Aren'Ice

Following the separation of French ice hockey from the French Ice Sports Federation in 2006, Luc Tardif, president of the new ice hockey federation, announced his plans for a federal training center based in the Paris Region.

Various sites came under consideration throughout the selection process: Cergy-Pontoise,{{cite web | url =https://www.passionhockey.com/2007/06/24/ag-de-la-ffhg/ | title =AG de la FFHG | last =Branchu | first =Marc | date =24 June 2007 | website =HockeyArchives | access-date =September 13, 2021}}{{cite web | url =https://www.20minutes.fr/paris/329921-20090603-hockey-laisse-glace | title =Le hockey ne les laisse pas de glace | last =Molinié | first =William | date =3 June 2009 | website =20minutes.fr | publisher =Groupe SIPA Ouest-France | access-date =5 October 2021}} La Courneuve (Parc de Marville), Deuil-la-Barre, Drancy, Évry, Pays de Limours (Fontenay-lès-Briis), Marne-la-Vallée, Meudon, Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines and Torcy.

Of these, Cergy-Pontoise, Deuil-la-Barre, Meudon and Évry already had an ice rink and ice hockey club. Marne-la-Vallée only had an outdoor recreational ice rink (which has since been closed) as part of Disneyland Paris, and no hockey club. One of the resort's top executives in the 1990s was former hockey player Pierre-Yves Gerbeau, but a longstanding grudge with the French hockey brass of the time had made him unreceptive to promotional partnerships.{{cite magazine |last=Terrini |first=Alexandre |date=May–June 2019 |title=Pierre-Yves Gerbeau: Interview |magazine=Hockey Magazine |location=Villard-de-Lans |publisher=Média Loisirs International |issue=143 |page=4}}

At the tender submission deadline, the final candidates were: Cergy-Pontoise, La Courneuve, Drancy, Évry and Pays de Limours, with Cergy-Pontoise emerging as the victor.{{cite web | url =https://www.leparisien.fr/val-d-oise-95/cergy-95800/cergy-capitale-du-hockey-sur-glace-12-09-2009-636011.php | title =Cergy, capitale du hockey sur glace | author= | date =12 September 2009 | website =leparisien.fr | publisher =Groupe Aumaury| access-date =4 October 2021}}

The building opened to the public on 4 November 2016, with an official inauguration ceremony on 19 November 2016 in presence of Minister of Sports Patrick Kanner.{{cite web | url =https://sportetsociete.org/2016/11/21/larenice-ouvre-ses-portes-pour-promouvoir-le-hockey-sur-glace/ | title =L'Aren'Ice ouvre ses portes avec l'ambition de promouvoir le hockey-sur-glace | last =Bernardi | first =Kévin | date =21 November 2016 | website =sportetsociete.org | publisher =Kévin Bernardi | access-date =5 October 2021}} Coincidentally, Cergy's old municipal ice rink, which dated back to 1974, was decommissioned.{{cite web | url =https://www.leparisien.fr/val-d-oise-95/cergy-apres-l-emouvante-fermeture-quel-avenir-pour-la-patinoire-10-11-2016-6313353.php | title =Cergy : après l'émouvante fermeture, quel avenir pour la patinoire ? | last =Julien | first =Elie | date =10 November 2016 | website =leparisien.fr | publisher =Groupe Les Echos-Le Parisien | access-date =4 October 2021}}

Through its various activities and entertainment offerings, Aren'Ice generated more than 200,000 admissions in its first year of operations.{{cite web | url =https://www.lesechos.fr/2018/09/a-cergy-la-plaine-des-linandes-se-metamorphose-977439 | title =A Cergy, la plaine des Linandes se métamorphose | last =Renard-Gourdon | first =Florence | date =6 September 2018 | website =lesechos.fr | publisher =Groupe Les Echos-Le Parisen | access-date =5 October 2021}}

Aren'Ice was primarily designed by Chabanne et Partenaires, an architectural firm responsible for several other ice rinks including those in Marseille, Angers and Dunkirk,{{cite web | url =https://www.ouest-france.fr/pays-de-la-loire/angers-49000/angers-voila-quoi-ressemblera-la-nouvelle-patinoire-4097084 | title =Angers. Voilà à quoi ressemblera la nouvelle patinoire |author= | date =15 March 2016 | website =ouest-france.fr | publisher =Groupe SIPA Ouest-France | access-date =5 October 2021}} as well the French Cycling Federation's National Cycling Center in Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines.{{cite press release |author=|date=November 2016 |title=Dossier de presse Aren'Ice |location=Lyon |publisher=Chabanne Architecte}} Construction cost €44,000,000 with the terrain provided by the community of Cergy-Pontoise.{{cite press release | title =Aren'Ice Cergy-Pontoise : ouverture fin 2016 | publisher =Communauté d'agglomération de Cergy-Pontoise | date =June 2015}}

The main hall, named Eclipse, features an olympic-size ice pad surrounded by stands seating 3,000 in ice hockey configuration. Seats are heated by vents that maintain a 19°C temperature.{{cite web | url =https://www.leparisien.fr/sports/ile-de-france/l-arene-de-la-glace-03-11-2016-6281703.php| title =L'arène de la glace | last =Persidat | first =Marie | date =3 November 2016 | website =leparisien.fr | publisher =Groupe Les Echos-Le Parisien | access-date =4 October 2021}} The second hall, named Equinox, is a training and recreational venue featuring a second olympic-size pad and a small stand seating 320.

The building also hosts in excess of 300 m² of office space.{{cite web | url =https://13commeune.fr/actualite/en-images-dans-les-coulisses-darenice/ | title =En images / Dans les coulisses d'Aren'Ice |author= | date =23 June 2021 | website =13commeune.fr | publisher =Communauté d'agglomération de Cergy-Pontoise | access-date =4 October 2021}} This includes the headquarters of the French Ice Hockey Federation, which moved there from Issy-les-Moulineaux upon completion of the facility.

Although it was billed as "the largest ice rink" in France at its opening, this seems to be in reference to the fact that it consists of two Olympic size pads, whereas dual pad facilities built in France up to that point used a 56 × 26 metre or smaller second pad. The Palais omnisports Marseille Grand-Est is the largest ice rink in terms of spectator capacity at 5,600 in hockey configuration,{{cite web | url =https://france3-regions.francetvinfo.fr/provence-alpes-cote-d-azur/bouches-du-rhone/marseille/hockey-sur-glace-marseille-champion-de-france-de-division-1-2062174.html | title =Hockey sur glace : coup de projecteur sur ces Marseillais nouveaux champions de France de Division 1 | author=| date =26 April 2021 | website =france3-regions.francetvinfo.fr | publisher =France TV | access-date =5 October 2021}} which excludes ice capable entertainment venues such as Paris' Accor Arena, home of the French Cup final.{{cite web | url =https://www.nsworld.fr/lien-spectacle+paris+accor+hotel+arena-878.html | title =Spectacle Paris Accord Hotel Arena |author= | website =nsworld.fr | publisher =NS World | access-date =5 October 2021}}

Aren'Park is a 22,000 m² commercial district adjacent to Aren'Ice, which opened in September 2018. In addition to a Leclerc hypermarket, it features various stores operated by chains such as Intersport, GiFi and La Vie Claire.{{cite web | url =https://www.contact-entreprises.net/larenpark-les-premieres-enseignes-ouvertes-au-public/ | title =L'Aren'Park : les premières enseignes ouvertes au public |author= | date =18 August 2018 | website =contact-entreprises.net | publisher =MF Promotion | access-date =5 October 2021}} An 84-room hotel, B&B Aren'Park Cergy, opened there in early 2019.

In 2019, the community of Cergy-Pontoise and the French Ice Hockey Federation announced the building of a student athlete residence specifically geared towards French hockey prospects.{{cite web | url =https://www.leparisien.fr/val-d-oise-95/val-d-oise-vers-un-clairefontaine-du-hockey-sur-glace-a-cergy-31-12-2019-8226723.php | title =Val-d'Oise : vers un "Clairefontaine" du hockey sur glace à Cergy | last =Persidat | first =Marie | date =31 December 2019 | website =leparisien.fr | publisher =Groupe Les Echos-Le Parisien | access-date =4 October 2021}} Named Résidence Palet and located east of Aren'Ice, it consists of 28 units for 38 young athletes, 5 adults and 2 security staff members.{{cite web | url =https://www.lesechos.fr/pme-regions/ile-de-france/un-foyer-pour-hockeyeurs-sur-la-plaine-des-linandes-1155114 | title =Un foyer pour hockeyeurs sur la plaine des Linandes | last =Barbot | first =Lamia | date =10 December 2019 | website =lesechos.fr | publisher =Groupe Les Echos-Le Parisen | access-date =5 October 2021}} Most residents will study at Lycée Jules Verne.{{cite web | url =https://alexandre-pueyo.fr/1ere-pierre-de-la-residence-des-jeunes-hockeyeuses-et-hockeyeurs-a-cergy/ | title =1ère pierre de la résidence des jeunes hockeyeuses et hockeyeurs à Cergy | last =Pueyo | first =Alexandre | date =22 November 2019 | website =alexandre-pueyo.fr | access-date =5 October 2021}}

{{Reflist}}

• [https://www.arenice.cergypontoise.fr/ Official website] {{in lang|fr}}
• [https://www.arpej.fr/en/residence/residence-etudiante-palet-cergy/ Résidence Palet at ARPEJ]

{{Ligue Magnus}}

Category:Sports venues in Val-d'Oise

Category:Indoor arenas in France

Category:Ice hockey venues in France

Category:Sports venues completed in 2016

Category:2016 establishments in France