Montfort-l'Amaury

Montfort-l'Amaury is a commune in the Yvelines department in the Île-de-France region, Northern France. It is located 20 km north of Rambouillet. The name comes from Amaury I de Montfort, the first seigneur (lord) of Montfort.

Geography
Montfort-l'Amaury lies north of the Rambouillet Forest. It is located at the foot of low hills, at about 130 m above sea level.

History
King Robert II built a castle in 996 in the hills of Montfort. Montfort-l'Amaury was the stronghold of the Montfort family from the start of the 11th century. Amaury I built the ramparts.

The Comté de Montfort was related to the Duchy of Brittany following the marriage of Yolande de Dreux-Montfort with Arthur of Brittany in 1294. It returned to the crown of France when Brittany became a part of France under Francis I. The castle was destroyed by the English during the Hundred Years' War.

Sites of interest

 * Ruins of the castle 48.77667°N, 1.80444°W
 * Maison de Maurice Ravel, which is now a museum. Maurice Ravel lived here from 1921 until his death.
 * Château de Groussay, built in the 19th century

People

 * Jean Anouilh, dramatist
 * Colette Darfeuil, actress
 * Henri George Doll, scientist
 * Pierre Dupuis (1610–1682), painter
 * Jean Monnet, architect of European Unity
 * Simon de Montfort, 6th Earl of Leicester (born in the castle, 1208)
 * Maurice Ravel, composer
 * Charles Aznavour, singer
 * Ambroise Roux (1921-1999), CEO of Compagnie générale d'électricité (later known as Alcatel) from 1970 to 1981, lived and died in Montfort-l'Amaury.
 * Omar Sy, actor
 * Denis Christophel, painter

Twin towns

 * Nickenich, Germany