Javel, Paris: Difference between revisions

In this neighborhood, in a chemical factory founded in 1777, [[Claude Louis Berthollet]] studied and produced a disinfectant with a [[sodium hypochlorite]] base (bleach), which is known today in French as ''[[eau de Javel]]'' (literally: "JavelBleach water"). Later, other industrial plants were set up in the neighborhood, including that of [[André Citroën]] in 1915. The factory was originally a munitions factory designed to support the war effort by the mass production of artillery shells. Following World War I, André Citroën used his experience in automobile construction acquired in the [[Mors (automobile)|Mors]] factories, which was headquartered at 48 [[Rue du Théâtre]]. He applied the principles of [[Henry Ford]] after having discovering them on a trip to Detroit in 1913 and meeting Henry Ford. The factory in Javel was converted to an automobile production facility which went on to produce the first mass-produced European car: the [[Citroën Type A|Citroën Type A 10 HP]]. The automobile factory continued to produce cars until 1975; the last car released by the factory was the [[Citroën DS]]. The company's headquarters moved in 1982 and permanently left its historic address at Quai de Javel. The following became named after André Citroën: the [[Parc André Citroën|André Citroën Park]], the [[Collège André Citroën]] ("''André Citroën secondary school''"), and the [[Quai André-Citroën]], formerly the Quai de Javel.

The neighborhood is currently occupied by the Parc André-Citroën, the [[Hôpital Européen Georges-Pompidou]], many large buildings containing offices and television studios ([[Sagem]], [[Snecma]], [[Direction générale de l'Aviation civile]], [[Canal+ (French TV channel)|Canal+]], [[France Télévisions]], etc.). The former [[Hôpital Boucicaut]] closed at the end of the year 2000; a program consisting of a school, a day care, housing, and a public park are in the process of being created while preserving the memory of the site and its architectural heritage.