Villejust

Hidden atop a plateau, Villejust commands views of two valleys. This town, a blend of rustic charm and cutting-edge technology, has a story waiting to be unveiled. Villejust’s roots trace back to the Bronze Age, marked by the discovery of a socketed axe. The very name, Villejust, whispers of a Gallo-Roman past, hinting at a “just villa” or perhaps a “villa near”. This villa likely stood where Fretay, meaning “fortified farm”, now exists. Villejust wasn’t always a unified entity. From the Middle Ages, it was divided among various lords. Fretay and La Folie-Bessin belonged to Montlhery. Villejust and Haut-des-Vignes answered to Palaiseau. La Poitevine, curiously, fell under the jurisdiction of the Saint-Pierre Cathedral in Poitiers. This division played out in the occupations of its people. Farmers tilled the land around a windmill in one area. Winegrowers cultivated vines in another. Over the centuries, ownership shifted. From Enguerrand de Marigny in the 14th century to Renaud de Bussière, a canon of Paris, Villejust saw a procession of influential figures. By the 16th century, Thomas de Balsac held sway, followed by Hubert de Champy in 1696, who consolidated it with the Villebon estate. The French Revolution brought change. Villejust, now part of the Palaiseau canton, was home to around 309 inhabitants, or 72 households. The domain passed into the hands of Jean Alexandre Pauquet de Villejust in 1794. A pivotal moment arrived in 1795. Louis V Joseph de Bourbon-Condé, the last lord of Palaiseau and Courtabœuf, sold his lands. This sale finally united all sections of Villejust under single ownership. In the 19th century, quarry workers flocked to Villejust. They extracted sandstone, paving the streets of Paris with Villejust’s very earth. But these workers faced competition. In 1880, they revolted against Lorraine quarrymen selling cheaper sandstone. The 20th century ushered in modernization. Electricity arrived in 1930. The Bois-Courtin chateau saw expansion in 1932. Water flowed through newly constructed pipes in 1937. During World War II, Villejust played a role in the liberation of Paris. A detachment from Leclerc’s division, led by Colonel Pierre Billotte, clashed with enemy forces right here. In the post-war era, EDF established a vital electricity substation. An incineration plant, now a listed polluter, arrived in 1972. Today, Villejust remains a fascinating contradiction. It balances its rural heritage with a stake in the high-tech world. Apple’s French and European headquarters reside within its bounds, standing alongside vast fields of grain and market gardens.