Discover Grigny: History, Art and Paths around the Lacs de l’Essonne

Grigny combines local history, unusual buildings, art and walking paths. The Église Saint-Antoine et Saint-Sulpice, La Grande Borne and the Lacs de l’Essonne each offer a different perspective. If you are looking for a holiday rental in Grigny, you can plan your stay around cultural discoveries and various route options by the water.

A church with medieval and Baroque traces

The Église Saint-Antoine et Saint-Sulpice in Grigny dates from the 12th and 14th centuries. Its Marie bell, dating from 1541, weighs 520 kg and is listed as a historic monument. Seven 19th-century tapestries depicting biblical scenes are also listed as historic monuments and adorn the inside of the church. The altarpiece of the Chapel of the Virgin Mary in the Église Saint-Antoine in Grigny dates from the 18th century. Several clearly recognisable periods therefore meet at this site.

Walking tour and historic sites

The Circuit patrimonial du village comprises ten stages and was inaugurated on 5 October 2013. It is intended to preserve Grigny’s history and enable walkers—residents and non-residents alike—to learn about this history and feel a sense of belonging. The Ferme Neuve is also part of the town’s history. Guillaume-François Joly de Fleury, the lord of Grigny, had it built between 1730 and 1750 to replace the farm belonging to the nearby manor house. The renovated Ferme Neuve is owned by the municipality; the new town centre of Grigny is developing around it.

Another testament to everyday life in the past is Grigny’s village washhouse, built in 1873. Its roof with a central open basin forms an impluvium. The facility consists of a Barbotoir, a main basin and a Rinçoir.

Art and music in Grigny

La Grande Borne was designed in the 1970s by architect Emile Aillaud as a unique artists’ housing estate. It includes numerous mosaic-decorated “pignons images” as well as sculptures. A specific chapter in music history leads to 10 Rue Pierre Brossolette: Sidney Bechet lived there with his wife from 1950 to 1959. He composed “Petite Fleur” in this house and, at around the same time, “Les Oignons”.

Walking paths and practical orientation

At the Lacs de l’Essonne, which extend across Viry-Châtillon and Grigny, there are three signposted paths measuring 1.5 km, 2.5 km and 4 km. The different lengths make it easier to include various walks in your daily plans.

For a day of culture or reading, the Médiathèque Pablo Picasso offers clear guidance: it is located five minutes from Grigny RER station on Line D and can also be reached by bus route N135, getting off at the “Gare de Grigny centre” stop. On site, there are novels, comics, magazines, language-learning books, CDs and Blu-rays, as well as an area for toddlers and their parents.

When choosing accommodation in Grigny, your preferred daily rhythm is a useful starting point: culture, local history, art and walks can be planned as different focal points.

Choose other destinations

If you would like to broaden your selection, you can also find Oncy-sur-École, Les Ulis, Chevannes, Bures-Sur-Yvette, Palaiseau, Crosne, Étiolles and Saintry-sur-Seine.

For the higher-level travel overview: Essonne.