La Courneuve: Parkland and Cultural History

When planning your trip to La Courneuve, two themes offer a clear guide: the natural setting of Georges-Valbon Park and the town’s architectural and artistic history. Its cultural sites range from a building dating from the mid-19th century to the conversion of a cinema in 2019. You can shape your stay around either an expansive natural setting or specific chapters in the town’s history.

Park and Natural Setting

Georges-Valbon Park covers 417 hectares and is designated as a Natura 2000 site. Its size conveys its expansive character, while the designation also gives it a nature conservation status. If you want to make a natural setting the focus of your trip, the park is a distinct landscape highlight in La Courneuve.

Architecture and Cultural History

The Church of Saint-Yves-des-Quatre-Routes was built between 1931 and 1933 as part of the Chantiers du Cardinal. Its brick and concrete architecture has been awarded the national “Architecture contemporaine remarquable” label. The building therefore brings together its construction period, materials and a specific architectural distinction. If you want to assess church architecture by these features, the church offers a clear point of reference.

An earlier historical reference is the Maison de culture de la Rue de l’Abreuvoir. The building dates from the mid-19th century and is connected with La Courneuve’s horticultural and agricultural history. It carries the “Patrimoine d’intérêt régional” label, which denotes a regional heritage designation. In contrast to the buildings from the 1930s, this house points to an earlier period in La Courneuve’s history.

The former L’Etoile cinema was built in 1935 and is distinguished by its richly decorated façade. In 2019, it became La Comète – Maison des pratiques artistiques amateurs. The building thus illustrates both its former history as a cinema and its later conversion into a center for amateur artistic practice.

The town hall also offers a connection to art history: its wedding hall contains four monumental paintings signed by Jean Amblard. Unlike the buildings where architecture and façades take center stage, here the focus is on large-scale works in a specifically identified interior space.

The Church of Saint-Lucien houses polychrome wooden sculptures donated to the parish by sculptor Pierre Dubos (1889–1974). The donation and multicolored woodwork offer a different focus from the architectural examples. The archaeological crypt of Saint-Lucien can be visited by appointment.

Planning Your Visit

The La Courneuve municipal archives are free to visit and open to everyone by appointment. Check the appointment arrangements before your visit. Visits to the archaeological crypt of Saint-Lucien are also available by appointment.

The entrance to Georges-Valbon Park on Avenue Waldeck Rochet in La Courneuve offers direct access to public transport via tram line T11 and bus 249. If you plan to use this entrance, check transport connections before setting out, as travel information can change.

Discover more destinations: Le Bourget, Épinay-Sur-Seine, Tremblay-En-France, Saint-Denis, Neuilly-Plaisance, Livry-Gargan, Vaujours, Villemomble.

Go to the regional travel overview: Seine-Saint-Denis.