Meudon

Meudon is a commune in the southwestern suburbs of Paris, France. It is located 9.1 km. (5.6 miles) from the center of Paris.

Geography

The town of Meudon is built on the hills and valleys of the Seine. The wood of Meudon lies for the most part to the west of the town. The northwest part of Meudon, overlooking the Seine, is known as Bellevue ("beautiful view").

History

Archaeological sites show that Meudon has been populated since Neolithic times.

The Celts called the area Mol-Dum (sand dune) — and the Romans latinized the name as Moldunum.

The handsome Galliera Institutions, on the hill of Fleury, were founded by the duchess of Galliera for the care of aged persons and orphans. The buildings were completed in 1885.

In the 16th century the cardinal, Charles of Lorraine, built at Meudon a magnificent château, which was destroyed in 1803. The present remains belong to a building erected by the Dauphin, son of Louis XIV.

Economy

Although a choice residential district, access to the railway (RER) and the Seine River have made Meudon a manufacturing center since the 1840s. Metal products and military explosives have been continuously produced here since then.

Scientific facilities

What is today ONERA, a national research institute on aerospace topics (and wind tunnels), has been present since the military opened its aerostatic (lighter-than-air) field in the Chalais park in 1877. From 1921 to 1981 the Air Museum was located here until it moved to Le Bourget Airport.

There is a branch of the Paris Observatory founded in 1877 on the ruins of the Chateau-Neuf, burned by the Germans in the siege of Paris 1871. The Meudon town hall sits some 43m in altitude above that of Paris and the climb from there to the observatory offers some rewarding views of Paris.

CNRS has a campus in Bellevue.

Transportation

Meudon is served by Meudon – Val Fleury station on Paris RER line C.

Meudon is also served by two stations on the Transilien Paris – Montparnasse suburban rail line: Meudon and Bellevue.

People

Rodin's villa des Brillants, now a museum of his art, is located here, as is his grave.
Richard Wagner was a resident (No. 27 Av. du Château), and here composed The Flying Dutchman.
Louis-Ferdinand Céline lived here until his death, and is buried in Bas Meudon.
Painter May Alcott lived here until her death.
Artists Jean Arp and Sophie Taeuber-Arp were resident here from 1929-1940. Their neighbours were the artist and architect Theo van Doesburg and his wife Nelly.
The town has a monument to Rabelais who died here as canon of Meudon, where he held the benefice from 1551-1552.

External links

Ville de Meudon website
Le musée de Meudon
Observatoire de Paris (Paris Observatory)

Communes of Hauts-de-Seine