The Elsa Triolet-Aragon House, museum and residence of the writer couple in the heart of the Yvelines

If you're a lover of literature, come and take a stroll through the Yvelines, at the entrance to the town of Saint-Arnoult-en-Yvelines, to the home of Elsa Triolet and Louis Aragon, two writers who fell in love in the 20th century. A veritable haven of peace and greenery, the Maison Elsa Triolet-Aragon is a little treasure, a former Villeneuve mill in the heart of a six-hectare park, where you can stroll to the gentle sound of birds and the trickling of the waterfall. While the house can only be visited in thecompany of a passionateguide with captivating anecdotes, the garden can be explored on your own.

This house, a gift from poet Louis Aragon to Elsa Triolet, who fell in love in Paris, is a former mill, acquired in 1951 to enjoy weekends and vacations in the countryside, far from the hustle and bustle of the capital, in order to quietly create in their little love nest. And it was a success, as many of the poems and well-known writings were imagined here: Le cheval roux, La mise à mort, Les yeux et la mémoire. Very attached to this place, the two lovers took charge of the park and redesigned it to make it what we admire today, naming the paths, lawns and woods.

Although the mill is unfortunately no longer in operation, its remains can still be seen in the couple's living room, thanks to a small window that provides a view of the mill's waterfall. The architecture of the place is very impressive, with a high ceiling in the main room and a very rustic charm, the house having been left furnished as it was in those days. Elsa Triolet, who loved to use objects to give them a new lease of life, gives the whole place a real soul and gives us the impression ofentering the couple's intimacy.

The house is a veritable museum, featuring gifts from friends who regularly came to visit them in the countryside. There are coasters and plates donated by Picasso, paintings by Fernand Leger and many others. In 1966, Agnès Varda came to film them in the mill for her short documentary! A home full of emotions and memories, the house was a place for artistic encounters and exchanges.

Sadly, in 1970, Elsa died in the grounds, breaking Aragon's heart. During the visit, we discover with emotion that time has stopped for the writer, with an ephemeris near their room, stopped on the day of her death. Elsa wished to be buried in the park, but as this was forbidden by law, Aragon requested a presidential dispensation, even though he himself hoped to join her later. This has now been done, and their tomb can be found overlooking the garden, where you can meditate to the restful sounds of Bach's music, which Elsa adored, and the nightingale's song.

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Aragon wished to leave a legacy, and in 1976 donated the Moulin de Villeneuve to the French state, so that it could become a place of remembrance, above all devoted to artistic creation in all its forms. It became a house museum in 1994, and since then has welcomed numerous artists fortemporary exhibitions, as well as contemporarysculptures, scattered throughout the park, making for a must-see tour during your visit, especially when the weather's fine! Inaccessible to the public except on request to the librarian, an impressivestock of exceptional works belonging to the couple rests in the mill's attic.

The eclectic grounds feature the Rémarde, the river that runs through the estate and once fed the mill, lush vegetation, a former washhouse built in the early 19th century, a dovecote, Elsa's garden and many other areas ideal for listening to nature, finding inspiration and relaxing. An unusual blue ceramic barbecue table sits near the house, much appreciated by the couple who regularly invited guests to stay in their adjoining outbuilding. Among the contemporary art pieces in the garden, we also appreciate the messages engraved on the park's bridges by Petite Poissone, with feminist and explosive texts that juggle words and surfaces.

Since February 15, 2017, the house has been listed as a historic monument, as has the Bal Parquet, an authentic traveling dance hall, which welcomed dancers and artists as early as 1946 and still hosts meetings and shows. In front of the house, enjoy a small tea room, to the sound of frogs croaking in chorus in the pretty flowery pond, as well as amazing little picnic tables, adorned with swan heads!

To visit the house-museum, book a guided tour from Monday to Friday at 4pm, or on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays from 2pm to 6pm. The park is open every afternoon. To get there from Paris, shuttles are available from Porte d'Orléans, subject to reservation. The Rambouillet and Dourdan train stations, and a bus to the house, can also take you there.

Don't hesitate to take advantage of your day out in the Yvelines to visit the Château de Rambouillet and its superb estate, full of enchanting spots, just a few kilometers away!

Discover other artists' residences in the Paris region:

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