National Day of Cormeilles-en-Parisis

Cormeilles-en-Parisis, wine-growing and quarry town

Cormeilles-en-Parisis (95240) is a municipality in Val-d'Oise with approximately 23,000 inhabitants, perched on a hillside overlooking the Seine valley and the Saint-Germain-en-Laye plain. The town is known for two specialties: its vineyards, whose fruity white wine is vinified each autumn during the grape harvest, and its gypsum quarries, the exploitation of which contributed to the construction of Paris (Paris plaster is largely derived from the gypsum in the Cormeilles and Montmorency region).

Cormeilles is served by the Transilien Line J (Cormeilles-en-Parisis station) and has a pleasant residential fabric, with beautiful bourgeois houses on the slopes and suburban areas at the bottom of the town. Its Saint-Martin church, whose origins date back to the 12th century, is a remarkable historical monument.

The exceptional panorama of Cormeilles

The elevated position of Cormeilles-en-Parisis offers exceptional panoramas of the Seine loop, the forest of Saint-Germain-en-Laye, the slopes of Argenteuil, and in the distance, the heights of Paris. This panorama is one of the town's major assets and takes on its full dimension during the July 14th fireworks display.

Launched from the heights of the town, the fireworks are set against the backdrop of an illuminated valley, with the Seine winding below and the Yvelines hills in the background. This spectacle benefits from an exceptional natural stage, making the Cormeilles fireworks one of the most picturesque in the region.

Vineyards and terroir

The vine is a strong identity element for Cormeilles-en-Parisis. The municipal vineyard, maintained by passionate volunteers, produces a white wine each year which is bottled and sold during the grape harvest. This winemaking tradition, dating back several centuries, testifies to the agricultural vocation of these slopes and the attachment of the inhabitants to their terroir.

July 14th can be an opportunity to discover or rediscover the Cormeilles vineyard: tours can be offered, allowing residents and visitors to stroll through the vineyards overlooking the Seine valley and understand the link between this exceptional terroir and the town's identity.

Popular balls and festive traditions

The popular balls on July 14th are particularly appreciated festive moments in Cormeilles-en-Parisis. In this town with a popular and friendly character, the ball is a lively tradition that brings residents together around music and dance. Local associations, very active, contribute to the organization of these evenings.

Activities for the whole family complete the day's program: games, outdoor activities, food stalls, and small shows allow families to spend a full festive day in the streets and public spaces of Cormeilles.

Gypsum, industrial heritage

The exploitation of gypsum is an activity that has profoundly marked the landscape and economy of Cormeilles-en-Parisis for several centuries. The quarries, some of which are still in operation, have dug vast galleries under the hill, creating a Swiss-cheese-like subsoil that required significant consolidation work. Cormeilles plaster, like that from Montmorency and other towns on the slopes of Val-d'Oise, contributed to the construction of Paris and made the region wealthy.

This industrial and geological heritage is an element of Cormeilles' identity that deserves to be known and recognized. The National Day is an opportunity to also celebrate this particular history, that of a town that provided the building materials for the French capital.