Architecture

[] The church of St. Christopher, or the heart of the old village

As the historic heart of the town of Cergy, the church of St. Christopher, originating as far back as the sixth century, mixes Romanesque, Gothic, and Renaissance styles. It has been classed as a historic monument since 1913.
In the village, the long-standing agricultural tradition is visible in the orchards and market gardens: in front of the war memorial you can still buy locally-grown fruit and vegetables.
 
In between the farms, the surviving mansions are a legacy of the well-off Parisians who once used to visit Cergy for the fresh country air, reaching the town on the first railway. Be sure to stop and admire the houses at numbers XX.
 
Further along, the council school building, constructed in 1912, is home to one of the town hall annexes and the girls and boys schools, now combined into one.
 

[] Around the Prefecture, birthplace of the New Town

Imagine yourself standing in the middle of a beet field. A lone structure rises on the horizon, an upside-down pyramid, heralding the changes to come: this is the Prefecture. «Change the town and you change your life» was the slogan of the urban planners who created the New Town, giving a physical expression to their innovative, idealistic concepts. Built in 1970, the Prefecture was the first of the new buildings. Henri Bernard, its architect, also designed the Maison de la Radio in Paris and the Palais de l’Europe in Strasbourg.
On its elevated slab base, pedestrians wander as they please on an artificial surface suspended six metres above the ground, no longer inconvenienced by the traffic at ground level and the adjoining public transport services. This first of the new neighbourhoods included all the facilities necessary for a newly arriving population.
The green and blue building incorporates administrative services and cultural facilities, and open-air performances are held under its glass roof. Close by, a swimming pool and an ice rink provide sports opportunities, a park welcomes strollers, and a regional shopping centre offers a variety of services and stores. The highest building in the Val d’Oise department is the EDF-GDF tower, which dominates the neighbourhood. Built in 1974, it provides a fine view of the town and the surrounding region.
 
The filmmaker Henri Verneuil, attracted by this modern urban design, chose the area for the backdrop of his film I comme Icare.
As you walk on toward the other end of the elevated precinct, paved with red brick, it feels as if you were entering a village square. The plane trees and outdoor café tables invite you to sit and relax.
 
A circular blue block of flats rises like a flower: it’s called the Honeymooners Tower or the Singles Tower, and was built in 1974 to encourage young people, both couples and singles, to come and live in the New Town.
 
The apartments are circular, and were offered already furnished - since the beds are round, even fitted sheets were included! Down below, the RER train station and bus depot wait for their hordes of passengers. Everything was put in place here to welcome the pioneers of this New Town.