École Centrale Paris, Engineering school in Châtenay-Malabry, France
École Centrale Paris was an engineering school in Châtenay-Malabry south of Paris that trained professionals in mechanical, electrical and other technical fields for nearly two centuries. The old campus occupied a large site with laboratories, lecture halls and research facilities now giving way to a new urban development.
Three scientists founded the school in 1829 as École Centrale des Arts et Manufactures to train engineers for the growing industry in France. The state took control in 1857 and later moved it to Châtenay-Malabry before it merged with Supélec in 2017 and became CentraleSupélec on the Plateau de Saclay.
The institution maintains selective admission standards through classes préparatoires, preparing French high school graduates for entrance into elite engineering programs.
The old site in Châtenay-Malabry is now being redeveloped into a residential neighborhood and can only be visited for historical interest rather than current academic purposes. Those looking for the successor institution CentraleSupélec will find it on the Plateau de Saclay northwest of Paris.
The former gymnasium building remains as the only structure on the site and is being integrated into the new LaVallée neighborhood that combines urban farming and sustainable construction. The neighborhood name honors Alphonse Lavallée, one of the founders, linking the past to a new living space for families and businesses.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.
