'Gif-sur-Yvette' is a
commune in the southwestern suburbs of
Paris,
France. It is located 22.9 km. (14.2 miles) from the
center of Paris.
Geography
The town is crossed by and named after the
Yvette river.
The total area is 11.60 km² and 4.07 km² is green spaces and woods.
Place names
The town of Gif-sur-Yvette is composed of sections:
★ in the valley: The Rougemonts, The Mérantaise, The Mairie, The Féverie, Coupières, Damiette, Courcelle, l'Abbaye, les Coudraies;
★ on the Moulon Plateau: The Moulon (uninhabited, aside from a research and educational institute);
★ on the Hurepoix Plateau: The Hacquinière, Belleville (created before the war) and Chevry (created in the 1970s, and equipped with infrustructure).
Also, the commune's territory includes many forests such as the Hacquinière Wood and the d'Aigrefoin Wood.
Commune's neighbors
The neighboring communes of Gif-sur-Yvette are :
Villiers-le-Bâcle,
Saint-Aubin,
Saclay,
Orsay,
Bures-sur-Yvette,
Gometz-le-Châtel,
Gometz-la-Ville,
Saint-Rémy-lès-Chevreuse.
History
Town hall of Gif-sur-Yvette.
The human presence on the
Moulon Plateau originates in Neolithic times. Agriculture was developed, notably during the Roman era.
Between the 12th and the 18th century, an important Benedictine abbey was built in Gif.
In the 19th century, Gif remained very agricultural (in particular, operating mills).
In
1867, Gif was linked to the
path of the Sceaux train (which later became the south branch of the
RER
B).
After the
First World War, the Gif commune experienced an important demographic change. The town took the name ''Gif-sur-Yvette'' in
1930.
Just after the
Second World War, Gif-sur-Yvette acquired an international scientific reputation, with the construction of the
CNRS and of the
CEA.
The town was extended in
1975, with the creation of the
Chevry section, from areas ceded by the
Gometz-la-Ville and
Gometz-le-Châtel communes.
Government
Population
Economy
Gif-sur-Yvette is situated in the "Science Valley" of the
Yvette River. Numerous research organizations exist in this area, such as the
CNRS (Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique), the
CEA (Commissariat à l'Énergie Atomique),
Supélec (École Supérieure d'Électricité), the
LGEP (Laboratoire de Génie Électrique de Paris, associated with
Supélec) and the Institute of Plant Biotechnology. Also, Gif is home to the Centre National d'Études and of the
National Police Academy.
The
CGT operates, since
1950, a ''permanent central college'' of Gif-sur-Yvette, the
Benoît Frachon Center, situated along the
Yvette River.
Transport
Gif-sur-Yvette is served by two stations on Paris
RER line B:
Gif-sur-Yvette and
Courcelle-sur-Yvette.
Famous inhabitants
★
Juliette Adam (1836-1936), founder of the Nouvelle Revue (1879) and operator of a famous literary club during the
Third Republic.
★ The Duke and Duchess of Windsor - whose country home ''Le Moulin de la Tuilerie'', a sprawling dwelling created from an old mill and a number of barns (Very rare in France at the time - one lived in a Chateau, ''not'' converted farm buildings!) was on the outskirts of town. The couple bought the buildings in 1952 and were part time residents for around 20 years.
★ The artist
Fernand Léger died on
August 17,
1955 in the house where, in
1972, negotiations were held between
Henry Kissinger and
Le Duc Tho which led to the end of the
Vietnam War.
★ The actor
Richard Bohringer lives in the town. His daughter, actress
Romane Bohringer pursued her university studies here.
★ The actress and super-model
Noémie Lenoir is from Gif-sur-Yvette, in the l'Abbaye section.
Religious legacy
The Saint-Rémi Church was constructed in the 12th Century and remained until the 15th Century, a structure of
Roman and
Gothic architecture. It was registered in
1938.
Some ruins remain of an
Benedictine
abbey which was build in the 12 Century, but which became a national property in
1789. It was officially registered in
1963.
External link
★
Gif-sur-Yvette city council's official website
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