Immochan, the property arm of French retail giant Auchan, has unveiled plans to invest €2 bn into a massive retail and leisure destination in Gonesse, to the north of Paris.
Immochan, the property arm of French retail giant Auchan, has unveiled plans to invest €2 bn into a massive retail and leisure destination in Gonesse, to the north of Paris.
The complex, dubbed Europacity, is expected to become the largest shopping destination in Paris once completed in 2020, according to project director Christophe Dalstein.
It will include 230,000 m2 of retail offer, 150,000 m2 of leisure activities including a waterpark, a theme park, a snow part and an adventure park, a total of 10 hotels as well as 50,000 m2 of cultural activities including a 2,000-seat auditorium and a huge exhibition hall.
Construction is planned to start in 2018.
Funding and permits for the project are already in place with Auchan currently meeting operators for the different sections of the giant scheme.
The development is part of the larger Triangle de Gonesse mixed-use regeneration project which is aimed at creating a new business district near the Charles de Gaulle airport in an area which is currently underserved by public transport but which in the near future will benefit from the arrival of the new M15 metro line.
In total, the Triangle de Gonesse is expected to see the development of 1 million m2 of office space to the north of the French capital.
