Ecole militaire district | 7th arrondissement

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Discover the Ecole Militaire district - Paris 07

The Ecole Militaire neighbourhood is located in Paris’s 7th arrondissement. It is the 27th Parisian administrative district covering an area of 80.8 ha.

The Ecole Militaire district is located at the end of the Champ-de-Mars, opposite the Eiffel Tower; 1,792 inhabitants live there. The north-western part of the neighbourhood is located besides Mur Pour La Paix. It is bounded by Avenue de Suffren (to the south-west), Rue de Sèvres (to the south-east), Rue Vaneau (to the east), Rue d’Estrée and the Invalides neighbourhood (to the north).

History

The district takes its name from the École Militaire (Military Academy), founded in this neighbourhood of the 7th arrondissement. It was built on the initiative of King Louis XV according to the King’s edict in January 1751. Children who lost their fathers in the war were taken into care by this establishment. Other children whose ancestors served for the kingdom as well as those in need of the King’s help could also enrol in this Ecole Royale Militaire (Royal Military Academy).

The construction began in 1752 under the supervision of Gabriel, the King’s architect. On 1 February 1776, a declaration dissolved the Ecole-Militaire. A year later, it was re-established and reorganised in a much larger area. The council’s decision on 9 October 1787 abolished the academy. In 1783, the Ecole replaced Hôtel-Dieu but in 1793, a convention ordered the sale of all its assets and transformed the building into a cavalry unit and a flour warehouse.

In 1814, Emperor Bonaparte replaced the regiments with the royal guard while the vast constructions were used as compounds for different units of the Parisian garrison. Today, officers receive their training in the Ecole-Royale-Militaire (royal military academy).

The Ecole Militaire district is a touristic area of a unique architectural beauty. The monumental complex walls and those of the other buildings bear witness to the neighbourhood’s history.

Cultural sites

Unesco head office: located at 32 Avenue de Ségur, it is one of the emblematic Parisian buildings of the Ecole-Militaire district. It was built in the 1950s by two architects: Marcel Breuer and Bernhard Zherfuss. The complex is composed of several buildings, the first is Y-shaped and houses offices and art collections. The second building made of folded rough concrete houses the conference room. The third one consists of six underground patios in which a group of offices and conference rooms are located. The fourth is a cylindrical building, which symbolises peace.
Saint-François-Xavier Church (Place du Président-Mithouard) is made of fine-grained, tightly packed stones coming from the underground quarries of Bagneux. It is listed as a historical monument.
Théâtre de l’Asiem, 6 rue Albert de Lapparent.

Local landmarks

Hôtel Villa Saxe Eiffel, 9 Villa de Saxe.

Parks

Esplanade Jacques Chaban Delmas starting from Place El Salvador, nearby the Saint-François Xavier church.
Jardinet de la Place de Fontenoy located at 3 place de Fontenoy.
Promenade de l’Avenue de Breteuil, located at Esplanade du Souvenir Français.
Square de l’Abbé Esquerre, at 1 Place du Président Mithouard.
Square Pierre de Gaulle, at 2 Place du Président Mithouard.

Schools

Eble Nursery School, 14 rue Eble, a few minutes walk from Duroc and Saint-François Xavier stations (metro 13).
Eble Elementary School, 14 rue Eble, a few minutes on foot from Duroc and Saint-François Xavier stations (metro 13).
Duquesne Elementary School, 42 rue Duquesne, a few minutes walk from Duroc and Saint-François Xavier stations (metro 13).