Évry:
Municipality of Île-de-France, the city of Évry is located about twenty-five kilometers from Paris, in the department of Essonne. Populated by more than 53,000 inhabitants, the city, located not far from Etampes, Corbeil-Essonnes or Milly-la-Forêt, experienced strong urbanization from the 19th century, thus benefiting from a major economic boom, and strong industrialization.
Located on the left bank of the Seine, Évry is one of the greenest cities in France with numerous green spaces and other parks which reduce the strong impact of the constructions that dot the Paris region. Very well served by public transport, Évry is an ideal point for discovering the beauties of the Île-de-France, and more particularly of the capital, Paris.
Dynamic and full of events, the city of Évry has a very interesting cultural and sporting offer with festivals, sporting events and various events of all kinds. Mostly built in the last thirty years, Évry still has some beautiful monuments that recall its past and previous centuries scattered throughout the city.
Courcouronnes:
Courcouronnes is a town in Essonne, in the Île-de-France region, 25 kilometers south of Paris.
The rural territory where vines and cereals are cultivated first depend on the abbey of Saint-Maur-des-Fossés then on secular lordships and a small village is formed which includes only a large hundred of inhabitants. In the 17th century, the lands of Courcouronnes were acquired by Nicolas de Bailleul, minister of Louis XIV, and after the Revolution, by the Decauville family.
At the end of the 1960s, the town had less than 200 inhabitants. But everything changed following the creation of the new town of Évry, to the east, whose growth led to that of Courcouronnes.
Residential areas and large housing estates have been erected on either side of the A6 motorway and the population is exploding, from 4,300 inhabitants in 1975 to more than 13,000 today, a figure that has remained stable since the beginning from the 2000s.
This rapid urbanization has not, however, altered the living environment of the town. In addition, Courcouronnes, which has preserved its historical heritage, has acquired cultural and leisure facilities, while promoting the establishment of numerous works of contemporary art in its urban landscape. It is a stage of interest.
Evry:
Although the new town of Évry was built mainly at the end of the 20th century and at the beginning of the 21st century, it still has buildings bearing witness to a glorious past.
While walking in Evry, one can thus admire the remains of the castle of Petit-Bourg, of which there remain only the old communes built between the 17th and the 18th century. Not far away, the Saint-Pierre-et-Saint-Paul church, also from the 18th century, has a beautiful chapel dedicated to the Blessed Virgin, as well as a cross vault of ogives dating back to the 13th century and very beautiful fonts baptismal red marble.
More recent, the Sainte Geneviève reception house of the Sisters of Notre-Dame de Sion, a wash house, the Evry-Val-de-Seine station, or the neoclassical Château de Beauvoir, date back to the nineteenth century. century.
The modernity of the city also has a certain charm, presenting a beautiful architecture highlighting the talents of the twentieth century, of which brick is the main element. Of particular note is the cathedral of the Resurrection, built by Mario Botta. All brick, it has a beautiful chapel of the Blessed Sacrament, and a Christ brought back in 1880 from Tanzania by missionaries. The twelve stained glass windows of the building are not lacking in appeal. Not to be missed also, the town hall brick and granite, or the prefecture inspired works of Niemeyer.
Essential passage when one settles a few days in Evry, the very large pagoda, which offers a particular originality to the landscape with its mixture of reinforced concrete and Asian style of the most surprising.
Green City, Évry offers its visitors a large number of green spaces of all kinds. On the territory of the commune, there are about one hundred hectares of parks such as Henri Fabre Park, the Parc des Loges, the Coquibus Park, the Tourelles Park, the Battle Park, the Pompidou Park, the Seine River Park, the wild wood or the square of the Resistance. Thanks to all this greenery, Évry obtained a reward of three flowers in the contest of the cities and flowered villages of France.
Évry is crossed, along the Seine, by the GR2 hiking trail. The latter stretches from Dijon to Le Havre, allowing to appreciate the charms of the Seine Valley.
Courcouronnes:
From the old village, there are some testimonies that can constitute the first stages of a discovery of the heritage of the new city.
This is the case of two road markers on which we still distinguish lily flowers, on the road to Versailles, but also the church Notre-Dame-de-la-Nativity (twelfth century), which has been restored but of which still remain the choir and the point of the steeple. See also, the farm Briard Wood (eighteenth century) and a section of the aqueduct of the Vanne and Loing, which carries drinking water to the capital from Burgundy and Brie. With arcades and over 1000 m long, the visible work on the town dates from the mid-nineteenth century.
In terms of contemporary heritage, many sculptures line the modern neighborhoods. For example, the Lady of the Lake, Székely's work dating back to 1975, is located in Lac Park, 17 meters high, a time for learning to climb. It has become the symbol of the city and its reflection in the water of the lake is sometimes spectacular.
To see also, the Signal, a sculpture of 1984 signed Marta Pan, high of 8 m, of purple color, which can evoke a flame synonymous with the spirit.
Avenue du Lac, stainless steel sculpture of the Bird Briard made in 1990 by Poix symbolizes purity. The Bicentennial World Map, a cement and plaster sphere adorned with molded figures, the Couple of Dancers, Route de Versailles, a sculpture 3 m high signed Milosevic, a head of Georges Brassens blue mosaic (1986) in the street of the same name, a stainless steel statue of Fouché (1986) street of the Marquis de Raies called the Signal of entry, the face of Jacques Brel at the entrance of the social center Brel-Brassens (1986) still mark the Canal district...
A true open-air museum, the modern city is home to other contemporary sculptures or ornaments: the glass walkway leading to the Jacques-Brel school, the plaster sphere 3 meters in diameter at the entrance of the Mail Marchais-Guesdon, the Disk Fountain artist Kulundzic at the Plaquères square, or the terraces of Ariane, formed groves and trays, in the descent of the alley Fanette, and finally a head of Orpheus Lyre, on the wall of the residence Orphée, made from a model of Jean Marais.
Finally, one can observe in Courcouronnes a mosque considered as one of the largest in Europe, accommodating 1,500 faithful, inaugurated in 1994 in a revisited Arab-Muslim style (mosaics, floors paved with marble, carved wood).
In terms of the environment, Courcouronnes has preserved several "green lungs" such as the Bois de la Garenne (15 hectares) in the north-west of the territory, the Bois des Folies, the Bois de Mon Cœur, the Rondeau Park and the Lac Park. which encloses a slum of water and which is a privileged place for the events organized in the city.
These spaces such as historic sites and numerous sculptures can be included in pleasant walks and even hiking or mountain biking. Documentation and information on +33 1 64 97 36 91.
For athletes, many disciplines are practiced at the sports complex of the Lake, with a multi-sports plateau (contact +33 1 69 11 08 86) while the indoor courts or outdoor Aqueduct Tennis are available amateurs (inquire at +33 1 60 86 99 17).
In addition, city and synthetic football stadiums have been developed in several neighborhoods (avenue Pierre Bérégovoy, street of the Marquis de Raies, street of Plessis Briard, alley of the small white horse, Park of the Wood of my Heart).
In another register, cultural this time, the multimedia library Georges Pérec has a digital space and offers quality exhibitions (information +33 1 60 77 21 02) and the cultural center Simone-Signoret as the Nougaro room hosts shows (theater, dance, concerts) throughout the year (information on +33 1 64 97 86 00).
Evry:
Évry is a dynamic and open city that knows how to highlight all its aspects to entertain its inhabitants and seduce its visitors through equally interesting events.
Evry hosts several markets a week, Sunday morning in the parking of the Loges, and Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sunday mornings in the city center. Organized by associations of the city, the Christmas market takes place at the end of the year, with illuminations, a Santa Claus, craft stands, or different animations of all kinds.
In January, Évry proposes its street art festival, with the presentation of creations of different artists from all over the world.
In April, the city of Évry, through its university, proposes its Friches musicales. This festival highlights young amateur artists and of great renown in different artistic expressions such as dance or theater.
In December, the Africolor festival is set up partly in Evry to highlight music and African culture. The program includes concerts, choreographic workshops and meetings.
Throughout the year, Evry highlights different aspects of its culture with a sports festival, the music festival or the association feast.
Courcouronnes:
The third weekend of May, the city hosts a festival of music and dance of the world.
In mid-June, the Lac en Fête meeting combines a show with a number of extras and light shows on historical or novel themes concluded by a fireworks display.
During the last week of June, Sport en Fête organizes numerous sporting events in a fun and friendly way.
During the second week of October, a festival of improvisation program of young specialists of the genre.
The last weekend of November is organized a show of "the vineyard to the wine".
Finally, two markets each week allow you to discover local produce: Thursday afternoon place de l'Orme and Saturday morning place Briantais.
