Paradis neighbourhoodFontenay-aux-Roses (92)

On the southern slope of Fontenay-aux-Roses, between Bagneux and Sceaux, lies a neighbourhood whose name is already a promise: les Paradis. The urban renewal project begins with the geography of the place. The slope, the memory of water and the great trees guide the design of an open neighbourhood that people can walk through, woven into the town around it.

The neighbourhood is renewed on a framework of gardens, in the spirit of Fontenay-aux-Roses. To the north, the slope becomes a flowering, fruit-bearing hillside. To the south, the small valley welcomes moist, cool settings. A network of places links the Potiers square to avenue Jean Perrin: a large shared orchard where fruit is picked when ripe, a discovery garden for toddlers, sports grounds set within hedges, and the Plane Tree Wood, whose preserved trees cast patterns of shade across a broad, pale ground.

The Paul Verlaine promenade is the common thread. It slopes gently towards the valley, pauses at a belvedere square where the jets of a dry fountain spring up, then reaches a planted pond. Rue des Paradis, generously planted, is lined with small front gardens, like the neighbouring streets of houses. Along streets and lanes, rainwater is brought into view, collected and returned to the soil, telling the story of the valley.

Around large, sunny garden courtyards, a new plot pattern inspired by the traditional town hosts buildings of varied heights, lively ground floors and distant views. Planned in five stages, the project keeps neighbourhood life going throughout its transformation and invites everyone to make it their own: a place for walking, for strolling and for the pleasure of living.