Twenty-seven kilometers southeast of Paris lies Bondoufle. A small village until the late 1960s Bondoufle transformed. It became part of the Evry new town project. Rapid urbanization followed. Suburban homes surrounded the original village. Industrial zones developed along roads.
Bondoufle’s history is tied to agriculture. In the 11th century the religious order of the Basilica of Notre-Dame-de-Bonne-Garde de Longpont owned the land. They built the Saint-Denis church. Around 1340 Francois de Montaigne gifted land to the Celestine monks of Paris. Under Charles VII Bondoufle’s estate linked to that of Echarcon under Lord Yvon de Karmazet.
The 1960s brought dramatic change. The French government initiated new town construction. Evry and its surroundings were chosen. Bondoufle then had fewer than 300 inhabitants. In 1964 the Bondoufle Amical Club a multi-sport club formed. A 1966 inter-municipal syndicate studied the Evry region’s development. A public development agency for the new town of Evry established in 1969.
Bondoufle’s population exploded. In 1969 the Societe de Sport de France acquired almost 100 hectares. They created the Bondoufle racecourse. The first race took place in 1972. The associative library opened in 1989. The church underwent restoration from 1990 to 1993. The Stade Robert-Bobin was built in 1993. It hosted the 1994 Francophonie Games. This stadium boasted 18850 seats. It had football rugby and athletics facilities.
Today Bondoufle thrives. It’s a testament to planned urban growth. It retains elements of its rural past. Its modern identity blends seamlessly with its rich history. The transformation of this once-small village into a vibrant community is a remarkable story. A story that continues to unfold.