From 1854 until 1985, la Ligne d'Auteuil served train passengers travelling along the west of Paris:

This line started within Paris and ended in Paris, serving the Parisian inhabitants mainly for work purposes. The line was 7 kilometres long (4.3 mi) and served St Lazare, Bâtignoles, Courcelles-Levallois, Neuilly Porte-Maillot, Avenue du Bois de Boulogne, Avenue Henri-Martin, Boulainvilliers, Passy and Auteuil. The line was built in a cutting, removing the need for any level crossing, which was the first line of its kind. The line also boasted elegant station buildings such as the Auteuil terminus and Courcelles-Levallois station.

Since 1985, well at least since I’ve lived in the area, the land where the station once stood has been unoccupied. I always wondered what they were going to do with it and then a few weeks ago I saw they are getting reading to build on the vacant land. The plans are for 177 apartments and an underground car park.

At first I was really excited, thinking I’d have a year or two until they finish building to get some money together and buy an apartment there. I’d love to buy an apartment in Paris and even more so a brand new apartment.

The sad news I discovered today is that those apartments are going to be council flats :( Wow, government housing right opposite the wealthiest precinct in Paris – Villa Montmorency.

If you don’t know, Villa Montmorency is an exclusive, gated community in the south west of Paris. Former and present residents include:

  • Jean-Jacques Rousseau (philosopher)
  • Victor Hugo (writer)
  • Johnny Hallyday (crap singer)
  • Carole Bouquet (actress)
  • Gérard Depardieu (has-been)
  • Isabelle Adjani (actress)
  • Celine Dion (crap singer)
  • Alain Afflelou (glasses guy)
  • Carla Bruni (really crappy singer)
  • Monsieur Sarkozy (short man)

Plus a handful of billionaires live there. Celine Dion paid 47 million euros for her shack. Never seen her around though.

The plans for the government housing were announced in 2008 and there was a lot of fuss made about it but I assume those plans are still going ahead. I was seriously interested in buying a new apartment but now I’ll have to look elsewhere and probably renovate something old :(