Region Benefits By Being Cheaper Than Paris

VAL-DE-MARNE, FRANCE-Most attention surrounding President Nicolas Sarkozy’s Grand Paris project has focused on the La Défense financial district and Saint-Denis, Le Bourget and Roissy-Charles de Gaulle in the north. But the department of Val-de-Marne to the southeast will also be a key beneficiary.

Pierre Paumelle, Val-de-Marne development director, says many firms are already moving out of central Paris for economic reasons, and the improved transport infrastructure of Grand Paris will make this even more attractive. “A lot of companies are moving out of the centre of Paris for cost reasons and are looking for newer premises in much less expensive locations, and the Val-de-Marne offers exactly this type of product,” he told PIE. Val-de-Marne will benefit from the Grand Paris’ driverless Orbival metro line linking the main business and residential areas of Greater Paris.

The 140 kilometer, figure-eight configuration will cross the department, providing a direct link to La Défense and main Paris airports. Planning is more advanced than other parts of the network, although it is still likely to be around 2020 before the system is up and running.