Who knew that an omelette could tell you about a town? Welcome to Viroflay. This charming commune boasts a unique culinary claim to fame the Viroflay omelette. It is stuffed with spinach, ham and Gruyère cheese.
Viroflay is located in the Yvelines department. It sits in the Île-de-France region in north-central France. The town is only 14.1 km from the center of Paris. Versailles is very close too at only 3 km away.
But before omelettes, there was a forest. Viroflay benefits from a remarkable forest heritage. A large part of its area is occupied by the Meudon forest to the south. The Fausses-Reposes forest is to the north. Almost 40% of Viroflay is forests. This makes it one of the most wooded towns in the inner suburbs.
Let’s talk about the name Viroflay. It evolved over centuries. It started as Offlevi Villa. Then it was villa Offleni in 1162. It changed to Viroflidum. Later came Villaoffleni and Villoflein in 1209. By the 13th century, it was Vil Oflen. In 1295, it became Viroflain. Then in 1351, Vil Offlain. Finally, in 1418, it settled as Viroflé. The name comes from the old French word “vile”. It means rural domain. It is combined with the Germanic personal name Offilin.
Under Louis XIV, Viroflay grew. Its location between Paris and Versailles was very important. In 1695, the royal family bought Viroflay. They purchased it from the widow of Chancellor Michel Le Tellier. Louis XIV included Viroflay in the royal hunting domain. He gave it to his son, the Grand Dauphin.
Interestingly Viroflay had a bustling laundry activity from the 17th to 19th centuries. The Marivel stream and proximity to Versailles were ideal.
Viroflay has three railway stations. They are Viroflay-Rive-Gauche, Viroflay-Rive-Droite and Chaville-Vélizy.
The town’s motto is “Lux mea lex.” This Latin phrase means “Light is my law”. The blazon of Viroflay pays homage to Michel Le Tellier and his son. It also references Louis XIV’s ownership. The oak tree alludes to the oak of the Virgin.
The Pavillon Saint-Vigor is a notable landmark. It was built in 1770. It belonged to the family of Louis XV’s former nurse.
Viroflay is also known for a specific spinach variety called “Monstruous”. It used to be grown here. So next time you enjoy a Viroflay omelette, remember you are tasting a piece of Viroflay’s unique history.