Ever wondered what lies beneath your feet as you traverse Paris? Here at Rond-point d’Arthelon, a roundabout in Meudon, France, there’s more than meets the eye.
Rond-point d’Arthelon is more than just a place where roads converge. It is a point of connection to the city’s hidden waterways. This is a story of a buried stream and its surprising past.
Once upon a time, the Ru d’Arthelon flowed freely. It separated the hills of Meudon and Clamart. This little river was not always hidden from view.
In the 17th and 18th centuries, landscape architect André Le Nôtre designed the Arthelon gardens. He created basins and fountains with jets of water. The Ru d’Arthelon fed these beautiful water features.
Imagine pheasants prancing around this place and French nobles socializing in the gardens.
After the French Revolution, the gardens were divided into smaller plots. In the 19th century, a stud farm occupied the area. Later, it became a site for airship operations, now the National Office for Aerospace Studies and Research.
The Ru d’Arthelon also powered a mill. A canal diverted water to the Moulin des Moulineaux. This canal ran along the Chemin de Fleury. It collected water from the Fontaine des Brillants. The water then filled a large pond bordered by willows. After turning the mill’s heavy wooden wheel, the water flowed to irrigate the large orchard of the Chartreux farm.
By the 1920s, residents had enough of the flooding. Heavy rains would cause the Ru d’Arthelon to overflow. It flooded everything in its path. Plans to canalize the stream were drawn up in 1911. The work was completed in the late 1920s.
Today, the Ru d’Arthelon flows underground. It passes beneath the Rue d’Arthelon and the Avenue Jean-Jaurès. It goes under the Rue de Paris before crossing Issy-les-Moulineaux and emptying into the Seine. Its waters now feed the sewers of Meudon.
Some locals want to uncover the Ru d’Arthelon. They envision a restoration. It would be similar to projects for the Bièvre and the Ru du Marivel. The association Espaces has even developed plans for this. Since 2023, they have organized tours to trace the Ru d’Arthelon’s path.
So, as you stand here at Rond-point d’Arthelon, remember the hidden stream beneath. It’s a reminder that even the most modern cities have secrets flowing just beneath the surface.