View of the Valley of Montmorency near Saint-Leu-la-Forêt

From 1807 to 1809 Kleijn worked in and around Paris. Two of his landscapes from this period reveal his gratitude to Louis Napoleon. The King had bought two châteaux at Saint-Leu-la-Forêt, while his brother Napoleon owned the Château de Saint-Cloud (portrayed in the companion piece). Although this picture received great praise, it was also criticized for being too detailed and realistic. Kleijn did indeed take a grander approach in his view of Saint-Cloud.