Perhaps you have heard the tale of a would-be Venice right here. This is the story of \u00cele de Vaux. Today, we stand before a long island in the Seine. It is a part of the commune of Vaux-sur-Seine.
\u00cele de Vaux stretches about 2.4 kilometers. A road bridge connects it to the Seine’s north bank. It crosses the river’s small branch. Originally, there were two islands. There was a big island and a small island. These islands merged in the 1930s to form the \u00cele de Vaux as we know it.
Let’s take a step back in time to 1903. M and Mme Lenormand purchased the \u00cele de Vaux. The Seine’s flood in 1910 destroyed the island’s only farm. It wiped out their livestock too. The Lenormands decided to transform \u00cele de Vaux into a residential area.
From 1912, the \u00cele de Vaux was developed. They installed alleys lit by electricity. These alleys were planted with linden trees. About ten identical millstone houses were for sale. The remains of the farm became a hotel-restaurant. Advertising promised a “Venice 43 minutes from Paris”. Without bridges to the Seine’s banks, residents used gondolas.
Since the 1930s, an ASA manages \u00cele de Vaux. It is an Association Syndicale Autorisée. The ASA includes homeowners and vacant lot owners. A bow-string bridge was built in 1935. It allowed people to enter and leave \u00cele de Vaux more easily.
However, a concrete bridge built in the 1950s had problems. The municipality closed it to traffic in 1998. Steel reinforcements corroded creating serious risks. This led to conflict. Owners lacked a bridge for a year. Local authorities did not help. The bridge and interior roads were private. Repair costs fell on the residents. About 200 permanent residents live on \u00cele de Vaux today.
Consider this: \u00cele de Vaux is in a high-risk flood zone. The island was completely submerged during the 1910 flood. This was just a decade before its urbanization. Multiple meters of water covered the island.
The story of \u00cele de Vaux is one of transformation. From farmland to Venice-inspired residences, the island has a unique history. It is a history shaped by floods, dreams and the determination of its residents. Today, \u00cele de Vaux remains a charming place. It is an island community with a story to tell.