Massy, Essonne

Called Matius or Matheus, the name of his property then village would have been subjected to deformations due to language and the passing of time to become Massy.

Located near the road between Paris and Chartres, the villa was undoubtedly built on a height (the Gaudon Mount) and formed the starting point of a human establishment.

The argillaceous subsoil explains the formation of a clearing within the forest and the numerous stretches of water in the surrounding area.

During the Middle Ages and until the end of the Ancien Régime, the lordly estates divided up the territory of the current commune, assigning a majority part to the ecclesiastical institutions and in particular the abbey of St-Germain-des-Prés.

In the 10th century, the line of the lords of Massy was established; their title of nobility was to become a barony (nowadays the Grimaldi-Monaco family[clarification needed]).

The Massicois practiced mainly agricultural trades (gardeners, vine growers), even if local arts and crafts were always present.

It is with the beginning of the 20th century that the face of Massy changes: from being a rural village, it transforms into a town increasing subjected to the attraction of Paris.

In the post-war period, the reconstruction and development of the parisian agglomeration[clarification needed] and its suburbs metamorphosed the town's geography.

During the 1960s and 1970s, questions are raised about rapid urban development: housing problems and shantytowns, lack of public resources, requalification of certain factory sites, delinquency, etc.

On 1 July 2010 Alstom inaugurated the new head office of its Energy Management Business (EMB) division in Massy.

Nicolas Appert
Massy Opéra