Clichy-sous-Bois is a commune in the eastern suburbs of Paris, France. It is located 15 kilometres (9.3 mi) from central Paris. Clichy-sous-Bois is not served by any motorway, major road, or railway and therefore remains one of the most isolated of Paris’s inner suburbs. It is one of the most economically disadvantaged suburbs and is where the 2005 civil unrest started, which subsequently spread nationwide.

Location

Clichy-sous-Bois has an area of 3.95 km² (1.53 sq mi) with 1.1 km² (0.42 sq mi) of woods. The woods are remnants of the Bondy wood (Forêt Départementale de Bondy, Parc de la Fosse Maussoin, Parc de la Mairie).

Economy 

The creation of the urban Free Zone, exempting from all taxes companies setting up in the perimeter, has boosted economic development in the town. The Clichy-Parc business area has seen the establishment of many new businesses and two business rental hotels, one of which was funded by the Grand Projet Urbain (GPU) and the PIC URBAN. This dynamic continues today thanks to the activity of animation of the economic fabric led by the community of agglomeration.

The shops are the object of special support with the restructuring of the Chêne Pointu shopping center, a major operation of the GPU and which continued thanks to the Great Town Project (GPV). Financing of urban policy have also been mobilized to improve the urban environment from the Mall of chestnut and commercial area of the Pit Maussoin..

Transport

The closest station to Clichy-sous-Bois is Le Raincy – Villemomble – Montfermeil station on Paris RER line E. This station is located in the neighboring commune of Le Raincy, 3.2 km (2.0 mi) from the town center of Clichy-sous-Bois. The only direct transport in and out of Clichy-sous-bois is by bus (for example the 601AB bus if you are coming from “Le Raincy-Villemonble-Montfermeil” station).

Education

There are twelve preschool sites, and eleven elementary school sites. As of 2016 there are about 2,500 students in Clichy’s four secondary schools. The following junior high schools are in the commune:

• Collège Romain-Rolland
• Collège Louise-Michel
• Collège Robert-Doisneau

The sole senior high school/sixth form college in Clichy is Lycée Alfred-Nobel. As of 2007 the lycée has 1,100 students. It has an agreement with the Institut d’études politiques de Paris (Sciences-Po) which allows applicants from the school to gain entrance to the university without taking the entrance examination.

Local Culture and Heritage 

Places and monuments 

The Hotel de Ville

The Hotel de Ville  is set in a castle built in the xvi ^th  century . The building was modified in 1807 to a neoclassical taste very fashionable at that time. The castle has a rectangular main building with a neoclassical porch flanked by two short wings, a rectangular pavilion is attached to the south wall of the southern wing. 

The Château de La Terrasse 

The Château de La Terrasse (avenue de Sévigné) was built in 1908 and replaces several successive buildings. First occupied by a Commandery of Knights Templar , the ruins were replaced at the beginning of the xix ^th  century by a castle, which was ransacked during the Prussian occupation of 1870 . Widely revised, this castle then leaves room for the current construction.

The church of Saint-Denis 

The church of Saint-Denis present follows several churches: the medieval church of xiii ^th  century gave way in 1641 to a new building. The church has a very simple plan with a single nave and a flat apse . It houses two tombstones and a stained glass window of the xvii ^th  century to arms of Amador of The Gate, Grand Prior of France and maternal uncle of Richelieu .

Natural heritage 

Clichy-sous-Bois has an important wooded heritage, which makes it the second greenest city in the department of Seine-Saint-Denis (in number of hectares of green spaces per inhabitant). The main green spaces are:

• The forest of Bondy to the east;
• The Bellevue Park in downtown;
• The departmental park of Fosse-Maussoin , located to the west of the city in old quarries;
• The green flow of the Dhuis aqueduct .
• Pond of Clichy
• The lawn in the city center

Cultural facilities

The city’s cultural facilities:

• The Cyrano de Bergerac library ( rue des Bleuets ) educates residents about books and reading. The cost of registration is no longer: it is now free. The library offers many activities for toddlers such as storytelling readings and thematic exhibitions for older children as well as an annual readers’ prize which allows to reward a young contemporary author.
• The Espace 93 Victor Hugo ( Place de l’Orangerie ) offers all year round a varied program: plays, song, jazz, rap, etc., dance hip-hop or contemporary. 
• The Maurice-Ravel municipal conservatory ( 58 allée Auguste-Geneviève ) offers music and dance lessons. It is aimed at all audiences from 4 years old . On 1 ^st January 2010, the conservatory were 490 registered. The conservatory actively participates in the Clichoise cultural program.
• The Chapiteau managed by the theater company La Fontaine aux images ( avenue de Sévigné ) is an alternative cultural place installed under a tent. It offers many shows to young audiences and, each year, presents the staging of a classic play.
• Les Ateliers Médicis are a place of cultural creation created on the municipal border with Montfermeil.