Meudon

Meudon is a municipality in the southwestern suburbs of Paris, France. It is located 9.1 km. (5.6 miles) from the center of Paris. The town of Meudon is built on the hills and valleys of the Seine. The wood of Meudon lies for the most part to the west of the town. The northwest part of Meudon, overlooking the Seine, is known as Bellevue ("beautiful view"). At Meudon, the Argile Plastique clay was extensively mined in the 19th century. The first fossil of the European diatryma Gastornis parisiensis was discovered in these deposits by Gaston Planté. Archaeological sites show that Meudon has been populated since Neolithic times. The Gauls called the area Mol-Dum (sand dune), and the Romans Latinized the name as Moldunum. The handsome Galliera Institutions, on the hill of Fleury, were founded by the duchess of Galliera for the care of aged persons and orphans. The buildings were completed in 1885. The old castle of Meudon was rebuilt in Renaissance style in the mid-sixteenth... full article at wikipedia