History of the village
The village takes its name from a ninth century bishop, Saint Nonne, who re-evangelized the country after the Norman invasions, and from La Bretesche, a wooden stronghold (breiteiche: big oak tree), the main hamlet at the edge of the Forest of Cruye.
For many years the hamlet was called Saint Nonne in the Val de Galie, the name of the parish, then it became Saint Nom near la Bretesche and to-day Saint-Nom-la-Bretèche. During the Revolution the district was called “La Montagne Fromentale” then “l'Union la Bretesche”.
The hamlets of Avinières, Val-Martin, and La Tuilerie-Bignon were under the responsibility of numerous lords, the Dames de Poissy and the Vaux de Cernay Abbey.
The north of the village, La Bretèche, was part of Parc de Marly, whilst the south, Saint Nom, was part of the Parc de Versailles. This made it difficult for the village as a whole to acquire an identity.
The demographic growth of recent years has unified the two villages and led to the building of a “Village Centre”.
* écart : localité proche
