Did you know? This Belvédère kiosk in the Yvelines is a remnant of the Universal Exhibition.

We take you on a tour of an unusual building, hidden away in a forest in the Yvelines department: the century-old Châtillon Belvedere kiosk in the Rosny-sur-Seine forest. Nestled high up in the forest, it overlooks the Seine valley and offers a breathtaking view of the Mantais region.

But to get to the kiosk at the Châtillon lookout, you have to walk a little. There are several possibilities:

• Itinerary via Chemin de la Côte Blanche: Take this path in the direction of Domaine de l'Orée du Bois. A small parking lot is available. Then follow the map to a yellow hiking trail. Allow 500 meters and 10 minutes of gentle uphill walking to reach your destination.

• Walking itinerary from Domaine de la Corniche: Head for the Belvédère de Rolleboise , which is also a beautiful building to discover. This 2.4 km walk will take you around 31 minutes.

The beauty of the site is well worth the effort. This kiosk, typical of the Art Nouveau period, dates from the late 19th century. Initially, it was used as a reception desk at the1900 Universal Exhibition in Paris. It was later acquired by an industrialist from the Mantais region, and set up in the forest as a hunting lodge.

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Over time, the kiosk deteriorated due to lack of maintenance. In 2013, theAgence des espaces verts undertook its restoration. The wood was renovated and the mosaics restored, breathing new life into this jewel. Visitors now discover a timeless building, adorned with floral designs. The view from the belvedere is breathtaking, offering contrasting panoramas of the region.

From the belvedere, you can admire the keep of the Château de la Roche-Guyon and the Méricourt dam to the west. To the north, the village of Vétheuil, its 16th-century church, the Flicourt farm and the island of Saint-Martin-la-Garenne come into view. To the east, the panorama becomes more urban, with Mantes-la-Jolie and its famous collegiate church.

The work cost theAEV the princely sum of 170,000 euros. To protect this little treasure, the agency decided to use a rather unusual method, installing a video surveillance system in the forest near the site.

Rosny-sur-Seine is the place to go for a lovely stroll to discover a historic art nouveau kiosk, set in a relaxing Yvelines forest, with a breathtaking view over the Seine Valley.