Quai de Polangis, in front of Fanac Island (cirkwi)

The emergence of the present-day town of Joinville-le-Pont is closely linked to the construction of a bridge crossing the Marne.
Commissioned by the Bishop of Paris, the first bridge was built by the monks of the Abbey of Saint-Maur. First mentioned around 1205, it remained the only crossing point over the Marne between Charenton-le-Pont and Lagny-sur-Marne until the early 19th century.

Heavily used, the bridge spurred the development of a small hamlet on the right bank of the Marne, inhabited by fishermen, boatmen, market gardeners, and winegrowers. This settlement eventually became known as the “Branch of the Saint-Maur Bridge.” It was established as a commune in 1790 and took the name Joinville in 1831, in honor of François d’Orléans, Prince of Joinville, the third son of King Louis-Philippe.

The bridge was rebuilt several times over the centuries. From 1835, it featured ten stone arches that allowed for safe crossing. This stone bridge remained throughout the 19th century and became a backdrop for the rise of leisure boating during the Belle Époque. It was demolished starting in 1937 to accommodate increased road traffic. The current bridge was completed in 1943.

It stands on Fanac Island, one of the few surviving islets that once dotted the Marne. Lined with small houses often hidden by their gardens, the island is also home to the boathouse built in 1876 by the Société Nautique de la Marne (SNM). Destroyed by fire in 2005, the boathouse was rebuilt in the same style and now houses the Aviron Marne et Joinville rowing club, heir to the SNM.

Built with timber framing and brick infill—a fast and inexpensive technique—it follows the regionalist style typical of vacation homes and chalets, evoking the charm of seaside or mountain retreats. A similar architectural style can be seen just a few meters upstream along the quay, on the imposing buildings of the former Pomme d’Api inn.

The path continues across an artificial canal excavated in 1886 by developers of the former agricultural plain of the Polangis estate. In an effort to attract buyers, they sought to enhance the appeal of the plots by promoting boating and the picturesque riverside setting.