Saint-Maurice lies between the Marne to the south and the Bois de Vincennes to the north. Churches, historic buildings and traces of milling activity reveal different chapters in the town’s history. There is also a theatre programme and a cycling route connecting Saint-Maurice via named paths and streets.
Churches and Architectural History
A church has stood on the site of today’s Saint-Maurice church since the 11th century. The present church was built during a reconstruction at the end of the 17th century. This chronology distinguishes the site’s long-standing religious significance from the architectural history of the present building.
The Maison natale d’Eugène Delacroix is an 18th-century hôtel particulier and the birthplace of the painter. Elements from the 19th century remain on its rear façade, including wrought-iron balconies. Today, the building houses the municipal media library; if you are planning a visit, check the latest local information.
The church of Saints-Anges reflects a different period of construction: it was built in the 1930s for the Gravelle district and has a reinforced-concrete structure. Geometric decorations in red brick draw inspiration from Byzantine art and its iconography. Saint-Maurice church and Saints-Anges thus represent distinctly different architectural periods.
At Hôpital Esquirol, the layout shapes the architectural impression: the complex is arranged around courtyards with colonnades, terraces and sloping ramps. The hospital was remodelled in the 19th century; its façades and roofs are inspired by Italian architecture. The former Hôpital National de Saint-Maurice offers another historical perspective: under Napoleon III, it was built as a convalescent asylum for men to treat workers injured on the construction sites of Haussmann’s building projects.
Traces Along the Marne
The Moulin de la Chaussée is the only surviving mill structure from the milling activity once widespread along the banks of the Marne. Building elements from the 17th and 19th centuries reveal the structure’s different construction phases. Together with the churches and the Delacroix birthplace, the mill broadens the picture of Saint-Maurice’s history to include the former work carried out on the river.
The waterworks have their own chronology, too. The old Saint-Maurice / Maisons-Alfort weir was built in 1910; the new structure was rebuilt in 1998 and is fully automated. The Saint-Maurice / Maisons-Alfort lock is 125 metres long and 12 metres wide, and enables boat traffic. These measurements give a tangible sense of the scale of this infrastructure.
Cycling Route, Lake and Programme
The A Vélo dans la Vallée route enters Saint-Maurice via Rue du Maréchal Leclerc and follows a cycle path towards the church of Saints-Anges. The route also passes Place de l’Ecluse to Quai de Bir-Hakeim and runs along the canal. Check the current route before setting out, as infrastructure can change.
On the edge of the Bois de Vincennes, near Saint-Maurice, lies Lac de Gravelle. It offers opportunities for family walks and fishing; check access and activities locally. The paths and bodies of water add further themes to explore during a stay, alongside the historic buildings.
The Théâtre du Val d’Osne offers a varied artistic programme that changes over time. If you want a performance to be part of your stay, check the current programme when planning. This makes it possible to combine cultural events with the area’s architectural and local history, without limiting a visit to a single attraction.
Discover more destinations: Villeneuve-Le-Roi, Joinville-Le-Pont, Vincennes, Charenton-Le-Pont, Cachan, Rungis, Thiais, Fontenay-Sous-Bois.
For the regional travel overview: Val-De-Marne.
