Does the name Chapet ring a bell? Maybe not yet but its story is quite interesting. Chapet is a commune in the Yvelines department. It lies in the Île-de-France region of north-central France. Chapet sits about 16 km east of Mantes-la-Jolie.
Chapet is near the Normandy motorway the A13. Verneuil-sur-Seine lies to Chapet’s northeast. Vernouillet is to the east. Morainvilliers is to the southeast. Ecquevilly sits to the southwest. Les Mureaux is to the northwest of Chapet.
Chapet is largely rural. Agriculture dominates here. You will see arable crops like cereals and oilseed rape. There are also some woods and forests. The parish church of Saint-Denis dates back to the 12th century in Chapet. The bell-tower was added in 1859.
The village of Chapet dates back to the 11th century. Chapet was once a wine-growing village. For a long time it was domain of the lords of Ecquevilly. Monks of Saint-Nicaise built a priory here.
Chapet’s name comes from old French. Chapet derives from chape. Chape means isolated grain loft in wood and stone roof or top head point. The village sits atop a hill. It is on a slope overlooking the plain of Les Mureaux. Chapet was long at the tip of a forest. This forest covered today’s commune of Ecquevilly.
In 2022 Chapet had a population of 1337. The density was 260 people per square kilometer. The mayor of Chapet is Benoît de Laurens. His term runs from 2020 to 2026. The town covers 5.10 square kilometers. Its elevation ranges from 29 to 121 meters.
The commune is in the urban area of Paris. It is a suburb. Chapet is part of the Paris attraction area too. The commune is mostly individual homes. Housing is in the village of Chapet. The town hall and church are here. There are two hamlets. Brézolles is southeast of the village. It straddles the border with Vernouillet. Bazincourt is northeast on the border with Verneuil-sur-Seine.
Chapet offers a glimpse into rural French life. Its history spans centuries. Its location near Paris makes it accessible. The church of Saint-Denis and the Château de Bazincourt are worth a visit. Take a walk. Explore the fields and woods. Discover the charm of Chapet.