Ideally located on the banks of the Seine and a few kilometers southwest of Paris, the city of Issy-les-Moulineaux attracts people not only because of its rich historical past but also because of its many parks and green spaces that offer a privileged living environment. The town has also been awarded the "Terre de Jeux 2024" label and will therefore be able to welcome Olympic and Paralympic delegations from all over the world. Discover Issy-les-Moulineaux on foot, by bike or in a wheelchair with the routes available on the JOOKS application!
A mainly working-class town until the 1980s, Issy-les-Moulineaux has become a major communications hub in just a few years. The establishment of press, publishing and audiovisual companies, as well as numerous international headquarters (Microsoft, Coca-Colas, Sodexo, etc.) has given the town a new lease on life. Nicknamed "Medialand", the city is now one of France's leading centres for new technologies and enjoys an international reputation.
A little history...
Rich of a plurimillennial history, the city of Issy-les Moulineaux knew its apogee in the 18th century, thanks to the presence of the great ones of the Court of the time and in particular the famous "Queen Margot". Marguerite de Valois, the first wife of King Henri IV, lived in the town for some time, in order to escape the plague epidemic that hit Paris. Your walk will take you to the former castle occupied by the sovereign, where the Saint-Sulpice seminary is now located. As for the princes of Conti, they made the castle of Issy their country house. Although it has disappeared today, some vestiges are still visible throughout the city, such as the three niches in front of the pool in Henri Barbusse Park.
Issy-les-Moulineaux was also the scene of terrible battles, especially during the fall of Napoleon I in 1815 and during the Second World War, with the German bombings. But the event that probably marked the city the most was the battle of Issy which opposed Communards and Versaillais during the Paris Commune in 1871. Almost half of the houses and public buildings of the commune were demolished during the fighting. The eco-neighborhood of the Fort, which you will discover during your walk, was built on the site of the old fortress that defended the road to Paris.
The banks of the Seine and the rural setting of Issy-les-Moulineaux make it an attractive place for artists of all kinds. The city has notably welcomed the famous painter Henri Matisse, who lived there for several years, the sculptor Auguste Rodin, and the photographer Jacques-Henri Lartigue. Lartigue, a passionate aviation enthusiast, used to attend the flight tests and the distance and speed records that were held on the town's grounds. Issy-les-Moulineaux is indeed one of the cradles of French aviation, in particular thanks to Henri Farman who was the first to fly a kilometer in a closed circuit plane.
Environmental commitment
The city of Issy-les-Moulineaux is particularly sensitive to climate issues and adopted a municipal environmental plan in the early 1990s. Numerous initiatives aimed at fighting climate change and ensuring a better living environment for residents have followed - installation of public composters, development of gardens and green spaces, sustainable construction methods for public and private buildings (Isséo charter) - and several projects are still to come.
Entire neighborhoods have been rehabilitated and new ones have been developed with respect for the environment. During your walk, you will go along the eco-neighborhood of Bords de Seine which is a concentrate of ecological innovations. Don't miss the animals on the Garibaldi embankment either! Sheep and goats graze on this green space and maintain it naturally. Bees and more recently chickens have joined them to create an important pole of biodiversity.
Terre de Jeux
With some fifty sports clubs, 73 disciplines and more than 11,000 members, the Issy-les-Moulineaux Municipal Sports Office has a large and varied sports offer. The city is also equipped with modern and efficient sports facilities. It is undoubtedly this great diversity of assets that has made Issy an ideal candidate for the « Terre de Jeux 2024" label.
This certification allows the discovery of sport and its values, but above all it is a huge spotlight on the city and its region. The Terre de Jeux route will allow you to discover the infrastructures selected to welcome the Olympic and Paralympic delegations from all over the world, such as the Alain Mimoun stadium or the brand new Cité des Sports.
Find all the routes in the city of Issy-les-Moulineaux on the JOOKS application.
Run, walk or cycle with JOOKS, from Saint-Germain Island to the French Playing Card Museum!