The human presence on the Moulon Plateau originates in Neolithic times. Agriculture was developed, notably during the Roman era. Between the 12th and the 18th century, an important Benedictine abbey was built in Gif. In the 19th century, Gif remained very agricultural. In 1867, Gif was linked to the path of the Sceaux train. After the First World War, the Gif commune experienced an important demographic change. The town took the name Gif-sur-Yvette in 1930. Just after the Second World War, Gif-sur-Yvette acquired an international scientific reputation, with the construction of the CNRS and of the CEA. The French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission discovered radioactive contamination in a private home in 1974. The home had been built upon a site where needles containing radon gas were once manufactured, starting in 1915. The needles were used to sterilize infected tissue—an idea developed by Marie Curie. The town was extended in 1975, with the creation of the Chevry section, from areas ceded by the Gometz-la-Ville and Gometz-le-Châtel communes.
Main sights
The Saint-Rémi Church was constructed in the 12th century and remained until the 15th century, a structure of Roman and Gothic architecture. It was registered in 1938. Some ruins remain of a Benedictine abbey which was built in the 12th century and became a national property in 1789. It was officially registered in 1963.
Population
Inhabitants of Gif-sur-Yvette are known as Giffois.
Economy
Gif-sur-Yvette is situated in the "Science Valley" of the Yvette River. Numerous research organizations exist in this area, such as the CNRS, the CEA, Supélec, the LGEP, SOLEIL Synchrotron and the Institute of Plant Biotechnology. Also, Gif is home to the Centre National d'Études and of the National Police Academy. The CGT operates, since 1950, a permanent central college of Gif-sur-Yvette, the Benoît Frachon Center, situated along the Yvette River.
Transport
Gif-sur-Yvette is served by two stations on Paris RER line B: Gif-sur-Yvette and Courcelle-sur-Yvette. Like all the train stations on this line, one train goes towards/past Paris and the other goes towards the other end of the line : Saint-Rémy-lès-Chevreuse. The trains arrive generally at 15-minute intervals.
Juliette Adam, founder of the Nouvelle Revue and operator of a famous literary club during the Third Republic.
The Duke and Duchess of Windsor's former country home, Le Moulin de la Tuilerie, a sprawling dwelling created from an old mill and a number of barns, is located on the outskirts of town. The couple bought the buildings in 1952 from the artist Drian and were weekend residents for some 20 years. It was the only home they owned together. It has been restored as three individual holiday homes which are available to rent through the Landmark Trust and Owners Direct in the UK. Among the Windsors' famous guests at the house were Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor, Cecil Beaton and Marlene Dietrich.
