Igny, commune in Essonne, France
Igny is a commune in the Île-de-France region of France, in the Essonne department, about 11 kilometers from Paris. The town covers roughly 3.8 square kilometers and blends old stone buildings with modern residential areas, threaded by the Bièvre River, which gives the landscape a peaceful character.
Igny was founded in the 13th century and remained primarily agricultural with farms and vineyards for centuries. The Church of Saint-Pierre dates to this period as a Romanesque structure, though it suffered damage during the Hundred Years' War and underwent reconstruction in the 15th century.
The name Igny may derive from old words meaning sheep, reflecting its pastoral origins. Today you can see traces of rural life in the architecture and neighborhoods, especially in the stone houses built between the 18th and 19th centuries that shape the town's appearance.
The town is easily accessible and well connected by train to Paris, making travel between the village and the capital straightforward. Within Igny, paths and streets are laid out simply, so it is possible to walk or cycle for short distances around the area.
In the 19th century, Igny became known for growing strawberries, a connection so strong that the fruit appears on the town's coat of arms. This link to strawberry production remains visible today and recalls the specialty crop that once shaped the region's economy.
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