Walking in Issy

map of the walking

The round tour lasts approximately 45 minutes

This curious curvilinear building is one of the last remains of the castle which belonged to the Princes de Conti from 1699 to 1776.
It constituted the left pavilion of the crescent-shaped entrance. Presently, it houses the Gallery of History of the city.
This gallery presents both Issean history and patrimony, based on a model of the town and various ancient photographs. It deals with Prince Conti's castle, the very beginning of aviation... and also presents some of the artists who inhabited and loved the city, such as Rodin, Matisse or Dubuffet.

At 3 rue Marcelin Berthelot, a former drinking trough for horses has also been preserved as a monumental fountain at the bottom of the garden.

"At the corner of Rue Auguste Gervais and rue Marcelin Berthelot"

The present museum was built in 1997. Its architecture is rather audacious : the very modern building is linked with the former Conti palace by a bridge of glass and steel. Inside, it takes an apparently limited subject and historical aspect of card games, their geographical and universal expansion and their sociological and artistic development.

Rue Auguste Gervais
Wednesday, saturday, sunday from 10h à 19h

Going up the street, you can note the house rented in 1919 by the family of Adèle Foucher; the young Victor Hugo (1802-1885), accompagnied by his mother and his brother, used to visit his future wife here.
15 bis rue Auguste Gervais
Take the rue de la glacière then turn left to rue de l'Abbé Grégoire.

The very first church known on this site goes back to the XIth century. It constitutes the historical centre of Issy-les-Moulineaux. It is the most ancient religious building of the town. The church as we know it today was edified between 1634 and 1645. It has kept most of the original building that goes back to the XVIIth century. The main front of this magnificent church is dominated by a quadrangular spire high of 34 meter. Its jewels remains without contest its Roman tympanum, found in 1849 in the garden of the presbytary.

Inside, you will be stunned by the five huge arches and twelve massive pillars built by the Toscan Order. Two ranks of satin glasses enlighten Saint-Etienne Church and let you discover the wooden choir and classical rateable.

Place de l'église
The church is presently closed until the end of 2007

The park belongs to the domain of the neighbouring Seminary of Saint-Sulpice. Only the war memorial of the Seminarists, situated in the higher part, still testifies to its former religious vocation. Baptised Jean-Paul II in honour of the sovereign pontif's viist in 1980, the park is an invitation to calm and rest.

On your right going down rue Minard
Opposite to the park, take the "chemin vert" to reach rue du Général Leclerc.

Saint-Sulpice Seminary takes place on the emplacement of the former residence of Marguerite de Valois; Henri IV's wife, known as Queene Margot. This huge domain is the only one to have kept its original size since the Ancient Regime. It was registered as a Monument Historique (historic monument) in 1996.

It became the property of the Saint Sulpice Community in the middle of the XVIIth century, and rest home for the priests of the community. Brought down by the French Revolution, it was then reconstituted to become nowadays the École Supérieure de Théologie Catholique(Training college for the Roman Catholic priesthood.

La Grande Chapelle (great chapel), le Grand Bassin (great ornemental lake), le Nymphée, le bassin de Lorette, l’Enclos de la Solitude… So many testimonies of the past that you will discover during the tour.

33 rue du Général Leclerc

This former “Maison des champs� was designed by the architect Etienne –Louis Boullée under the reign of King Louis XVI. It was the country house of the banker Nicolas Beaujon before becoming an annex to the Notre-Dame des Oiseaux Convent. It became Issy-les-Moulineaux’s city hall in 1891, without loosing its ancient splendor.
The “Salon Elysée� was restaured; the former cloister of convent Les Oiseaux was transformed into a cyber room that welcomes the city council. It is now equipped with the cutting edge of technology, and you will attend a demonstration of this equipment during the tour.

62 rue du général Leclerc

map of the walk

These two houses were built in 1986 ans 1991 by the well-known designer Philippe Starck who planned to set up an artist's community on the island.
In spite of their differences, the houses both display sobriety, very pure lines and a new modern way of building.

27-29 rue Pierre Poli

Built by Jean Nouvel in 1992, the massive silhouette og the building looks like a boat running around on a bank of the Seine.The dark and austere exterior contrast with the bright and pearly interior.

at the corner of rue Pierre Poli et and allée des Moulineaux

This riverside walk has been recently renovated and bring us to back to the 19th century when Parisians came boating on this little branch of the island.
Orientation maps and playing area are settling on the way.

Au début du siècle, de nombreux visiteurs du dimanche, amenés par le bac d'Auteuil, allaient danser dans une guinguette très réputée qui prit le nom de Robinson. Dans le prolongement de cette promenade arborée, un passage sous le pont permet de rejoindre le parc de l'île.

Dans la partie Ouest, les jardins imprévus laissent libre cours à une végétation champêtre et fleurie. Elle confère à cette partie de l'île un réel caractère bucolique. Plus isolés, les jardins clos, implantés sur d'anciennes halles, créent un espace intime agrémenté d'un potager et d'un verger. Dans la partie Est, le parc offre au visiteur un espace de dix hectares réservé à la détente, au sport et aux jeux.

Ce bâtiment constitue une partie de la vaste usine élevée en 1853 par la Société des Glaces et Verrerie de Montluçon. Il passait pour un chef-d'œuvre des compagnons charpentiers. Lors de l'Exposition Universelle de 1867, il abrite une annexe de la section agricole. Il accueille aujourd'hui le poney-club et la Maison de l'Environnement.
Cet établissement est un centre d'éducation à l'environnement. Elle propose des expositions et un centre de documentation tous publics
Du lundi au vendredi de 9h à 12h30 et de 14h à 18h
Dimanche de 14h à 18h (fermeture à 17H du 1er novembre au 31 janvier)

Créée au sein du cycle de l'Hourloupe, monde utopique imaginé par Jean Dubuffet, la Tour aux figures est conçue comme une architecture vivante. A l'extérieur comme à l'intérieur le spectateur y découvre des figures qui, aussitôt formées, sont remplacées par d'autres. Ainsi, la Tour aux figures est-elle une sorte d'image tangible, bâtie, de nos pensées et de nos rêves…
De mai à octobre, visites commentées en extérieur pour groupe adultes et scolaires

Attention, la Tour aux figures est actuellement fermée pour travaux de restauration!

Le dépliant Promenades-Découvertes est disponible à l'Office de Tourisme ainsi que de nombreux guides touristiques, culturels, insolites ou de randonnées, sur la région Ile-de-France.