Marne-la-Vallée is a new town located near Paris, France. Marne-la-Vallée has been gradually built up since the first plans in 1965 and now covers an area of over 15,000 hectares and includes 26 communes, in the départements of Seine-et-Marne, Seine-Saint-Denis and Val-de-Marne. Total population (2007) is 282,150. For administrative purposes, the area has been divided into four sectors:
Previously Star Airlines (now XL Airways France) had its headquarters in the Immeuble Horizon building in Noisy-le-Grand, in Marne-la-Vallée. Cédric Pastrour, the founder of the airline, said that the company chose the Noisy site because the airline did not yet know which airport, Charles de Gaulle Airport or Orly Airport, would serve as the airline’s base, and that the Noisy site was equidistant to both airports. Pastour added that the Noisy site had access to the A4 and the A86 autoroutes and was close to the Francilienne, and that the costs in the Noisy area were lower than the costs in the airport area. Disneyland Paris, Val d’Europe, Université Paris-Est Marne-la-Vallée, and École des Ponts ParisTech are located in Marne-la-Vallée. Read more on Marne-la-Vallée and Wikipedia Marne-la-Vallée.
In particular, the Disneyland Resort Paris has helped Marne-la-Vallée to make such an impressive development since inception. During the opening month of April 1992, the resort was only partially completed, but it was clear from the beginning that a new aera started for the region. During the development and construction there were some financial difficulties, some of which even threatened the realization in total. By joining forces they managed, not only to the happiness of many small and big Disney friends, to find a viable solution. Since then the resort continues to grow around the theme park and by doing so not only attracts tourism industries but companies from totally outside this industry, making Marne-la-Vallée an increasingly attractive place and placed it through the theme park on the international map – “From Zero to Hero” so to say.
Disneyland Paris is a holiday and recreation resort. The complex is located 32 km (20 mi) from the centre of Paris and lies for the most part within the commune of Chessy, Seine-et-Marne. Disneyland Paris comprises two theme parks, a retail, dining and entertainment district, and seven Disney-owned hotels. Operating since 12 April 1992, it was the second Disney resort to open outside the United States (following Tokyo Disney Resort) and the first to be owned and operated by Disney. The complex was a subject of controversy during the periods of negotiation and construction in the late 1980s and early ’90s, when a number of prominent French figures voiced their opposition and protests were held by French labour unions and others. A further setback followed the opening of the resort as park attendance, hotel occupancy and revenues fell below projections. The complex was renamed from Euro Disney Resort to Disneyland Paris in 1994. In July 1995, the company saw its first quarterly profit. A second theme park, Walt Disney Studios Park, opened to the public 16 March 2002. The Disney Village entertainment district contains a variety of restaurants, bars, shops, Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Dinner Show, and other venues and stays open after the parks close. Golf Disneyland features 9-hole and 18-hole courses.
