Villeneuve-Saint-Georges () is a commune in the southeastern 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. S ...
,
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 ...
. It is located from the centre of Paris. People from Villeneuve-Saint-Georges are called ''Villeneuvois'' in French.
History
Prehistory and Antiquity
Villeneuve-Saint-Georges was settled during the
Paleolithic
The Paleolithic or Palaeolithic (), also called the Old Stone Age (from Greek: παλαιός ''palaios'', "old" and λίθος ''lithos'', "stone"), is a period in human prehistory that is distinguished by the original development of stone too ...
and the
Neolithic
The Neolithic period, or New Stone Age, is an Old World archaeological period and the final division of the Stone Age. It saw the Neolithic Revolution, a wide-ranging set of developments that appear to have arisen independently in several parts ...
ages at the meeting of the
Yerres
Yerres () is a commune in the Essonne department, in the southeastern suburbs of Paris, France. It is located from the center of Paris.
Population
Inhabitants are called ''Yerrois'' in French.
Geography
Yerres lies in the North-Eastern p ...
rivers, as well at Triage, with evidence from archeological remains found by Francis Martin in the 19th century, which includes flints and some stone tools.
After the battle of Melun during the
Roman Empire
The Roman Empire ( la, Imperium Romanum ; grc-gre, Βασιλεία τῶν Ῥωμαίων, Basileía tôn Rhōmaíōn) was the post-Republican period of ancient Rome. As a polity, it included large territorial holdings around the Mediterr ...
, the area was integrated into the Roman Empire. A small town was built around the area, with the name of ''Villa Nova'' (Latin for ''new house'').
Middle Ages
In the
Middle Ages
In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the late 5th to the late 15th centuries, similar to the post-classical period of global history. It began with the fall of the Western Roman Empire a ...
, Villeneuve-Saint-Georges was a possession of the abbey of Saint-Germain-des-Prés. The addition of "Saint-Georges" in the name of the commune was after the remains of
Saint George
Saint George (Greek: Γεώργιος (Geórgios), Latin: Georgius, Arabic: القديس جرجس; died 23 April 303), also George of Lydda, was a Christian who is venerated as a saint in Christianity. According to tradition he was a soldier ...
was brought back in AD 858. The strategic position on the road between
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. S ...
Clermont-Ferrand
Clermont-Ferrand (, ; ; oc, label=Auvergnat (dialect), Auvergnat, Clarmont-Ferrand or Clharmou ; la, Augustonemetum) is a city and Communes of France, commune of France, in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes regions of France, region, with a population ...
and
Lyon
Lyon,, ; Occitan: ''Lion'', hist. ''Lionés'' also spelled in English as Lyons, is the third-largest city and second-largest metropolitan area of France. It is located at the confluence of the rivers Rhône and Saône, to the northwest of t ...
made it a transport hub and wan regularly visited and traversed by kings and dukes. The importance of the towns led it to be plundered, raided and besieged many times, including during the
Hundred Years' War
The Hundred Years' War (; 1337–1453) was a series of armed conflicts between the kingdoms of Kingdom of England, England and Kingdom of France, France during the Late Middle Ages. It originated from disputed claims to the French Crown, ...
.
The city mostly relied on farming and wine-making for income.
Renaissance and Modern Times
During the Siege of Paris in 1590, Captain Saint-Paul forced his way into Villeneuve-Saint-Georges and killed the 200-300 men under the name of
Henry IV of France
Henry IV (french: Henri IV; 13 December 1553 – 14 May 1610), also known by the epithets Good King Henry or Henry the Great, was King of Navarre (as Henry III) from 1572 and King of France from 1589 to 1610. He was the first monarc ...
who were garrisoned there, whilst delivering food and assistance to the besieged people in Paris.
During the modern times, Villeneuve became a bourgeois city. Mansions, like the castles of Beauregard and Bellevue were built in the area, and people of the higher classes visited Villeneuve, like
Henry IV of France
Henry IV (french: Henri IV; 13 December 1553 – 14 May 1610), also known by the epithets Good King Henry or Henry the Great, was King of Navarre (as Henry III) from 1572 and King of France from 1589 to 1610. He was the first monarc ...
,
Catherine de' Medici
Catherine de' Medici ( it, Caterina de' Medici, ; french: Catherine de Médicis, ; 13 April 1519 – 5 January 1589) was an Florentine noblewoman born into the Medici family. She was Queen of France from 1547 to 1559 by marriage to King ...
Turenne
Henri de La Tour d'Auvergne, vicomte de Turenne (11 September 161127 July 1675), commonly known as Turenne , was a French general and one of only six Marshals to have been promoted Marshal General of France. The most illustrious member of the ...
to confront him. A battle took place between them in the area.
Revolution and the 19th Century
During the Revolution, the national guard was created and the church was looted. Shortly after that Villeneuve became a quiet town again. Many people came to live in Villeneuve, including composers (Boieldieu), painters (Francesco Casanova, Karl Joseph Kuwasseg) naturalists (Charles Athanase Walckenaer), ministers (Victor Duruy), ceramists (Jean-Paul Louis Chesnel-Larossière), and ambassadors (Louis-Jules Mancini-Mazarini). Many personalities, such as
Napoleon
Napoleon Bonaparte ; it, Napoleone Bonaparte, ; co, Napulione Buonaparte. (born Napoleone Buonaparte; 15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821), later known by his regnal name Napoleon I, was a French military commander and political leader who ...
Prince Eugène
Prince Eugene Francis of Savoy–Carignano, (18 October 1663 – 21 April 1736) better known as Prince Eugene, was a Generalfeldmarschall, field marshal in the army of the Holy Roman Empire and of the Austrian Habsburg dynasty during the 17th a ...
, also stopped in Villeneuve. In 1876, Fort Villeneuve was built to protect Paris in anticipation of a future war. The establishment of the railway in 1847 transformed the city, with the agricultural village very quickly became a working-class town.
20th Century
On the eve of the First World War, Villeneuve-Saint-Georges had more than 10,000 inhabitants. It was the first railway town in the country with the largest sorting in Europe. The Foyer and HBM sets were built at this time.
On July 30, 1908, following the calls for a 24-hour general strike launched by the General Confederation of Labour to demand a 10-hour day, weekly rest, a salary increase and the end of Piece work, thousands of demonstrators gathered in
Vigneux-sur-Seine
Vigneux-sur-Seine (, literally ''Vigneux on Seine'') is a commune in the southern suburbs of Paris, France. It is located from the centre of Paris.
Inhabitants of Vigneux-sur-Seine are known as ''Vigneusiens''.
Population
Transport
Vigneu ...
and
Draveil
Draveil () is a commune in the department of Essonne in the southern suburbs of Paris, France.National Gendarmerie and the workers. The result fight left four dead and more than 200 injured among the workers, and 69 injured on the side of the forces of order. A local odonym (“Place du 30-Juillet-1908”) recalls these events. The next day, Georges Clemenceau ordered the arrest of thirty leaders of the CGT, including its general secretary Victor Griffuelhes, to neutralize the union.
A painting by
Théodore Rousseau
Étienne Pierre Théodore Rousseau (April 15, 1812December 22, 1867) was a French painter of the Barbizon school.
Life
Youth
He was born in Paris, France in a bourgeois family.
At first he received a basic level of training, but soon displaye ...
, titled ''La Seine à Villeneuve-Saint-Georges'', which was in the Palais des Beaux-Arts in Lille was destroyed in 1916.
During the
First World War
World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...
, Villeneuve-Saint-Georges hosted the 232nd Territorial Infantry Regiment (normally quartered in Argentan). The school hospital becomes the Auxiliary Hospital of the Military Wounded Relief Society (HASSBM) No.42, while the Ferry School Group becomes the Auxiliary Hospital of the Ladies of France Association (HAADF) No.248.
After the introduction of paid leave, at the time of the great departures on vacation, a derailment on July 30, 1937 left twenty-nine dead and one hundred and eleven injured at the junction between the Brunoy and
Corbeil Corbeil may refer to:
Places
* Corbeil, Ontario, Canada
* Corbeil, Marne, a commune in the Marne département in north-eastern France
* Corbeil-Cerf, a commune in the département of Oise in northern France
* Corbeil-Essonnes, a commune in the so ...
lines.
During the
Second World War
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
, the city was bombarded by Allied aircraft because the
Wehrmacht
The ''Wehrmacht'' (, ) were the unified armed forces of Nazi Germany from 1935 to 1945. It consisted of the ''Heer'' (army), the ''Kriegsmarine'' (navy) and the ''Luftwaffe'' (air force). The designation "''Wehrmacht''" replaced the previous ...
used the railway installations. Many Resistance fighters are also killed after the “Triage sabotage”. After these events, a new demographic surge saw the construction of large housing estates in the North part of Villeneuve.
On January 1, 1968, Villeneuve-Saint-Georges, which until then had been part of the department of Seine-et-Oise, became one of the municipalities of the new
Val-de-Marne
Val-de-Marne (, "Vale of the Marne") is a department of France located in the Île-de-France region. Named after the river Marne, it is situated in the Grand Paris metropolis to the southeast of the City of Paris. In 2019, Val-de-Marne had a pop ...
.
21st Century
The town, compared to the rest of Val-de-Marne, is perceived as noisy and undesirable place to go. It has lost its charm during the 18th and 19th centuries, and starting from 1980 workers have deserted the city, leaving a mostly immigrant population, most from the Maghreb. A final destination for most of these immigrants, the gathering of these communities have made it unappealing to local French.
The
Route Nationale 6
The Route nationale 6 is a trunk road ( nationale) in France between Paris and the frontier with Italy in the Alps.
Reclassification
The RN 6 runs parallel for a long portion of its route to the A 6 autoroute. As a result, portions of the roa ...
cuts through the commune and runs parallel to the RER line, producing much noise. The N6 is also famous for having long traffic jams at the junction between the N6, N406 and the A86 Ring road.
The commune is served by multiple primary schools.
Secondary schools:
* Three junior high schools: Collège Pierre-Brossolette, Collège Jules-Ferry, Collège Roland-Garros
* One senior high school: Lycée François Arago
Eastleigh
Eastleigh is a town in Hampshire, England, between Southampton and Winchester. It is the largest town and the administrative seat of the Borough of Eastleigh, with a population of 24,011 at the 2011 census.
The town lies on the River Itchen, o ...
Jérémy Cordoval
Jérémy Cordoval (born 12 January 1990) is a professional footballer who plays as a right-back for Championnat National 2 club Hyères. Born in metropolitan France, he plays for the Guadeloupe national team.
Club career
In June 2016, it was a ...
, footballer
*
Jacques Faty
Jacques Faty (born 25 February 1984) is a former professional footballer who played as a central defender. Born in France, he represented Senegal at international level.
Club career
Rennes
Born in Villeneuve-Saint-Georges, Val-de-Marne, Faty w ...
, footballer
*
Ricardo Faty
Ricardo William Faty (born 4 August 1986) is a professional footballer who plays as a midfielder. Born in France, he represents the Senegal national team.
Career
Faty was born in Villeneuve-Saint-Georges, France. His football career began wit ...
, French-Senegalese footballer
*
Yoan Gouffran
Yoan Patrick Gouffran (born 25 May 1986) is a former French professional footballer, who played as a striker or a winger and was renowned for his pace and ability to finish with either foot.
Club career
Gouffran was born in Villeneuve-Saint-Ge ...
Geoffrey Lembet
Geoffrey Didace Lembet (born 23 September 1988) is a professional footballer who plays for French club Sedan as a goalkeeper. Born in France, he represents Central African Republic at international level.
Career
Born in Villeneuve-Saint-George ...
Therry Racon
Therry Norbert Racon (born 1 May 1984) is a French footballer who plays as a midfielder.
Club career Early career
Born in Villeneuve-Saint-Georges, Val-de-Marne, Racon made his professional debut with Olympique de Marseille, on 1 May 2004, aga ...
, footballer
* MC Solaar, hip hop and rap artist
*
Mickaël Tavares
Mickaël Zidro Tavares (born 25 October 1982) is a Senegalese association football, footballer who plays as a Midfielder#Defensive midfielder, defensive midfielder for French lower-league side US Sénart-Moissy, Sénart-Moissy. He has 25 caps fo ...
, French-Senegalese footballer
*
Patrick Pelloux
Patrick Pelloux (born 19 August 1963 in Villeneuve-Saint-Georges, Val-de-Marne) is a French physician and activist. He is a specialist of emergency medical services.
Biography
Patrick Pelloux became well known in France during the 2003 European h ...
, emergency physician
*
Cécile Duflot
Cécile Duflot (; born 1 April 1975) is a French non-governmental organisation (NGO) leader and former politician. She has been a government minister and political party leader.
She was Minister of Territorial Equality and Housing (french: Mi ...
, member of
French National Assembly
The National Assembly (french: link=no, italics=set, Assemblée nationale; ) is the lower house of the bicameral French Parliament under the Fifth Republic, the upper house being the Senate (). The National Assembly's legislators are known a ...
for
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. S ...
and Minister of Housing in 2012–2014
* Niska, hip hop and rap artist
See also
*
Communes of the Val-de-Marne department
This page lists the 47 communes of the Val-de-Marne department of France on 1 January 2021. Since January 2016, all communes of the department are part of the intercommunality Métropole du Grand Paris.
List of communes
Urbanism
Refere ...