Évry – Courcouronnes

Gazing at Évry – Courcouronnes, can you picture a small rural village nestled along the Seine? In the early 20th century, Évry – Courcouronnes was just that. A peaceful community of 1,300 souls, far removed from the industrial haze of nearby Corbeil. Yet, history has woven a rich tapestry through this land, transforming Évry – Courcouronnes into the vibrant hub it is today. Évry – Courcouronnes has a history that whispers of royalty, revolution, and remarkable renewal. Let’s journey back to the 16th century when noble families sought refuge from the Parisian bustle in Évry – Courcouronnes’ tranquil setting. Imagine Madame de Montespan, the royal mistress of Louis XIV, gracing the Château de Petit-Bourg. Her son, the Duke of Antin, later hosted Louis XV and even Tsar Peter the Great within these very walls. As time marched on, the estate passed to Princess Louise-Bathilde de Bourbon, mother of the Duke of Enghien, just before the French Revolution. In the 19th century, the Marquis Aguado, captivated by Évry – Courcouronnes, became its mayor. He transformed the Château de Petit-Bourg into a haven for music and dance, regularly inviting performers from the Paris Opera. Even the renowned composer Rossini graced Évry – Courcouronnes with his presence, rumored to have composed parts of “William Tell” here. Meanwhile, General San Martin, liberator of Chile, Argentina, and Peru, found solace in the Solitude house in the Grand Bourg district for nearly fifteen years. Évry – Courcouronnes’ connection to history deepens with the tale of Joseph Epstein and Missak Manouchian, heroes of the FTP-MOI resistance group, arrested here in November 1943. During the Liberation in August 1944, General Patton erected a pontoon bridge at Évry – Courcouronnes, aiding the Allied advance. Sadly, much of this grand past was lost during World War II. The Germans, during their retreat in 1944, destroyed most of the historic buildings, including the Château de Petit-Bourg. Only the Bataille property and the Beauvoir estate remain. Fast forward to the 1960s, and witness the visionary Paul Delouvrier breathe new life into Évry – Courcouronnes. His ambition was to create a “new town” to alleviate the strain on Paris. Évry – Courcouronnes became the capital of the newly formed Essonne department in 1964. The city officially blossomed in 1975 with the inauguration of the Agora, the Évry 2 Regional Shopping Center (now Le Spot), and the iconic Pyramides district. New neighborhoods sprang up like the Parc aux Lièvres, Champtier du Coq, Champs-Élysées, Les Epinettes, and Les Aunettes. A new city center emerged in the 1990s, anchored by the Hôtel de Ville and Mario Botta’s cathedral. Prestigious companies arrived, especially around the Genopole research center. A university, now boasting 15,000 students, flourished alongside renowned Grandes Écoles. An innovative public transport network connected the city’s different parts. In 2016, Évry merged with Courcouronnes, forming the 70,000-strong capital we see today. Évry – Courcouronnes continues to evolve with initiatives like the Arènes renovation, Le Spot transformation, the T12 tram link to Massy, and the revitalization of the city center. This “green city” proudly holds the “Remarkable Contemporary Architecture” label for fifteen of its buildings.