Contest is a

commune A commune is an alternative term for an intentional community. Commune or comună or comune or other derivations may also refer to: Administrative-territorial entities * Commune (administrative division), a municipality or township ** Communes of ...

in the

Mayenne Mayenne () is a landlocked department in northwest France named after the river Mayenne. Mayenne is part of the administrative region of Pays de la Loire and is surrounded by the departments of Manche, Orne, Sarthe, Maine-et-Loire, and Ille-et ...

department Department may refer to: * Departmentalization, division of a larger organization into parts with specific responsibility Government and military *Department (administrative division), a geographical and administrative division within a country, ...

in north-western

France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...

. The town is in the center of Lower Maine. Its village is 6 km south-west of Mayenne and 12 km north of Martigné-sur-Mayenne. The name of the locality is attested in the form Constet in 1207. The place name honors the bishop of Bayeux of the sixth century, Contextus.Albert Dauzat et Charles Rostaing, Dictionnaire étymologique des noms de lieux en France, Paris, Larousse, 1963

Notable Persons

* Jacques Felix Jan de La Hamelinaye (1769-1861), general, retired to Contest at his retirement. * Bertrand Denis (1902 - 1986 in Contest), MP. * Louis Rouland (1907-1940), French aviator born in Contest. * Jean Yanne (1933-2003), actor, humorist, director. Born Roger-Jean Gouyé, from a family of clog makers who in the eighteenth century lived in the forest of Mayenne. His grandfather René-Jean Gouillet was born in Contest on March 13, 1789 and died in Fougères on October 11, 1855.

Notable Persons

See also