Remember the Renault 5 Supercinq? It rolled off a production line here on \u00cele Seguin. This island sits on the Seine between Boulogne-Billancourt and Sèvres. It covers about 11.5 hectares. That is roughly 28 acres.
Before cars, the island belonged to the Abbey of St. Victor. Tenant farmers worked the land. Then came Versailles. \u00cele Seguin became important because it sat on the route connecting the palace and Paris. Aristocrats traveled this road often. In 1747, Louis XV acquired the island for his daughters. Back then it was called \u00cele de Sève. It was renamed \u00cele Madame. Before the revolution, a commercial laundry called Buanderie de Sèvres operated here.
The revolutionary government nationalized the laundry. For a short time in 1793, a banker named Jean-Baptiste Vandenyver owned it. He was guillotined months later. Control of the island became a dispute between Sèvres, Issy, and Auteuil. In 1794, Armand Seguin, a chemist, acquired it. This is where the island gets its current name. Seguin industrialized leather tanning here making himself rich. Laundry businesses also remained. The island also became a leisure spot. People enjoyed boating, shooting, and fishing.
In 1919, Louis Renault bought \u00cele Seguin. He already had factories on both sides of the river. Between 1929 and 1934, he built his first factory on the island. For decades, the island’s story was the Renault plant’s story. The factory had everything. It had its own power, testing sites, and even an underground track. Docks handled supplies and shipped out finished cars. Billancourt became France’s biggest factory. It employed over 30000 people. During World War II, the factory made trucks for the Germans. Allied bombers targeted it using the Seine for navigation. Renault was accused of collaboration after the war. He died in prison before his trial. The government nationalized his company in 1945. It became Régie Nationale des Usines Renault.
After the war, France grew economically. The Renault plant on \u00cele Seguin symbolized this growth. Models like the Renault 4CV became very successful. The factory was also known for union activism. A 33-day strike shut it down in May 1968.
Renault expanded with new plants in France and Spain. Rising wages and union activity made automation important. The Billancourt factory struggled to adapt. Renault announced its closure in 1989. The last car, a Renault Supercinq, left on March 31, 1992. Cleaning up the buildings was a big challenge. Asbestos removal and soil decontamination were needed. Demolition began in 2004 and finished in 2005.
After Renault left, François Pinault wanted to build a private museum. Objections stopped this plan. In 2009, Jean Nouvel became the lead planner. His job was to transform the island into a cultural hub. La Seine Musicale, a concert and performance space, opened in 2017. Some want the island to stay green. They oppose large office developments. They believe Paris has enough office space already.
The factory was accessible by two metal bridges. A suspension bridge by Daydé in 1928 connected to the right bank. Another bridge by Seibert in 1931 connected to the left bank. A new Renault bridge designed by Marc Barani opened in 2009.
The Renault factory on \u00cele Seguin inspired the factory in the Code Lyoko TV series. Today \u00cele Seguin stands as a testament to constant change. It once was farmland. Later it was a factory. Now it is a cultural center.