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Origin and history

The Sanatorium d'Aincourt was built between 1931 and 1933 by architects Édouard Crevel and Paul Decaux to combat pulmonary tuberculosis, then increasing in Seine-et-Oise. Located on the Bucaille Hill, this 73-hectare complex included three wards (men, women, children) and ancillary buildings, designed to accommodate 430 patients. Its functionalist architecture, inspired by the ships, included sun terraces and curved galleries, symbols of the medical and architectural advances of the time.

During the Second World War, the Sanatorium was requisitioned in October 1940 to become an administrative camp under the authority of Prefect Marc Chevalier. Between 1940 and 1942, approximately 1,500 political, resisting and communist prisoners were detained there, including deputies Fernand Grenier and Jean Duclos. Many were deported to Auschwitz or Buchenwald. The camp closed in September 1942, briefly replaced by a mobile reserve group training centre (GMR) until 1943.

After the war, sanatorium reopened in 1946 and adapted to medical progress, such as the arrival of antibiotics. An operating unit was inaugurated in 1955, and the site evolved towards a multidisciplinary vocation, including a rehabilitation centre. In the 1970s, a Japanese garden was built by Dr. Hamon, inspired by the precepts of Sakutei-ki. However, the gradual disaffection of the pavilions, closed between 1987 and 2001, led to looting and degradation, despite their inscription in historical monuments in 1999.

Today, part of the site houses the Vexin Intermunicipal Hospital Group, while abandoned pavilions, such as the Doctor-Vian's, occasionally serve as cinematographic sets. Rehabilitation projects are envisaged, in particular to transform the Bonnefoy-Sibour Pavilion into a residence for the elderly. A commemorative stele recalls the fate of the internees, and an annual ceremony honours their memory every first Saturday in October.

The architectural ensemble, representative of the international style of the 1930s, is distinguished by its clean lines and technical innovations, such as the use of reinforced concrete and glass slabs. Ranked a historic monument, it bears witness to both the social advances of the inter-war period and the dark hours of the occupation. Its decline also reflects the challenges of preserving the 20th century hospital heritage, now threatened by abandonment and real estate projects.

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