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"They should have known better," says André Santini, facetiously, on the subject of longevity in his family. At the age of 84, he is one of France's longest-serving mayors. Fromheritage enhancement to urban transformation and major projects, he shares with us his vision for a commune he has shaped and transformed, as well as his emblematic addresses to (re)discover.
I was making a very good living as a tax consultant, but I didn't want to go into politics. But my Corsican friends convinced me to run. By chance or fate, my great-grandfather's nephew had been mayor of Issy, and he died at a very old age. They should have known better!
First, there'sîle Saint-Germain, home to the Tour aux Figures and theGrandSéminaire , where priestswere trained, and the copy of the royal chapel of Louis XIV, a king who was very afraid of death and, as he grew older, builtchapels to get closer to God .
The Sulpicians created a chapel that is a copy of the Royal Chapel at Versailles, which isextraordinary.The site is currently being restored: after the stonework and stained glass, the electricity needs to be redone -I' d like to launch an operation with Stéphane Bern. In fact, in Issy-Les-Moulineaux, many historic historicsites were buried!
The Domaine royal de la Reine Margot, now a 5-star hotel
Issy-Les-Moulineaux is at once historic, modern and deeply rooted in innovation. It is home to the largest concentration of companies outside Paris. Microsoft, Capgemini, Orange... they've all been here.
The Fort district is a former military site transformed into a residential eco-district, with a small museum and living spaces, while the Halles built by Gustave Eiffel now houses a food court. Two billion euros have been invested in the new town center. What's more, everything in Issy can be reached in a quarter of an hour by metro, streetcar, bus or bicycle.
Les Halles d'Issy, formerly Les Halles Eiffel
La Reine Margot, a magnificent site and historic estate housing a beautiful 5-star hotel - Arsenal and Borussia Dortmund players sometimes stay here. Maison Avoise, a Michelin-starred restaurant set in the former fort of Issy-les-Moulineaux. For food lovers, there's also the best Japanese restaurant in the Paris region, Koji!It serves Kobe meat from Japan and meat from Normandy.
Maison Avoise, a Michelin-starred restaurant in the former Fort d'Issy-les-Moulineaux
There' s plenty of entertainment on offer, including the Aznavour auditorium, which offers a very varied program. We also have an independent cinema with tickets starting at €4, depending on the audience, and free open-air cinema screenings during the summer. And we're one of the greenest towns in the region!
Jean Dubuffet's Tour aux Figures, on Île Saint-Germain
In spring, the biggest garage sale in the Paris region; during the holiday season, the Christmas bullfight, a fantastic event that I launched 40 years ago. It's the biggest bullfight in the Parisregion , withraces for toddlers, women and men, all dressed up as Santa Claus. Every year, there are 12,000 entries, and it's funny to see them running through the streets of Issy-les-Moulineaux.
It's an exclusive for Sortir à Paris: we've got everything except... a casino, but that'll soon be sorted out! You know, I initially put 1€ into Cœur de Ville, but today, the price per square meter is high in the district's newer buildings. We are therefore working on opening a casino in Issy-les-Moulineaux -the closest to Paris. The call for tenders is about to begin. Sometimes projects work, sometimes they don't. It's simple: you have to dare.
