4.5.09

What could have been the Olympic Village - Clichy-Batignolles


I already made a post about a new park in the 17th arrondissement, not far from where I live. It was opened in 2007 and has since been baptised “Parc Clichy-Batignolles Martin Luther King”. We are in the area which was supposed to become the Olympic Village, if Paris had been chosen for the 2012 summer games (now we must wish good luck to London). The plans have been slightly revised and there are now rather firm plans of what will happen here in the next four or five years.

This is what the area, "Clichy-Batignolles", may look like when the project is completed. Some 3500 apartments plus some 100.000 m² (25 acres) of office space, commerce, schools, gymnasiums... are planned, as well as a prolongation of a metro line (line 14). The park installations will be considerably enlarged. Everything will be planned “ecologically”.

I made the tour of the area the other day. A large part has been occupied by services linked to rail cargo – including what already is a park. The demolition of existing installations is now ongoing. There seems to be a good chance of getting some nice views when you later live, work or just walk around here.
One of the few buildings which will remain is the warehouse for our Opera’s scenic equipment. It dates from 1895 and was designed by Charles Garnier, the creator of “Opéra Garnier” (and the Casino in Monte-Carlo etc...) (see previous posts). Part of the building is today occupied as a second scene by “Odéon – Théatre de l’Europe”.
Just behind this building you can find one of the few remainders of the last walls surrounding Paris, the Thiers Wall, built 1841-44 and destroyed 1919-29, without ever having really served. However, when it disappeared it offered space to build the boulevards that now run around Paris (“Boulevards des Maréchaux”). It seems that these remains of the wall will be saved.
Very close, there is additional trace of this wall, which has been saved and integrated in another new, small park, "Jardin des Hauts-de-Malesherbes”, close to the “Green Tower” (see previous post). You can read the construction years 1842-43.
I ended up my tour in what is already a park, now about two years old. (See also top picture.)

37 comments:

Cezar and Léia said...

Hi Peter,
Lovely that you can show us on your blog even how Paris will be!!!
Regards,
Léia and Cezar

Virginia said...

Peter,
How nice that you have your mind on these lovely scenes now and got this beautiful post done in time!:) I have another park to talk with you about very close to this I think. I'd love to see that green tower. It looks amazing.
V

Karen said...

What a grand project. Hopefully it will provide many jobs and help the economy.
Your photos of the lovely green trees in your last few posts are a delight.
It's such a warm spring green.:=]

Olivier said...

c'est du masochisme, le village olympique...attention ton blog va être interdit par la mairie de Paris ;o)) ils ont toujours pas avalé la couleuvre ;o)

alice said...

J'ai lu ce weekend un article sur le futur Grand Paris mais je dois avouer que je ne suis jamais allée voir au-delà du Sacré Coeur... Peut-être faut-il regretter que les jeux aient été attribués à Londres, mais peut-être pas, beaucoup de Londoniens grincent des dents...

hpy said...

Cela aurait pu être déprimant ici aussi, mais avec la crise je ne peux que souhaiter courage à Londres! (Je repasserai plus tard, si je trouve une minute ou deux. En attendant, retour au boulot!)

Cergie said...

Un message plein de couleurs et cosmopolite aujourd'hui, Peter ! Tant pis pour les JO, on a le parc et Paris intérieur-extérieur vieux et neuf pour nous seuls (ainsi que pour les touristes). Tu as bien montré qu'une ville ne reste pas enfermée dans ses remparts mais évolue.
J'apprécie particulièrement la grande photo, au bas du montage de trois, qui est un montage à elle toute seule avec dans le lointain nos collines et monuments bleus à nous....

Rakesh Vanamali said...

Great shots Peter, as always! I loved the first one for its lush green trees! Besides, this is a very informative post too!

nathalie in avignon said...

Peter, ton plan de la zone concernée avec les flèches vers les photos des lieux à l'heure actuelle est excellente.

Voilà une zone en pleine reconstruction où tes photos serviront de référence au fur et à mesure de l'avancement des travaux, car je n'ai aucun doute que tu y retourneras régulièrement.
C'est rare de tomber encore dans Paris sur un aussi grand chantier qui va bouleverser tout un quartier. C'est passionnant à suivre.

J'aime beaucoup ta photo où l'on voit le mur tagué, la cabane à moitié écroulée et le sacré-coeur dans le fond. Etonnant contraste !

Sur le plan artistique,

Nathalie encore said...

PS- drame chez moi, mon Canon m'a laissé tomber: je ne sais pas s'il sera réparé pour le week-end. Que vais-je devenir ???

Catherine said...

Un réalité tellement souhaitée qui est devenue une fiction, puis, qui se révèle à nouveau un beau projet.
Si tout est fait à la mesure de ce jardin que tu nous montres, il y a de l'espoir.
Je te souhaite un merveilleux séjour à Menton, tês bagages doivent être prêts. Visite Jilly, il fait beau !

Delphinium said...

J'aime beaucoup la photo avec le sacré coeur. Comme quoi, une ville est faite pour changer, pas toujours dans le bon sens mais c'est le propre de l'humanité. Il y a des horreurs qui se construisent et d'autres fois, de très belles choses. Comme l'être humain, il est capable du pire et du meilleur. et quel fair-play, souhaiter bonne chance pour Londres!
Enfin flûte les Suédois ont battu les Suisses hier en hockey. :-)

Anonymous said...

Hello Peter,

I like the Olympic Village photo very much and also the flower pictures. Nice work.

Marie-Noyale said...

Cette marguerite est juste ce que j'avais besoin aujourd'hui pour remplacer un soleil que nous n'avons pas vu depuis plusieurs jours!!

Mais commment fais tu pour trouver tous ces petits details historiques...
Impressionant!!

Cutie said...

Love the flower photos. Just so beautiful.

Starman said...

I can't imagine that only locals would be interested in this post. It's fascinating, informative and adorned with beautiful pictures.

Azer Mantessa said...

yes, what a dilemma and competition between Paris and London. The jury must have had difficult times deciding. Both cities are so tourism friendly, historical, capital and unique.

Since both cities are now so connected, I don't think Paris is missing out that much.

(Am bias because am from British commonwealth country ... haha)

Adam said...

Fantastic post Peter, very clear, concise and interesting. I've never made it out to that corner of the city, but I'll definitely have a look round now. Your before and after maps are excellent tools for those interested in urbanism.

claude said...

Encore un beau parc pour les promenades dominicales des parisiens. J'espère que les travaux donneront quelque chose de bien et de beau, surtout.

april said...

Let's hope that they will make it true. A city like Paris needs more green and trees and parks.

Ruth said...

Paris always seems to have plenty of money to revamp and start new things!

PeterParis said...

Léia & Cezar:
Let's see if I can make a post about it when it's finished! :-)

Virginia:
We really must have look on your priority list! :-)

Karen:
Yes, the job side is definitely a good thing! :-)

PeterParis said...

Olivier:
Je me demande s'ils ne sont pas plutot contents! :-)

Alice:
Comme tu dis et comme je viens de dire à Olivier! :-)

hpy:
On trouve encore des gens qui travaillent? Tant mieux! Il faut payer ma retraite! :-)

PeterParis said...

Cergie:
Je ne sais pas si ça va devenir très touristique? :-)

Rakesh:
Now you know everything about the development of the 17th arrondissement! :-)

Nathalie:
Oui, c'est vraiment un grand chantier! Comm tu dis; à suivre! :-)

PeterParis said...

Nathalie encore:
Je vais voir si je peux te dépanner! :-)

Catherine:
J'ai encore deux jours pour faire mes bagages! Ca sera vite fait, surtout s'il va faire beau la bas! :-)

Delphinium:
Il faut être optimiste! Peut-être ça ne sera pas trop mal, une fois fini?
Tu pensais que les suisses avaient une chance? :-)

PeterParis said...

Abe:
Well, there is no olympic village any more. But thanks anyhow! :-)

Marie-Noyale:
Tu veux que je donne mes secrets? Peut-être! On verra! :-)

Cutie:
Yes, the flowers are welcome, including the first roses! :-)

PeterParis said...

Starman:
Yes, I believe you know now more than most locals! :-)

Azer:
Happy about the community? :-)

Adam:
I'm sure that if you would had done the post it would have been even more developed! :-)

PeterParis said...

Claude:
Esperons! :-)

April:
Paris is getting greener and greener and the parks are getting nicer and nicer! Come and check! :-)

Ruth:
We are all so terribly rich! :-)

Blind Fly Theater said...

Another fine lesson, Peter... and those collages are beautiful... Thank you!
David

Delphine said...

Wow , you do work at your research, by any standards this post is a massive piece of work. Very impressive and informative.Don't you ever sleep?How nice to finish with those beautiful fresh flowers.

crocrodyl said...

It's a fantastic blog. You make a great job! Congrats!:)
Regards!
m_m

PeterParis said...

SparkleMirror:
Thanks! Always so kind! :-)

Delphine:
Thanks! Yes, I do sleep, but not that much! :-)

m_m:
Thanks! Happy to find you here! :-)

Unknown said...

This is very interesting! It's good to know the ecological matter is taken in consideration on this huge project.
Caro amigo, is that a building 'covered' in green on your 6th collage (top left corner)? I've enlarged the photo but am not sure... :-)

PeterParis said...

JM:
Caro amigo, there is a link on the post that would lead you to some further explanations! :-)

GMG said...

So, they won't be waiting for a 2024 new bid... ;))

PeterParis said...

GMG:
I don't know! What about Lisbon? !:-)

Anonymous said...

Didn't Manet have his studio in the Batignolles area? It's very moving for me to see now the area where this talented boulevadier used to hang out. Love your blog! Maria O. Russell