The city of
Argenteuil is located in northern France on the Seine River and is part of the Val-d’Oise department.
Argenteuil is an industrial city which manufactures metal, furniture, airplane parts, and chemicals. The prosperous industrial culture replaced the growing of asparagus and grapes and suburban housing also claimed a portion of the growing fields.
Argenteuil was originally built around a convent which was constructed during the 7th century and destroyed during the French revolution. The convent was well known for containing the famous Seamless Tunic which was given by Charlemagne, said to have been worn by Jesus, and is now displayed in Saint-Denis Basilica.
Argenteuil is the birthplace of Georges Braque, a famous French painter who developed the art movement known as Cubism with Pablo Picasso. Other painters that made
Argenteuil famous include Claude Monet and Auguste Renoir.
Other cultural offerings in
Argenteuil include Ecole Nationale de Musique et de Danse which is a division of the Conservatoire de Paris, a famous college of music and dance founded in 1795 and the
Argenteuil Regional Museum which contains interesting history of the
Argenteuil region.
Argenteuil is a commune located in the
Paris suburbs within 8 miles of the city centre of
Paris and is the seat of the Arrondissement of
Argenteuil. Tourists who visit
Argenteuil are able to enjoy a 15 minute train ride to the main attractions of Paris including the Eiffel Tower and the Arc de Triomphe as well as many unique shopping destinations and fine cuisine.
The name “
Argenteuil” is derived from silver deposits that were mined by the Gauls and is situated on the north bank of the Seine River. It is the setting for many of Monet’s paintings which depict locations in
Argenteuil and is considered a paradise for the Impressionist painters.
