TOURISM INFORMATION:

We begin with a bit of history: An island of legends, from art to aviation.

The legend of the Ile de la Jatte finds its source in history, art and industry.

The island’s first admirers were of royal origin. At the fall of the Empire, Louis-Philippe, the future King of the French, acquired the Chateau de Neuilly and the park which stretched as far as the island from Louis XVIII. The future monarch discovered the island during his walks, and set out to connect it to his park with a footbridge. Here, he built the Temple of Love to house Venus, and hosted lavish Venetian parties and fireworks displays. The island became part of history, and its golden age was dawning. Napoléon III and Haussmann began to divide the land into plots. There were several hundred residents at the time, but most important were the workshops which operated only at night. A rural, working class era had begun. City dwellers would come here to relax, while games, dance halls, and balls at the Chateau du Diable, the Petit Bonheur or the Moulin-Rouge enlivened the weekends. It was here that the story of Amelie Helie unfolded, a role played by Simone Signoret in the film "Casque d'Or." Confrontations were unavoidable. Indeed, the “Apaches” – the name given to the gangsters of the time – and prostitutes mingled with high society. Its accessibility also attracted many Impressionists, who would depict the enchanting aspects of the island in works such as L’Ile de la Grande-Jatte (1874) and Les Rives de la Seine (1878) by Claude Monet, Claude Monet: http://www.lagalerie.fr/PagesArtistes/MONE_P0003.htm

La Seine avec le Pont de la Grande-Jatte (1887) by Vincent Van Gogh,
Van Gogh: http://www.insecula.com/oeuvre/O0021432.html

or “L’Ile de la Grande-Jatte (1873) by Alfred Sisley. Alfred Sisley:
http://www.insecula.com/oeuvre/O0013671.html

It became the cradle of neo-Impressionism (or Pointillism) so closely followed by Georges Seurat in “Un dimanche après-midi à l’Ile de la Grande Jatte”, first exhibited in May 1886 (the painting was acquired by the Art Institute of Chicago in 1924). http://wahooart.com/A55A04/w.nsf/Opra/BRUE-6E3T9M?OpenDocument&ChangeLangue=FR

Thanks to Seurat, the Ile de la Grande Jatte is known outside of France through "Un dimanche après midi d'été à la Grande Jatte", exhibited at the Art Institute of Chicago. The Grande-Jatte is also the heart of unprecedented industrial development. Here, some of the major inventions of modern industry were born.
René Couzinet’s airplane (the Arc-en-Ciel) allowed Jean Mermoz to complete the first South Atlantic crossing. Its factories were requisitioned during both World Wars, and the Allies greatly benefited from their decisive technological advances, especially in the field of aviation.

Today, with 4,000 residents, La Jatte is a residential district. A new way of life is emerging, supported by thoughtful town planning based on harmonious construction. The island is home to numerous company headquarters (Paco Rabanne, Yves Saint-Laurent Parfum, Saatchi-Saatchi and others) and restaurants (Le Petit Poucet, Les Pieds dans l'Eau, La Guinguette, Le Café de la Jatte, etc.). The Maison de la Pêche et de la Nature in Levallois is also found here. La Jatte is a promised land flowing with the particularly delicious honey from the Levallois beehives.

The island continues to be an important source of artistic and musical inspiration.
On Sundays in particular, you'll find babies in pushchairs, children playing, walkers strolling, dogs romping, athletes training for a footrace or a rowing competition...just as in Seurat's time.
La Grande Jatte retains its undeniable charm for all those lucky enough to come here to relax.

Our recommendations

ILE DE LA JATTE
Located between Neuilly and Levallois, the Ile de la Jatte offers a taste of the good life and unsurpassed charm. Highly prized by fishermen and couples in love, a narrow, permanent jetty encircles the island. On the Neuilly side, the Temple of Love, Sisley and Seurat Squares, tennis, a stadium, and fashionable restaurants such as Les Pieds dans l’Eau, Le Petit Poucet, Café de la Jatte and La Tonnelle Saintongeaise line this peaceful haven, surrounded by gorgeous houseboats with flowering terraces. On the Levallois side, La Jatte changes to a pedestrian zone: the Allée Monet, the beehives and lawns delight walkers seeking a summer-like atmosphere.

THE JARDIN DU TEMPLE DE L’AMOUR (TEMPLE OF LOVE GARDENS)
This garden shelters Venus, the Goddess of Love, Beauty and Fertility. In 1830, the future Louis Philippe brought the Temple de l’Amour to the Ile de la Jatte. His father, the Duke of Chartres, had originally built the structure in Parc Monceau in 1774.

THE MAISON DE LA PECHE ET DE LA NATURE
A place to discover fresh water habitats and fish native to the region. The immense aquarama, the nursery, the crayfish kingdom and the aquatic gallery provide a fantastic educational experience.

THE PARC DE LA FOLIE SAINT-JAMES
34, Avenue de Madrid. Pont Bineau, 200, bd. Bineau.

MUSEE NATIONAL DU CHATEAU DE MALMAISON AND BOIS-PREAU
Ile-de-France - Hauts de Seine - Rueil-Malmaison (Avenue du Château de Malmaison RER A / Bus 258 / Tel: 01 41 29 05 55) Chateau occupied by Josephine and Napoleon Bonaparte at the beginning of the 19th century.