Travel through time with the Grands Moulins de Pantin 360° app

Last update: Jan 15, 2024
Visual of the Grands Moulins de Pantin 360° application designed from visuals of the AM of Pantin, the archives of the Ile-de-France Region and the historical archives of BNP Paribas.

Visual of the Grands Moulins de Pantin 360° application designed from visuals of the AM of Pantin, the archives of the Ile-de-France Region and the historical archives of BNP Paribas.

Since 2009, BNP Paribas has set up the headquarters of its Securities Services activities in Seine-Saint-Denis, in the heart of a monumental industrial complex that was dedicated to wheat milling from 1880 to 2001. So, the Grands Moulins de Pantin have been converted into a modern office complex that meets HQE (High Environmental Quality) standards, but can still be identified by its distinctive silhouette in the cityscape. And, this landmark architecture reminds an adventure spanning almost 130 years, marked by metamorphoses and highlights that you can relive from anywhere thanks to the Grands Moulins de Pantin 360° web application. Ready to browse on your smartphones or computers?

Explore the industrial heritage of the Grands Moulins de Pantin in 360°.

Designed by the Archives & History department of BNP Paribas in association with the heritage promotion start-up Popside, the Grands Moulins de Pantin 360° immersive experience, aimed at showing a behind-the-scenes of the architectural décor of this exceptional site. Providing comparative perspectives and highlighting how it has changed over time, the app places the premices in its historical context with the help of archives. The project benefited in particular from the contribution of the documentary collections of the Ile-de-France Region, the Archives Municipales de Pantin and the Archives de Seine-Saint-Denis (France).

composition with two photos: the left photo is an image capture of the 360° application showing the Grands Moulins de Pantin in 1923, with the reference 3Fi4169 Pantin Municipal Archives. The photo on the right shows the Grands Moulins during the work and was taken by Laurent Krusyk for the Ile-de-France region in 2007.
Left photo Capture of a 360° sphere showing the Grands Moulins de Pantin in 1923, 3Fi4169 Municipal Archives of Pantin,
Right photo Laurent Krusyk, the Ile-de-France Region, 2007

Using 360° technology and drone footage, this interactive narrative, punctuated by a voiceover and an original soundtrack, explores the circumstances surrounding the birth of this factory in the city, the urban transformations and the relationship with Paris, the advent of an industrial zone, the changes in the milling sector, the regionalist architecture, the war, the techniques used, the trades, the people… as well as the rehabilitation of the site orchestrated by the architectural firm Reichen et Robert & Associés.
From now on, embark on a unique experience at the heart of the Grands Moulins de Pantin over 130 years.

composition with two photos: the left photo shows the Fire of the Great Mills of Pantin, 19 August 1944. Unsigned cover. Special collection, reproduction Région Île-de-France. The right-hand photo shows the Grands Moulins after the works and was taken by Keydrone for the Archives and History Department of BNP Paribas in 2022.
Left photo Fire at the Grands Moulins de Pantin, August 19, 1944. Unsigned photo. Private collection, Île-de-France region.
Right photo Cours des Grands Moulins de Pantin, 2022. Archives Historiques BNP Paribas. Keydrone.

Les Grands Moulins de Pantin, a factory in Greater Paris

Originally an agricultural area, Pantin experienced an industrial boom thanks to the transport network that developed there from 1840 onwards. Agricultural crops gave way to factories and warehouses. Created in 1846, the Paris-Strasbourg line stopped at Pantin station in 1864. In 1860, at the request of Napoleon III, Haussmann laid the foundations for the first “Greater Paris” by absorbing the many towns bordering the capital. La Villette, near Pantin, was annexed.
The interdependence between Paris and Pantin became even more pronounced with the gradual development of the Ourcq Canal. Pantin became a storage area for commercial products.

Canal de l’Ourcq and Grands Moulins de Pantin. Postcard. Pantin Municipal Archives with reference 2fi1108. No date.
Canal de l’Ourcq and Grands Moulins de Pantin. Postcard. Pantin Municipal Archives. 2fi1108. Undated.

It was against this backdrop of growth that Les Grands Moulins de Pantin was founded on 5 April 1880 by Abel Stanislas Leblanc, a miller from the Brie region (France), who bought a plot of land on which to build a mill. Completed in 1882, the mill was built on land in a highly strategic location, close to the capital, between the canal and the railway lines.

Read the rest of the story of the Grands Moulins de Pantin

The Grands Moulins de Pantin

View of the footbridge of the Grands Moulins de Pantin. By Keydrone for BNP Paribas Historical Archives in 2022
View of the footbridge of the Grands Moulins de Pantin. 2022. BNP Paribas Historical Archives – Keydrone.

Industrial heritage and its transformations: a look back at an inspiring conference

To mark the internal launch of the Grands Moulins de Pantin 360° application, the Archives & History department organised a conference for Group employees on the history of the Grands Moulins de Pantin and their place in the context of Greater Paris. The event also provided an opportunity to discuss the various issues involved in restoring our industrial heritage. Laurent Desmoulins, a photographer specialising in industrial heritage and a first-hand witness to the closure and conversion of the Grands Moulins, and Clément Orillard, an urban planning architect and lecturer at the Institut d’urbanisme de Paris, shed light on these varied themes. Video highlights of this meeting.

Industrial heritage and transformation: the Grands Moulins de Pantin itinerary.

Archives & History BNP Paribas – 2023 October.


Also find GMP 360° on LInkedin @MarieLaperdrix

For several months now, the Archives & History Department of BNP Paribas and the Popside Agency have been working hand in hand to offer you a whole new experience around the Grands Moulins de Pantin.

With the help of the regional inventory of the Ile-de-France region and the actors who took part in this project, you will discover a selection of historical archives relating to this monumental site, which we are unveiling behind the scenes!

On the programme: 360° immersion at the heart of this industrial heritage.

Marie Laperdrix
Marie Laperdrix – Archives, History and Heritage Manager