Sceaux, Hauts-de-Seine
Sceaux (French pronunciation: [so] ⓘ) is a commune in the Hauts-de-Seine department in the southern suburbs of Paris, France. It is located 9.7 km (6.0 mi) from the centre of Paris. In 2019, Sceaux had a population of 20,004. Sceaux is one of the most affluent areas of France and is known for its very high housing costs.
Sceaux
A wealthy city[edit]
Sceaux is famous for the Château de Sceaux, set in its large park (Parc départemental de Sceaux), designed by André Le Nôtre, measuring 2 km2 (0.77 sq mi). The original château was transformed into a School of Agriculture during the Revolution and lost much of its luster. It was demolished at the beginning of the 19th century following its sale by the then French government. Sceaux castle was originally built by Jean-Baptiste Colbert, the minister of finance to Louis XIV and purchased by Louis' illegitimate son, the Duke of Maine in 1699. His duchesse held court in a glittering salon at Sceaux in the first decades of the eighteenth century.
The present-day château, rebuilt between 1856 and 1862 in a Louis XIII style, is now the museum of Île-de-France open for visits.
Housing costs in the area are very high, higher than in many districts of the Paris area, especially with streets facing the Parc de Sceaux.
Transport[edit]
Sceaux is served by three stations on Paris RER line B: Sceaux, Robinson, and Parc de Sceaux. The latter station is located at the border between the commune of Sceaux and the commune of Antony, on the Antony side of the border. It is also close to Paris-Orly Airport.
Sceaux is connected to the A86 motorway that circles around Paris. The commune also offers a developed network of buses which are often used by the Scéens (the name given to the residents of Sceaux).
Wildlife[edit]
The Parc de Sceaux is home to a population of red squirrels estimated to number between 100 and 120.[12]