Colline d'Élancourt

Colline d'Élancourt is the highest point in the entire Île-de-France region, a 231-metre hill rising above the town of Élancourt in the Yvelines department, just west of Paris. Spanning roughly 52 hectares, it looks like a natural green summit today, but its slopes were shaped by more than a century of human activity rather than geology.

How tall is it, and why does that matter?

At 231 metres above sea level, the hill holds the official title of highest elevation in both Yvelines and Île-de-France, outranking every other rise around the French capital. From its summit, visitors get open views stretching across the surrounding Yvelines countryside and toward the Paris skyline in the distance.

Is it really an artificial hill?

Yes. The site began as an open-pit quarry in the late 19th century, extracting a type of sandstone clay used in construction. Once quarrying stopped, the pit spent decades serving as a landfill, a use that continued until the mid-1970s. Only in the 1980s was the land reclaimed: the mounded earth was planted with vegetation, and the former industrial hollow was gradually reshaped into the sprawling public park visitors find today.

What is there to do on the hill?

Colline d'Élancourt now functions as an outdoor recreation hub. It offers around 10 kilometres of mountain biking trails, plus close to 12 kilometres of walking and running paths threading through the greenery. Cyclists can also use a dedicated pump track and a BMX area, while families and school groups can follow nature-discovery routes and orienteering courses laid out across the grounds. The mix of activities makes it a popular escape for anyone wanting fresh air without leaving the greater Paris area.

Why was it once called "Colline de la Revanche"?

The hill carries an older alternative name, Colline de la Revanche — literally "Hill of Revenge." That former name circulated for years alongside the current one and still turns up on local maps and in area references to the same summit.

What does it have to do with the Paris Olympics?

The hill's steep slopes and elevation changes, both legacies of its quarrying past, made it a natural fit for the mountain biking events at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games. After the Games concluded, the course and its sporting facilities were opened up as a lasting public legacy for residents and visitors alike.

Frequently asked questions

Is Colline d'Élancourt a natural mountain?

No. It is an artificial hill built up from a former clay quarry and landfill site, landscaped into a park during the 1980s.

How high is Colline d'Élancourt?

231 metres above sea level, making it the highest point in both the Yvelines department and the Île-de-France region as a whole.

Can you go mountain biking there?

Yes. The site includes around 10 kilometres of mountain bike trails, along with a pump track and a BMX riding area.

Did the Paris Olympics use this location?

Yes, the 2024 Paris Olympic Games held its mountain biking competitions here, and the course remained open to the public afterward.

What was the hill's earlier name?

Colline de la Revanche, meaning "Hill of Revenge" — a name still occasionally used interchangeably with the current one.