Valmont

Valmont is the name of several geographical locations in France, a notable surname, and a literary character. The most prominent commune bearing the name is Valmont in the Eure-et-Loir department of north‑central France. Covering an area of approximately 20 square kilometres, it is part of the arrondissement of Chartres. The village of Valmont in the Val‑d’Oise department of Île‑de‑France is a smaller settlement located near Paris and is part of the commune of Saint‑Remy‑en Jasse.

As a surname, Valmont has been borne by a number of individuals of French, English, and American background. Among them are Charles Valmont (1832‑1895), a French railway engineer who contributed to the expansion of the national rail network; Oscar Valmont (1915‑2003), an American jazz pianist noted for his work in the bebop era; and Marie‑Elise Valmont (born 1958), a French botanist recognized for her research on alpine flora. The name also occurs in the arts, with the 1993 film "Valmont" directed by Roger H. Corman, loosely based on the Marquis de Sade’s novel.

The most famous fictional Valmont is the character of the libertine Marquise de Merteuil’s partner in the 1782 novel Les Liaisons dangereantes by Pierre Choderlos de Laclos. The film adaptations of the novel—most notably the 1988 version starring Matthew Broderick—retain the title character’s name, making Valmont a recognizable figure in classic literature and cinema.