Neuilly-sur-Marne is a city of Seine-Saint-Denis, in the region of Ile-de-France, on the borders of the Seine-et-Marne and Val-de-Marne, 15 kilometers east of Paris.
The territory bordered on the south by the Marne and the Chelles canal is occupied from the Paleolithic then by the Gauls.
While the surroundings are still largely forest, a town is formed in the tenth century and, in the late twelfth, an abbot named Foulques erects a church before being noticed by the pope who entrusts the Fourth Crusade.
The lands are then owned by different lords, and in the eighteenth century, the activity is market gardening and even wine, while residences and castles are raised along the Marne.
From the second half of the 19th century, the industrialization of the Parisian crown and the arrival of the railway initiated a new development of the town. Urbanization intensified in the twentieth century, with the creation of suburban housing estates and buildings, and the population of Neuilly-sur-Marne increased from 10,000 inhabitants after the second war to nearly 35,000 today.
The city, however, has preserved its charm linked to the old fashioned cafes along the Marne and has green parks which, with its heritage and its cultural and sporting dynamism, contribute to its attractiveness.
Several built heritage elements can mark a discovery walk in the city.
Starting with the church Saint-Baudile, whose construction began in 1198. Its pillars imitate those of Notre-Dame de Paris and its style mixes Romanesque and Gothic. Excavations have established that from the outset, the site included Merovingian sarcophagi. Later, Father Foulques was buried in the church he had wished to build. The tympanic mosaic dates back to 1900 and the tiled floor on the floor at the same time covered the ancient tombs.
See also, White House, an asylum became psychiatric hospital built from 1894 in a classic style (Louis XIII).
Ville-Évrard already existed, a vast health house and asylum built in the 1860s on the former seigniorial domain. The structure is completed during the twentieth by new buildings (boarding school, workshops), and becomes a small town in the city. Camille Claudel and Antonin Artaud were interned there.
In another register, we can linger on the monument to the dead, made by the sculptor Paul Moreau-Vauthier, himself former Hairy, and who conceived the boundaries that materialize the front line in 1918, at the end of the First War, from the North Sea to the Swiss border.
In the cemetery, to see also, the tomb of General Donzelot, shaped like Egyptian temple. He was indeed of the Napoleonic campaign, and the names of the great battles in which he participated are engraved under the pediment, from Valmy to Waterloo.
Other stages of a visit of the city, the old guinguettes on the banks of the Marne (such as the Bar de la Marine, dating from 1880), the workers' cities of the inter-war period (Cité Jardin, Maisons Turin), the community Emmaus established in 1949, the former town hall erected in 1850 instead of a relay station, Art Deco buildings of the avenue Leclerc, the castle Guérin become music conservatory Avenue De Gaulle or finally the house of the painter and musician Flaxland, rue Gaubert, a nineteenth century bourgeois building in which the artist welcomed celebrities like Chopin and Sand.
On the environmental front, the Marne and the canal linking Neuilly-sur-Marne to Vaires-sur-Marne built under Napoleon III remain pleasant and instructive walks. We stroll there and we observe a still active navigation, especially as a marina has been built, hosting up to 80 pleasure boats. Information on +33 1 43 08 21 21.
Neuilly-sur-Marne is also endowed with several parks and squares of importance.
This is the case of the Croissant Vert communal park, on 33 hectares, where many amenities have been made for recreation (skate, roller and BMX, playgrounds). A fitness trail is also available. The park also hosts a teaching farm (information on +33 1 49 44 63 40).
Guerin Park, which adjoins the Conservatory (wooded alleys, games, football field), and the Square de l'Eau, on the banks of the Marne, as an extension of the waterworks. Illustrated panels explain the treatment of water, from its pumping in the Marne to the tap. In addition, this beautifully wooded area is home to the old Farcot machines, elevating pumps that pumped water back to the water towers on the surrounding hills.
Note also that was recently developed the departmental park of Haute-Ile. It covers 65 hectares between the canal and a loop formed by the Marne. Designed to protect the biodiversity of wetlands and wastelands (the site is classified Natura 2000), its development also takes into account the archaeological heritage, and an archeosite has been made for visitors. Information on +33 1 43 93 42 53 or +33 1 43 93 98 42.
Finally, boulevard Aristide Briand, the lake of Primrose is a delight for walkers and fishermen.
All heritage sites, and in particular the banks of the Marne, can be included in hiking or mountain biking trails. Documentation and information on +33 1 49 15 98 98.
For athletes, again, Neuilly-sur-Marne offers a rich potential. The city has a nautical base near the marina where to practice sailing and canoeing, in particular (to join +33 1 43 08 21 21), of an equestrian center (to contact the +33 1 43 08 59 89), covered tennis courts or in the open air (to reserve the +33 1 43 08 58 05) and even of a mini-golf (to inquire in +33 6 48 07 96 98).
We will also mention the rink. Entry 2.50 and 4.50 euros. Information +33 1 43 00 65 65. As well as the swimming pool "full sun" which has a basin of 25 m and a solarium. Entry: 1.60 and 2.45 euros. Information on +33 1 43 08 62 19.
On the cultural level, the Saint-Exupéry media library has an auditorium, a cinema area and also offers exhibitions and shows. Information on +33 1 56 49 19 49.
In March, a festival dedicated to the comics program meetings with authors, workshops and exhibitions for all audiences.
In July, Neuilly Plage on the Marne and in the city center offers fun activities, concerts, varied entertainment for all ages.
The second weekend of September, the nautical festival is also held on the banks of the Marne (sports activities, entertainment and music).
Every Wednesday and Saturday morning, finally, the market reconnects with the market gardening tradition of the city and allows to discover the wealth of the soil of Ile-de-France.
