La Garenne-Colombes () is a
commune in the northwestern suburbs of
Paris
Paris () is the capital and most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), making it the 30th most densely populated city in the world in 2020. Si ...
, France. It is located from
Notre Dame de Paris
Notre-Dame de Paris (; meaning "Our Lady of Paris"), referred to simply as Notre-Dame, is a medieval Catholic cathedral on the Île de la Cité (an island in the Seine River), in the 4th arrondissement of Paris. The cathedral, dedicated to the ...
which is the
center of Paris. It is one of the most densely populated municipalities in Europe.
Name
The city used to be part of the neighbouring city of Colombes. At this time, before 1910, it was called "La Garenne de Colombes," which means "Colombes' Garenne." "Garenne" is French for "warren." So the English for "La Garenne-Colombes" could be "Colombes' warren" or "Warren of Colombes"; yet to speakers of all languages the name of the city is officially "La Garenne-Colombes."
The explanation for the city being called "warren" is that it used to be a warren where people would hunt. But this dates back to the French monarchy, in the 18th century and before.
Geography
La Garenne-Colombes is usually simply called "La Garenne", and nicknamed "petit
Neuilly".
Surroundings
Four towns surround La Garenne-Colombes:
Colombes
Colombes () is a commune in the northwestern suburbs of Paris, France. It is located from the centre of Paris. In 2019, Colombes was the 53rd largest city in France.
Name
The name Colombes comes from Latin ''columna'' (Old French ''colombe'' ...
(North),
Bois-Colombes
Bois-Colombes () is a commune in the northwestern suburbs of Paris, France. It is located from the centre of Paris. In 2017, it had a population of 28,239. International companies such as Colgate-Palmolive, IBM and Aviva have their French head ...
(East),
Courbevoie
Courbevoie () is a commune located in the Hauts-de-Seine Department of the Île-de-France region of France. It is in the suburbs of the city of Paris, from the center of Paris. The centre of Courbevoie is situated from the city limits of Pa ...
(South) and
Nanterre
Nanterre (, ) is the prefecture of the Hauts-de-Seine department in the western suburbs of Paris. It is located some northwest of the centre of Paris. In 2018, the commune had a population of 96,807.
The eastern part of Nanterre, bordering t ...
(West). The city is quite small compared with the other cities in the
Hauts-de-Seine
Hauts-de-Seine (; ) is a département in the Île-de-France region, Northern France. It covers Paris's western inner suburbs. It is bordered by Paris, Seine-Saint-Denis and Val-de-Marne to the east, Val-d'Oise to the north, Yvelines to the west ...
, it is more or less as small as the first arrondissement of
Paris
Paris () is the capital and most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), making it the 30th most densely populated city in the world in 2020. Si ...
. Very close to La Garenne-Colombes are
La Défense
La Défense () is a major business district in France, located west of the city limits of Paris. It is part of the Paris metropolitan area in the Île-de-France region, located in the department of Hauts-de-Seine in the communes of Courbev ...
and the
Île de la Jatte island (Bowl Island).
Transportation
La Garenne-Colombes is served by two stations on the
Transilien Paris – Saint-Lazare suburban rail line:
La Garenne-Colombes and
Les Vallées (this last station is located at the border between the commune of La Garenne-Colombes and the commune of
Bois-Colombes
Bois-Colombes () is a commune in the northwestern suburbs of Paris, France. It is located from the centre of Paris. In 2017, it had a population of 28,239. International companies such as Colgate-Palmolive, IBM and Aviva have their French head ...
, with a postal address in La Garenne-Colombes). The train has been used there since 1837.
The two stations directly join Paris's most important urban station (
Gare Saint-Lazare
The Gare Saint-Lazare (English: St Lazarus station), officially Paris-Saint-Lazare, is one of the six large mainline railway station termini in Paris, France. It serves train services toward Normandy, northwest of Paris, along the Paris–Le Hav ...
) in 10 minutes and the largest university in Paris (Paris Ouest La Défense University, Western Paris University La Défense) in 2 minutes.
In 1935, five Tramway lines crossed La Garenne-Colombes.
Many
RATP Bus lines also cross the city: lines 73, 161, 163, 164, 176, 178, 262, 272, 278, 358 and 378.
Two
RATP Noctilien
Noctilien is the night bus service in Paris and its agglomeration. It is managed by the Île-de-France Mobilités (formerly the STIF), the Île-de-France regional public transit authority, and operated by RATP (with 32 lines) and Transilien SNC ...
night Bus lines cross the city: N24 and N152.
In 2012, the line 2 of the
Parisian Tramway will cross La Garenne-Colombes, with two stations: Les Fauvelles (French for Wildcats) and Charlebourg. To join the center of the CBD, 2 to 4 minutes will be required by tramway.
History
It was named in 1240 as "La Garenne dépendant de Colombes" ("La Garenne depending on
Colombes
Colombes () is a commune in the northwestern suburbs of Paris, France. It is located from the centre of Paris. In 2019, Colombes was the 53rd largest city in France.
Name
The name Colombes comes from Latin ''columna'' (Old French ''colombe'' ...
"). After the
Bourbon Restoration Bourbon Restoration may refer to:
France under the House of Bourbon:
* Bourbon Restoration in France (1814, after the French revolution and Napoleonic era, until 1830; interrupted by the Hundred Days in 1815)
Spain under the Spanish Bourbons:
* Ab ...
in 1815, the estate was bought by
Peter Urban Sartoris
Peter Urbanus Sartoris (alias Pierre-Urbain Sartoris in French or Urbain Sartoris) was a Swiss banker, born around 1767 in Geneva, who died in Paris November 30, 1833. He had offices in London and Sceaux, Hauts-de-Seine as well.
Biography
The ...
, a
Genevois banker who had lived in London for many years. On his death in 1833 it was inherited by his 6 children, who urbanised it and named the rue Sartoris. They sold the last of their interests in 1865.
The commune of La Garenne-Colombes was created on 2 May 1910 by detaching its territory from the commune of
Colombes
Colombes () is a commune in the northwestern suburbs of Paris, France. It is located from the centre of Paris. In 2019, Colombes was the 53rd largest city in France.
Name
The name Colombes comes from Latin ''columna'' (Old French ''colombe'' ...
.
Demography
As the commune's territory is entirely built up, population can only grow if buildings are demolished and replaced by bigger buildings for more people (higher, less gardens). Thereby the population will grow certainly over the 30,000 after many reconstructions in the "Champs-Philippe" neighbourhood, with a density over 17,000 inhabitants per square kilometres (43,855 inhabitants per square miles).
According to statistics, La Garenne-Colombes is an average city of the
Hauts-de-Seine
Hauts-de-Seine (; ) is a département in the Île-de-France region, Northern France. It covers Paris's western inner suburbs. It is bordered by Paris, Seine-Saint-Denis and Val-de-Marne to the east, Val-d'Oise to the north, Yvelines to the west ...
department (
Paris
Paris () is the capital and most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), making it the 30th most densely populated city in the world in 2020. Si ...
region), which is one of the richest places in Europe.
Economy
The landscape looks like an American CBD (Central Business District). But this is in the suburbs of
Paris
Paris () is the capital and most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), making it the 30th most densely populated city in the world in 2020. Si ...
, which do not look like the downtown Paris districts surrounding the Eiffel Tower or the Champs-Elysées. Paradoxically, the most advanced part of the city of Paris, geographically speaking, is on the outskirts of the city itself.
There used to be many workshops in La Garenne-Colombes, as in a large part of the
Hauts-de-Seine
Hauts-de-Seine (; ) is a département in the Île-de-France region, Northern France. It covers Paris's western inner suburbs. It is bordered by Paris, Seine-Saint-Denis and Val-de-Marne to the east, Val-d'Oise to the north, Yvelines to the west ...
department. Today, it is mainly a residential city. However, some 1200 business units are there.
Tertiary activity
The service industry is paramount in the economy of La Garenne-Colombes. The proximity of
La Défense
La Défense () is a major business district in France, located west of the city limits of Paris. It is part of the Paris metropolitan area in the Île-de-France region, located in the department of Hauts-de-Seine in the communes of Courbev ...
increases this phenomenon. There is :
*
Peugeot
Peugeot (, , ) is a French brand of automobiles owned by Stellantis.
The family business that preceded the current Peugeot companies was founded in 1810, with a steel foundry that soon started making hand tools and kitchen equipment, and then ...
study offices
*
Boston Scientific International
*
RATP's Charlebourg center
The arrival of the Tramway in 2012 resulted in a redevelopment of a part of the city, and should bring a new breath of life to the local economy.
Urbanism
The city
In spite of the proximity of
La Défense
La Défense () is a major business district in France, located west of the city limits of Paris. It is part of the Paris metropolitan area in the Île-de-France region, located in the department of Hauts-de-Seine in the communes of Courbev ...
and
Paris
Paris () is the capital and most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), making it the 30th most densely populated city in the world in 2020. Si ...
which has applied a strong pressure, no big buildings were built in La Garenne. Residential buildings (detached homes and apartment buildings) account for the majority of the building stock in La Garenne-Colombes. Many of these buildings were constructed in the early 1900s. In a large part of the town, new construction is limited to 4 floors.
The neighbourhood of the place de Belgique and National boulevard, which is the entry of
La Défense
La Défense () is a major business district in France, located west of the city limits of Paris. It is part of the Paris metropolitan area in the Île-de-France region, located in the department of Hauts-de-Seine in the communes of Courbev ...
, is being redeveloped.
Green ways
Eight green ways are in La Garenne-Colombes, exactly:
* two public squares
* two gardens
* four parks
Commonly known places
* Place de la Liberté (Freedom square), known under the name of place du marché (market) or place de l'Eglise (church)
* Place du Général Leclerc, known under the name of place de la Fontaine (Fountain plaza)
* Place de Belgique (Belgium square)
* Rond-point du Souvenir français, known under the name of place Jean Baillet
* Rond-point de l'Europe (Europe's plaza)
Politics and administration
List of mayors
* 1910-1933: Jean Bonal
* 1934-1943: Docteur Charles Jubert
* 1944: Maurice Godaux
* 1944-1945: André Crimet
* 1945-1947: Gaston Sourrisseau
* 1947-1955: Louis Jean
* 1955-1971: René Guest
* 1971-1975: Albert Fabbi
* 1975-2001: Max Catrin
* 2001–2022: Philippe Juvin
* since 2022: Monique Raimbault
Twin towns - sister cities
La Garenne-Colombes is twinned with:
*
Wangen im Allgäu, Germany
*
Yokneam Illit, Israel
*
Harissa-Daraoun, Lebanon
*
Valpaços, Portugal
Education
The commune has four public preschools and five public elementary schools
[Les écoles communales]
" La Garenne-Colombes. Retrieved on September 7, 2016.
* Primary schools: René Guest, André Marsault, Ernest Renan (built in 1905), Sainte Geneviève, Sagot Voltaire
* Junior high school: Les Vallées
* Junior high school: Champs-Philippe (previously named Kleber Haedens, the name was revoked by the Hauts-de-Seine general council due to Haedens having been a nazi
collaborationist
Wartime collaboration is cooperation with the enemy against one's country of citizenship in wartime, and in the words of historian Gerhard Hirschfeld, "is as old as war and the occupation of foreign territory".
The term ''collaborator'' dates to ...
)
* Vocational senior high school:
Lycée La Tournelle
Students wishing to attend a general high school may go to
Lycée Albert-Camus in
Bois-Colombes
Bois-Colombes () is a commune in the northwestern suburbs of Paris, France. It is located from the centre of Paris. In 2017, it had a population of 28,239. International companies such as Colgate-Palmolive, IBM and Aviva have their French head ...
or
Lycée Paul-Lapie in
Courbevoie
Courbevoie () is a commune located in the Hauts-de-Seine Department of the Île-de-France region of France. It is in the suburbs of the city of Paris, from the center of Paris. The centre of Courbevoie is situated from the city limits of Pa ...
.
[Lycées]
" La Garenne-Colombes. Retrieved on September 7, 2016. "Les jeunes Garennois sont rattachés à deux lycées d'enseignement général, situés l'un à Courbevoie (Lycée Paul-Lapie), l'autre à Bois-Colombes (Lycée Albert-Camus)."
The city owns a castle in Normandy where students are sometimes sent for class-holidays.
Life in La Garenne-Colombes
According to statistics published by the Figaro newspaper, La Garenne-Colombes is the
Hauts-de-Seine
Hauts-de-Seine (; ) is a département in the Île-de-France region, Northern France. It covers Paris's western inner suburbs. It is bordered by Paris, Seine-Saint-Denis and Val-de-Marne to the east, Val-d'Oise to the north, Yvelines to the west ...
's city with the lowest crime rate, without forgetting that the
Hauts-de-Seine
Hauts-de-Seine (; ) is a département in the Île-de-France region, Northern France. It covers Paris's western inner suburbs. It is bordered by Paris, Seine-Saint-Denis and Val-de-Marne to the east, Val-d'Oise to the north, Yvelines to the west ...
is a very quiet part of the
Paris
Paris () is the capital and most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), making it the 30th most densely populated city in the world in 2020. Si ...
region.
Personalities
Born in La Garenne-Colombes
*
Guy-Elphege Anouman (1994), athlete
*
Patrick Chesnais
Patrick Chesnais (born 18 March 1947) is a French actor, film director and screenwriter.
Life and career
Patrick Chesnais was born in La Garenne-Colombes, Hauts-de-Seine. He was educated at the '' Lycée Pierre Corneille'' in Rouen.
In 1989 ...
(1947), French actor
*
Émilie Lepennec (1987), French gymnast
*
Fernand Oury
Fernand Oury (18 January 1920 – 19 February 1998) was a pedagogue and creator of institutional pedagogy. He recommended and practiced a "school of the people" methodology, in which children were no longer passive receivers, but actively parti ...
(1920), French
pedagogue
Pedagogy (), most commonly understood as the approach to teaching, is the theory and practice of learning, and how this process influences, and is influenced by, the social, political and psychological development of learners. Pedagogy, taken ...
and creator of modern French schooling
*
Catherine Picard
Catherine Picard (born 14 August 1952) is a French politician and anti-cultist from the French Socialist Party. She was a member of the French National Assembly from 1997 to 2002.
Career
Picard was elected on 1 June 1997 for the French Sociali ...
(1952), French politician
*
Steven Nzonzi
Steven Nkemboanza Mike Christopher Nzonzi (born 15 December 1988) is a French professional footballer who is currently a free agent
Nzonzi began his career with Ligue 2 side Amiens, impressing enough to earn a move to Premier League side Blackb ...
(1988), French
soccer
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a team sport played between two teams of 11 players who primarily use their feet to propel the ball around a rectangular field called a pitch. The objective of the game is ...
player
Lived in La Garenne-Colombes
*
William Klein, American painter, film-maker and photographer
*
Cédric Mongongu, Footballer
*
Deng Xiaoping
Deng Xiaoping (22 August 1904 – 19 February 1997) was a Chinese revolutionary leader, military commander and statesman who served as the paramount leader of the China, People's Republic of China (PRC) from December 1978 to November 1989. Aft ...
, Chinese political leader
Died in La Garenne-Colombes
*
Jean Mitry (1907–1988), French
film theorist,
critic
A critic is a person who communicates an assessment and an opinion of various forms of creative works such as art, literature, music, cinema, theater, fashion, architecture, and food. Critics may also take as their subject social or gover ...
and
filmmaker
Filmmaking (film production) is the process by which a motion picture is produced. Filmmaking involves a number of complex and discrete stages, starting with an initial story, idea, or commission. It then continues through screenwriting, castin ...
See also
*
Communes of the Hauts-de-Seine department
The following is a list of the 36 communes of the Hauts-de-Seine department of France.
Since January 2016, all communes of Hauts-de-Seine are part of the intercommunality Métropole du Grand Paris
{{Communes of France
Hauts-de-Seine
...
References
External links
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Garennecolombes
Communes of Hauts-de-Seine