Hangar Y, located in Meudon, was built in 1880 on request of the military engineer Captain Charles Renard (1847-1905), for the construction of balloons and airships. The building is 70 meters long, 24 meters wide and around 26 meters high.
The airship 'La France', designed by Charles Renard and Arthur Krebs, was built in Hangar Y in 1884 and was the first airship which was controllable during flight and which could return to its starting point.