My Town inside Paris: Community and Culture in Cité Internationale Universitaire De Paris
In the 14th arrondissement of Paris, within ivy covered walls and fences, lies a neighbourhood made up of dreams. Some 6000 odd people live here, calling it their home only for short periods of time. Since its inception in 1925, Cité Internationale Universitaire De Paris (CIUP) has been the home to thousands of people from all around the world. A university campus which provides housing for students attending various universities in the Île-de-France region, CIUP provides a rare and distinct experience to its residents. For the past century, it has provided a space for cultural exchange and academic growth for international students visiting France.
Over the years, CIUP has transformed the space within and outside its walls. The RER train and tram station adjacent to the campus are called Cité Universitaire, and the vibrant international neighbourhood has grown into a space where all cultures are welcomed. Cité not only provides a space for rekindling with community from your home country, but has also allowed students and residents to build an everlasting international community. Away from the chaotic hustle of Paris, cultural exchange amongst residents at Cité blooms in its own time and frame. Stepping into the gates of Cité allows one to immerse into a world very different from Paris. The faces of young people all around in Cité tell a story of unique plurality.
The chatter around the walls of Maison International is a mix of languages from around the world, and it seems as though no two groups of people are talking in the same language. Cité provides a space for students from around the world to share feelings of belonging, from finding people of the same nationality, to sharing language and food with people of different nationalities, the compound within the gates provides it all.
While its eclectic yet grand architecture separates itself from Paris, Cité International also opens its gate to form connections with the city. The neighbourhood surrounding Cité Universitaire, is a conglomeration of people from all ages, educational backgrounds, and nationalities. The presence of hunger-stricken students has resulted in multiple restaurants and creperies to crop up in the area. Across the tram station, right outside the main gates of Cité, is a creperie run by two Arabic and South Asian men. For South Asian students returning home from a busy day, the spot offers a much-needed cup of chai. Many jest in Arabic with the shopkeepers, while others laugh at the sweet intimacy and order for Paninis in French. Cité’s diversity radiates outside its walls. As autumn hits, North African immigrants sell chestnuts outside the RER train station, while other South Asian men sell anything and everything, from cigarettes to roasted corn to earphones. The fences around Cité are as much a tool of separation as they are an instrument of connection.
The wide gates of Cité are always open throughout the daytime, allowing anyone to enter with ease. Over the 100 years of its existence, Cité has established itself as an architectural and artistic marvel which welcomes people from around the world, regardless of their residential status. One most certainly does not have to be a resident to explore the landscape of Cité. In fact, the various residential houses of Cité actively provide space for festivities and cultural events which are open for the public use. Cité’s design strategically allows for an interaction of residents and non-residents, manifesting a perfect combination of public and private use in the process. The Maison de L’Inde, for example, holds annual celebrations of festivities like Holi and Diwali. South Asian communities throughout France and Europe visit Cité to attend these festivals, bringing along friends and family of all nationalities. Non-residents interested in cultural exchange also visit festivals, and the space within the fences of Cité turns into a highway connecting people from across Paris, and even Europe.
The hallways of Cité alone are not conduits of forming connections. Cité functions much like a small town within itself, and has its own park. As one of the largest parks in Paris, Cité International’s 34-hectare public park is the green lung of South Paris. It constitutes a space for recreation for Parisians and tourists alike. The eco-responsible park welcomes students, families, and tourists to its lush green landscape, and encourages everyone to conduct diverse activities. It is not uncommon to see families have picnics with their toddlers and dogs, or see couples jogging along the pebbled pathway around the park.
In tandem with the need of Paris to have sustainable spaces, Cité’s park has the aim of biodiversity in its crux. The park has ecological corridors which house a diverse number of insect and animal species, and are open for public visits. Four rain gardens offer a sustainable drainage system, and prevent flooding and facilitate biodiversity. Cité Universitaire also boasts highly equipped sports facilities. Some of these facilities are open to the general population. Welcoming Parisians into its multisport grounds and pentaque grounds, Cité’s facilities form a network between the city and the residences. The Cité Park is also used as an open space for exercises, and other sports activities, as well as for dog walks and evening strolls.
Despite having a defined territory separate from the rest of Paris, Cité International has never shied away from encouraging the general public to be a part of its legacy. The residence provides guided tours for groups and individuals who wish to discover Cité’s architectural heritage. Cité also encourages involvement of families in Paris through its game trails, which are held by the Heritage Centre. Families can walk through Cité International and observe the architecture through riddles and games. Along with an architectural walk, Cité also hosts an ecological walk, which encourages participants, especially families, to discover the biodiversity at Cité, and understand the sustainability practices employed by the governing body.
Along with outdoor spaces for the public, Cité also has restaurants and cafes in the various national residences, which sell food authentic of different nationalities. The Korean house has a Korean restaurant, where one can grab a warm bowl of tteokbokki. The Korean house also has a shop, which sells Koreans snacks and drinks. These restaurants are open to the public, and provide authentic food at an affordable price. The Lebanese house also has a restaurant, which sells delicious hummus and kebab, and is visited by many from around Paris. The German house has a cafe, which sells bratwurst and coffee. The restaurants compliment the Crous cafeteria in Maison Internationale, which is a space open for all students of Paris. Indeed, students from all around Paris, even if not residents at Cité itself, visit the Crous restaurant and Cafe to grab lunches and quick snacks. It has served as a space for open communication with people from around the city, community building, and cultural exchange.
A utopian dreamland for international students, as well as a unique environment for Parisians, Cité is a blend of multicultural phenomena in a typical French setting. Connection to the international community at Cité is not just formed through its students, but also through its governing body. The community of Cité brings together skilled individuals from around the world as a part of the residence staff. Directors of each National house usually hail from the nationality of the house itself, bringing with them a diverse set of knowledge and culture, which enhances the quality of stay and academia at Cité. Through its staff, residents and visitors alike, Cité provides an exemplary space for international exchange.
As students leave Cité behind to pursue fresh dreams, new students come in every year, bringing new ideas of friendship and culture. Cité continues its century long tradition of building lifelong connections, and is a rare space with an extraordinary show of community building.