Once a bustling industrial site now a peaceful square. We are standing at Square de la Minoterie in Ivry-sur-Seine. It’s a transformation worth exploring. The square’s name comes from its past. It was once the site of a large flour mill called minoterie in French.
But what happened to the mill? The Grands Moulins de Paris were created during World War I. Architect Georges Wybo built it between 1917 and 1921. Lucien Baumann and other millers initiated the project. Ernest Vilgrain took over the company in 1919. The modern mill began operations in 1921.
The Parisian mill became outdated. Its activity moved to Gennevilliers and Verneuil-l’Étang. The minoterie closed in 1996. Most of the ancillary buildings were destroyed including silos and warehouses. The main quadrangular building with its neoclassical style was spared. The largest storage hall was also kept. A fire damaged part of it in 1997.
Architect Rudy Ricciotti renovated the main building from 2004 to 2006. It became a campus for the University Paris VII-Denis-Diderot. Architect Nicolas Michelin renovated the old Halle aux farines. It transformed into a classroom building with lecture halls.
Today the Grands Moulins building houses the university’s central administration. It also hosts the UFR LCAO which is the Languages and Civilizations of East Asia department. You’ll find the UFR LAC which covers Literature Arts and Cinema. The LSH Letters and Human Sciences department also resides here. The University Library of the Grands Moulins is an integral part of the complex.
Behind the building lie the Jardins des Grands-Moulins. These gardens provide a green retreat. They offer a place for students and locals to relax. Created in 2009 by the agency Ah-Ah paysagistes the gardens have three distinct areas. The garden of the Avenue-de-France has a ball game area and ping-pong tables. The Central garden features natural flower meadows. There is also a rain basin terrace. The school garden offers a play area for younger children. A footbridge crosses the Central garden. It allows passage even when the garden is closed. Three insect hotels provide winter shelter for insects.
Once dedicated to Abbé Pierre the gardens are now simply named Jardins des Grands-Moulins. This change occurred after accusations against Abbé Pierre. Square de la Minoterie and the adjacent gardens represent a blend of industrial history and modern renewal. They show how a city can repurpose its past.