Samoreau
Samoreau, a small French commune near Fontainebleau, has a rich history dating back to prehistoric times. Early inhabitants were drawn by the nearby Seine River, which provided water, fish, and flint for tools. By ancient times, the area featured a settlement, and in 1177, part of the village was acquired by the Abbey of Saint-Germain-des-Prés.
In 1520, King François I purchased land and constructed the Château des Pressoirs du Roy, later frequented by King Henri IV and his companion, Gabrielle d’Estrées. Over centuries, the site changed hands, served different purposes, and now functions as a children’s home.
The 19th century brought further developments: the first teacher arrived in 1813, and by 1898, Samoreau was connected to Paris by rail. Stéphane Mallarmé, a significant symbolist poet, spent his final years in a nearby house, now a museum, and is buried in Samoreau. Notably, Maurice Ravel composed *Ma Mère l’Oye* in the village in 1908.
A ferry across the Seine was replaced by the Valvins Bridge in 1825, later modernized with metal arches in 1866, and used by trams from 1909 to 1937. During WWII, the bridge was destroyed and rebuilt several times, finally replaced in 1977 with a concrete bridge.
One notable tradition, the “Arbre de Mai” or May Tree, is part of a cultural exchange with Bernried, Germany, celebrating the renewal of life each spring.