvelines département. It is linked by SNCF Alençon and Paris (Gare Montparnasse)
SOME BRIEF HISTORY
Houdan is thought to have been inhabited since the 5th century. By the 12th century, two churches and a chateau were present.
Houndan's town hall
During the Hundred Years' War, the town changed hands and was pillaged frequently. The town was destroyed; only the 12th century keep survives from that period. After the war, the town was ruled by the English until 1475.
Houdan is mentioned in the Prophecies of Nostradamus.
Houdan was a staging post on the road from Paris to Brittany, and many old inns are still standing.
Houdan was also an important poultry market for Paris and a breed is named after the town. The breed is ornamental, but is also used for its meat and white eggs.
LOCAL ATTRACTIONS
- Vestiges of the old town wall fortifications, including a keep built around 1135.
- Houses of the 15th and 16th centuries.
- Church, 15th - 17th centuries, Gothic style containing an organ (1735), and a Renaissance-style choir.
References
Houdan town hall - "Houdan Mairie" by I, Henrysalome. Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 via Commons - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Houdan_Mairie.jpg#/media/File:Houdan_Mairie.jpg
Chicken - "Houdan Female" by American Poultry Association - The American Standard of Perfection. Licensed under Public Domain via Commons - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Houdan_Female.png#/media/File:Houdan_Female.png