First mentioned in 1119 as “Villa Judea”, Villejuif is a largely residential commune located directly south of Paris’ city centre. It’s home to leafy parks and a centuries-old church, as well as factories for the manufacture of glass, sheet metal and aircraft parts.
Things to do in Villejuif
In the heart of Villejuif is the Church of Saint-Cyr-Sainte-Julitte, which was originally founded in the 13th century and designated as a Monument Historique in 1928. Located adjacent to Villejuif’s town hall, it is dedicated to two 4th-century martyrs and houses beautiful stained-glass windows by Louis-Charles-Marie Champigneulle. Nestled behind the church is a park dedicated to the Chilean poet Pablo Neruda.
Another picturesque green space to explore in Villejuif is Hautes-Bruyeres State Park, which encompasses sporting facilities and landscaped gardens planted with vegetables and medicinal herbs. Enjoy a stroll in the Jardin du Silence, challenge the locals to a game on the petanque court or see what’s going on in the archaeological adventure area.
Villejuif makes an ideal base for visiting the Château de Sceaux, an opulent country house surrounded by landscaped grounds that were laid out by Andre Le Nôtre. It was originally built for Louis XIV’s finance minister, Jean-Baptiste Colbert, and was designed in an ornate Louis XIII style. Housed within the Petit Château is the Musee de l’Île-de-France, which is renowned for its collection of paintings from the Ecole de Paris.
Getting around Villejuif
Villejuif is around 30 minutes’ drive from the centre of Paris and 45 minutes from Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport, which has flights to destinations across the globe. The Paris Metro Line 7 stops at several stations throughout Villejuif and buses are also available for getting around the commune.