Whispers of old French echo around Beauchamp. This place name, Beauchamp, means “beautiful field”. We are in the Val-d’Oise department of the Paris region. Beauchamp sits 20 kilometers from Paris. It is also ten kilometers from Cergy.
Beauchamp boasts a weekly market every Sunday. Imagine the bustle. Locals gather to sell fresh produce. You can buy cheese and crafts. Other markets thrive nearby. Le Plessis-Bouchard has a market on Saturdays just three kilometers away. Franconville has markets every Wednesday and Saturday. It is also only three kilometers from Beauchamp.
Many interesting sites surround Beauchamp. The Basilica of Saint-Denis is only 14 kilometers away. Many French kings are buried there. The Arc de Triomphe is 17 kilometers away. It is the world’s second-largest triumphal arch. You could also visit the Basilique de Sacre Coeur. Montmartre and the Champs-Elysees are also 17 kilometers away.
The Beauchamp family has a long history. It goes back to the Norman Conquest of 1066. Hugo de Beauchamp came to England then. William the Conqueror gave him 43 lordships. These were mainly in Bedfordshire. The name Beauchamp comes from towns in Manche and Somme.
Some Beauchamp family members migrated to the United States. Richard Beauchamp arrived in Massachusetts in 1641. Edward Beauchamp, a Huguenot, settled in Salem in 1643. Other Beauchamps settled in Canada. Jacques Beauchamp arrived in Montreal in 1659. The Beauchamp name is the 375th most popular in Canada.
Consider a stay at the Beauchamp Hotel, a four-star hotel. It’s in Paris’s fashionable 8th arrondissement. The Louvre and Musee d’Orsay are within walking distance. Designer shops line the Champs Elysees. The Beauchamp Hotel offers simple elegance. The rooms are spacious and full of light. You can relax in the lounge. The library has cozy fireplaces.
Beauchamp’s history extends far beyond Paris. The town of Beauchamp is more than just a name. It is a place where history and modern life meet. A place full of beautiful fields and stories.