Essonne
Encyclopedia
Essonne is a French
department in the region
of Île-de-France
. It is named after the Essonne River
.
It was formed on 1 January 1968 when Seine-et-Oise
was split into smaller departments.
.
In June 1963 Carrefour S.A.
opened the first hypermarket in the Paris region
at Sainte-Geneviève-des-Bois
(although the word "hypermarche" was first used only in 1966). Based on the ideas put forward by the American logistics pioneer Bernardo Trujillo, the centre offered on a single 2500 m² (2,989.98 sq yd) site a hitherto unknown combination of wide choice and low prices, supported by 400 car parking spaces.
In 1969, the communes
of Châteaufort
and Toussus-le-Noble
were separated from Essonne and added to the department of Yvelines
.
.
It has borders with the departments of:
All of northern Essonne department belongs to the Parisian agglomeration and is very urbanized. The south remains rural.
In descending order, the cities over 25,000 population are: Évry, Corbeil-Essonnes
, Massy, Savigny-sur-Orge
, Sainte-Geneviève-des-Bois
, Viry-Châtillon
, Athis-Mons
, Palaiseau
, Draveil
, Yerres
, Les Ulis
, and Vigneux-sur-Seine
. Milly-la-Forêt
is an example of its more rural communes.
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
department in the region
Régions of France
France is divided into 27 administrative regions , 22 of which are in Metropolitan France, and five of which are overseas. Corsica is a territorial collectivity , but is considered a region in mainstream usage, and is even shown as such on the INSEE website...
of Île-de-France
Île-de-France (région)
Île-de-France is the wealthiest and most populated of the twenty-two administrative regions of France, composed mostly of the Paris metropolitan area....
. It is named after the Essonne River
Essonne River
The Essonne is a 97 km long French river. It is a tributary off the left bank of the Seine. Its course crosses the departments of Loiret and Essonne, and it gives its name to the latter...
.
It was formed on 1 January 1968 when Seine-et-Oise
Seine-et-Oise
Seine-et-Oise was a département of France encompassing the western, northern, and southern parts of the metropolitan area of Paris. Its préfecture was Versailles and its official number was 78. Seine-et-Oise was abolished in 1968....
was split into smaller departments.
History
The Essonne department was created on 1 January 1968, from the southern portion of the former department of Seine-et-OiseSeine-et-Oise
Seine-et-Oise was a département of France encompassing the western, northern, and southern parts of the metropolitan area of Paris. Its préfecture was Versailles and its official number was 78. Seine-et-Oise was abolished in 1968....
.
In June 1963 Carrefour S.A.
Carrefour
Carrefour S.A. is an international hypermarket chain headquartered in Levallois-Perret, France. It is one of the largest hypermarket chains in the world...
opened the first hypermarket in the Paris region
Île-de-France (région)
Île-de-France is the wealthiest and most populated of the twenty-two administrative regions of France, composed mostly of the Paris metropolitan area....
at Sainte-Geneviève-des-Bois
Sainte-Geneviève-des-Bois, Essonne
Sainte-Geneviève-des-Bois is a commune in the southern suburbs of Paris, France. It is located from the center of Paris.Sainte-Geneviève-des-Bois lies just north of junction 42 on the orbital Francilienne autoroute....
(although the word "hypermarche" was first used only in 1966). Based on the ideas put forward by the American logistics pioneer Bernardo Trujillo, the centre offered on a single 2500 m² (2,989.98 sq yd) site a hitherto unknown combination of wide choice and low prices, supported by 400 car parking spaces.
In 1969, the communes
Communes of France
The commune is the lowest level of administrative division in the French Republic. French communes are roughly equivalent to incorporated municipalities or villages in the United States or Gemeinden in Germany...
of Châteaufort
Châteaufort, Yvelines
Châteaufort is a commune in the Yvelines department in the Île-de-France in north-central France.It is located south of Versailles, and southwest of Paris.Châteaufort inhabitants are named Castelfortain....
and Toussus-le-Noble
Toussus-le-Noble
Toussus-le-Noble is a commune in the Yvelines department in the Île-de-France in north-central France.-History:In 1969, the communes of Châteaufort and Toussus-le-Noble were separated from the Essonne department and added to Yvelines.-References:*...
were separated from Essonne and added to the department of Yvelines
Yvelines
Yvelines is a French department in the region of Île-de-France.-History:Yvelines was created from the western part of the defunct department of Seine-et-Oise on 1 January 1968 in accordance with a law passed on 10 January 1964 and a décret d'application from 26 February 1965.It gained the...
.
Geography
Essonne belongs to the region of Île-de-FranceÎle-de-France (région)
Île-de-France is the wealthiest and most populated of the twenty-two administrative regions of France, composed mostly of the Paris metropolitan area....
.
It has borders with the departments of:
- Hauts-de-SeineHauts-de-SeineHauts-de-Seine is designated number 92 of the 101 départements in France. It is part of the Île-de-France region, and covers the western inner suburbs of Paris...
and Val-de-MarneVal-de-MarneVal-de-Marne is a French department, named after the Marne River, located in the Île-de-France region. The department is situated to the southeast of the city of Paris.- Geography :...
to the north, - Seine-et-MarneSeine-et-MarneSeine-et-Marne is a French department, named after the Seine and Marne rivers, and located in the Île-de-France region.- History:Seine-et-Marne is one of the original 83 departments, created on March 4, 1790 during the French Revolution in application of the law of December 22, 1789...
to the east, - LoiretLoiretLoiret is a department in north-central FranceThe department is named after the river Loiret, a tributary of the Loire. The Loiret is located wholly within the department.- History :...
to the south, - Eure-et-LoirEure-et-LoirEure-et-Loir is a French department, named after the Eure and Loir rivers.-History:Eure-et-Loir is one of the original 83 departments created during the French Revolution on March 4, 1790 pursuant to the Act of December 22, 1789...
and YvelinesYvelinesYvelines is a French department in the region of Île-de-France.-History:Yvelines was created from the western part of the defunct department of Seine-et-Oise on 1 January 1968 in accordance with a law passed on 10 January 1964 and a décret d'application from 26 February 1965.It gained the...
to the west.
All of northern Essonne department belongs to the Parisian agglomeration and is very urbanized. The south remains rural.
In descending order, the cities over 25,000 population are: Évry, Corbeil-Essonnes
Corbeil-Essonnes
Corbeil-Essonnes is a commune in the southern suburbs of Paris, France. It is located from the center of Paris.Although neighboring Évry is the official seat of the Arrondissement of Évry, the sub-prefecture building and administration are located inside the commune of Corbeil-Essonnes.In the 19th...
, Massy, Savigny-sur-Orge
Savigny-sur-Orge
Savigny-sur-Orge is a commune in the southern suburbs of Paris, France. It is located 19.1 km from the center of Paris in the département of Essonne.During the 2005 civil unrest in France, Savigny was the first city to implement a curfew...
, Sainte-Geneviève-des-Bois
Sainte-Geneviève-des-Bois, Essonne
Sainte-Geneviève-des-Bois is a commune in the southern suburbs of Paris, France. It is located from the center of Paris.Sainte-Geneviève-des-Bois lies just north of junction 42 on the orbital Francilienne autoroute....
, Viry-Châtillon
Viry-Châtillon
Viry-Châtillon is a commune in the southern suburbs of Paris, France. It is located from the center of Paris.Inhabitants of Viry-Châtillon are known as Castelvirois.-Transport:Viry-Châtillon is served by Viry-Châtillon station on Paris RER line D....
, Athis-Mons
Athis-Mons
Athis-Mons is a commune in the southern suburbs of Paris, France. It is located from the center of Paris.Inhabitants are called Athégiens.A small part of Orly International Airport lies on the territory of the commune of Athis-Mons.-History:...
, Palaiseau
Palaiseau
Palaiseau is a commune in the southern suburbs of Paris, France. It is located from the center of Paris. Palaiseau is a sub-prefecture of the Essonne department and the seat of the Arrondissement of Palaiseau....
, Draveil
Draveil
Draveil is a commune in the southern suburbs of Paris, France. It is located from the center of Paris.The former village of Champrosay is now part of the commune.Inhabitants of Draveil are known as Draveillois.-Transport:...
, Yerres
Yerres
Yerres is a commune in the southeastern suburbs of Paris, France. It is located from the center of Paris.Inhabitants are called Yerrois.-Geography:Yerres lies in the North-Eastern part of Essonne and bordering the Val-de-Marne...
, Les Ulis
Les Ulis
Les Ulis is a commune in the Essonne department located in the southwestern suburbs of Paris, France. It is from the center of Paris.Inhabitants of Les Ulis are known as Ulissiens.- Location :...
, and Vigneux-sur-Seine
Vigneux-sur-Seine
Vigneux-sur-Seine is a commune in the southern suburbs of Paris, France. It is located from the center of Paris.Inhabitants of Vigneux-sur-Seine are known as Vigneusiens.-Transport:...
. Milly-la-Forêt
Milly-la-Forêt
Milly-la-Forêt is a commune in the Essonne department in Île-de-France in northern France.-Geology:The Forest of Fontainebleau in the western end of which Milly-la-Forêt lies, is composed of the Oligocene Fontainebleau sands, which are a marine deposit, laid down in an intertidal...
is an example of its more rural communes.
Main sights
- L'École Polytechnique. Founded in 1794, L'Ecole Polytechnique is one of the most prestigious engineering universities in FranceFranceThe French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
. This university was ranked 10th in the world by the Times Higher Education Supplement in 2005. Its campus is in the town of PalaiseauPalaiseauPalaiseau is a commune in the southern suburbs of Paris, France. It is located from the center of Paris. Palaiseau is a sub-prefecture of the Essonne department and the seat of the Arrondissement of Palaiseau....
. - Université de Paris-Sud. One of the best public schools in France, it is ranked 52nd by Academic Ranking of World UniversitiesAcademic Ranking of World UniversitiesThe Academic Ranking of World Universities , commonly known as the Shanghai ranking, is a publication that was founded and compiled by the Shanghai Jiaotong University to rank universities globally. The rankings have been conducted since 2003 and updated annually...
. It is best known for its physics department. Located in OrsayOrsayOrsay is a commune in the Essonne department in Île-de-France in northern France. It is located in the southwestern suburbs of Paris, France, from the center of Paris.Inhabitants of Orsay are known as Orcéens.-History:...
, Essonne, about 26,000 students are enrolled. - The Headquarters of the ArianespaceArianespaceArianespace SA is a French company founded in 1980 as the world's first commercial space transportation company. It undertakes the production, operation, and marketing of the Ariane 5 rocket launcher as part of the Ariane programme....
Company, a major commercial aerospace launcher, servicing companies who wish to launch satellites into space. - Château de MontlhéryMontlhéryMontlhéry is a commune in the Essonne department in Île-de-France in northern France. It is located from Paris.Inhabitants of Montlhéry are known as Montlhériens.-History:...
. Originally having been an ancient fort during Roman times, the first feudal lords began to inhabit the castle around 1000 AD. One major battle was fought in the castle during its lifetime. In 1465, Charles the Rash and French King Louis XI fought in the plains in front of the castle. In 1842, the reconstruction of the castle was started, and currently is being maintained by the local town of MontlheryMontlhéryMontlhéry is a commune in the Essonne department in Île-de-France in northern France. It is located from Paris.Inhabitants of Montlhéry are known as Montlhériens.-History:... - Château de CourancesChâteau de CourancesThe Château de Courances at Courances is a French château built in approximately 1630.- House :In 1552, Côme Clausse, a notary and royal secretary to the King, acquired from the Lapite family the former seigneurial dwelling at Courances, at the western edge of the Forest of Fontainebleau...
- The Forest of SénartThe Forest of SénartLocated in Essonne, it covers 3,500 hectares in area, this forest is very important to the local population. The local government has kept roads and agricultural companies from cutting down parts of this forest...
. Covering 3,500 hectares in area, this forest is very important to the local population. The local government has kept roads and agricultural companies from cutting down parts of this forest. The forest receives between two and three million visitors annually, and the government spends 1.2 million euros a year maintaining it. - Telecom Sudparis. Situated in Évry, this is a grande ecole for engineers
Place of birth of residents
See also
- Cantons of the Essonne department
- Communes of the Essonne department
- Arrondissements of the Essonne department