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Heritage classified

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Origin and history

The Waters of Rungis, located mainly in Arcueil but also extending over Rungis, Fresnes, L'Haÿ-les-Roses, Cachan, Gentilly and Paris 14e, is a major hydraulic system of the 17th and 19th centuries. It consists of several superimposed structures, including the Medici aqueducts (1613-1619) and the Vanne (late 19th), designed to transport the waters of the Vanne, Loing and Lunain to Paris. These rivers, taking their source in Burgundy, Champagne and Gâtinais, travel up to 160 km before feeding the capital, with a flow of 145 000 m3 per day still today.

The Medici aqueduct, commissioned by Marie de Medici to feed its palace in Luxembourg and its gardens, was built in stone under the direction of Thomas Francine. Its trimmings bear marks of stone tailors, testimonies of the craft techniques of the era. This 379-metre-long structure, composed of 9 arcades, later served as a foundation for the Vanne Waterway, built by Eugène Belgrand between 1867 and 1874. The latter, 38 metres high and one kilometre long, was partially damaged during the Paris Commune in 1871 by gunfire from the versatile troops.

The less imposing Ling and Lunain water pipeline uses a siphon system along the slopes, with only the central part being raised to cross the valley. The four aqueducts, including a Gallo-Roman vestige (perhaps linked to the Cluny thermal baths), illustrate the evolution of hydraulic techniques over two millennia. Since 2009, they have been illuminated at night, highlighting this industrial and architectural heritage. Their presence also marked popular culture, appearing in films such as Le Fabuleux Destin d'Amélie Poulain or Le Clan des Sicilians.

Ranked Historic Monument in 1988 and 1991, the ensemble includes numbered looks and protected parts between Arcueil and Cachan. The marks of history are visible, from the graffiti of the 17th century carriages to the bullets of 1871. Today owned by the communes, it remains a symbol of French engineering, mixing ancient heritage, Renaissance and industrial revolution.

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