The abandoned Lipski retirement home

Here is an exploration of a former nursing home, sometimes known as the "Lipski Retirement Home." Aside from this silly name—clearly a product of the urbex community—it was, above all, a mutualist retirement home for the RATP. It is a vast wooded estate, located in an affluent corner of the Yvelines. It is very quiet; it feels peaceful there.

According to a brief RATP document, the site was established in 1924, with extensions added in 1925. The buildings were undoubtedly expanded over time, as additions and later architectural styles are clearly visible. Old photographs, when compared to the current state, confirm that numerous additions were indeed made.

This nursing home had a fairly large section dedicated to Alzheimer's and disoriented patients, which is not necessarily the case for many facilities. According to research by Tim Hannem, the establishment closed between 2006 and 2008, which represents a massive period of abandonment. This explains why everything is so thoroughly wrecked. The press, for its part, mentions a possible closure as early as 2002.

From 2016 to 2024, the estate was occupied by an artists' collective. Following the sale of the property, they had to move out during December 2024. The site was sold to a real estate developer. The local urban plan (PLU), which is quite restrictive, does not allow for the creation of housing. Consequently, the future of the site lies in a socio-cultural structure.

Following this resale, and with the RATP mutual fund having let go of the site, the premises were completely boarded up by the developer to prevent further damage—or at least to stop it from getting worse. It feels strange to think that such a well-known, accessible, and free-spirited site is disappearing before our eyes. That’s life!