Posted Oct 1, 2022, 10:59 AM
It is an island of nearly 4 hectares, located on the Marne. In Joinville-le-Pont, in the Val-de-Marne, Fanac Island is a haven of greenery, in a territory yet surrounded by urbanization. Accessible only by stairs and an elevator from the Joinville bridge, it is thus protected from traffic.
At the end of August, the Ministry of Ecological Transition extended the classification of the site to the whole of Fanac Island. It had already been classified in 1965 in order to protect it from a development project. However, some parcels were not concerned, since 85% of the surface of the island was previously classified.
“Historical” and “Picturesque” characters
To justify this extension, the report of the High Commission for Sites, Perspectives and Landscape (CSSPP) evokes both the “historic” and “picturesque” characteristics of the place. Historical, because it once belonged to the monks of the Abbey of Saint-Maur and was used for culture, before becoming a place of leisure in the 19th century, in particular with the establishment of guinguettes.
Today, typical villas remain, as does the Rowing Boat House, selected last year as part of the 2021 edition of the Heritage Loto. It is thus the subject of rehabilitation works.
Supervised construction and renovation
The classification of the entire island makes construction almost impossible. According to the report, it should “be limited to measured extensions of existing buildings” and adapt in terms of materials and colors to existing buildings. The latter will also have to be renovated with specific techniques and materials.
Recently, Fanac Island had been the subject of development work to the tune of 3.8 million euros carried out by the public territorial establishment Paris Est Marne et Bois, in particular in terms of sanitation. The quarantined houses, the boat house and the music school were thus connected to the network: previously, the waste water from these buildings was discharged into the Marne. Works that are part of the objective of making the Marne swimmable for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
The work also focused on the banks, also integrated into the classified perimeter, the maintenance of the pedestrian path and green spaces. The CSSPP report also mentions the replanting of tall trees, which, according to him, contribute to the picturesque character of the island.
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