La Roche-sur-Yon

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La Roche-sur-Yon
Place Napoléon Eglise Saint-Louis.JPG
Square Napoléon and Saint-Louis Church
Coat of arms of La Roche-sur-Yon
La Roche-sur-Yon is located in France
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La Roche-sur-Yon
Administration
Country France
Region Pays de la Loire
Department Vendée
Arrondissement La Roche-sur-Yon
Canton La Roche-sur-Yon-Nord and La Roche-sur-Yon-Sud
Intercommunality Pays yonnais
Mayor Pierre Regnault
(2008–2012)
Statistics
Elevation 32–94 m (105–308 ft)
(avg. 74 m or 243 ft)
Land area1 87.52 km2 (33.79 sq mi)
Population2 54,116  (2006)
 - Density 618 /km2 (1,600 /sq mi)
INSEE/Postal code 85191/ 85000
1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km² (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries.
2 Population without double counting: residents of multiple communes (e.g., students and military personnel) only counted once.

Coordinates: 46°40′14″N 1°25′34″W / 46.6705°N 1.426°W / 46.6705; -1.426

La Roche-sur-Yon (pronounced: [la ʁɔʃ syʁ jɔ̃]) is a commune in the Vendée department in the Pays de la Loire region in western France.

It is the capital of the department. Its inhabitants are called Yonnais.

Contents

[edit] History

The town expanded significantly after Napoleon I had chosen the site as the new préfecture of the Vendée on 25 May 1804, replacing Fontenay-le-Comte (then under its revolutionary name of Fontenay-le-Peuple). At the time, most of La Roche had been eradicated in the Vendée Revolt (1793–96); the renamed Napoléonville was laid out and a fresh population of soldiers and civil servants was brought in. Napoléonville was designed to accommodate 15,000 people.[1] In 1854, La Roche was described in an English guide as "the dullest town in France".[2]

The town was called successively:

[edit] Geography

The river Yon flows southward through the commune and crosses the town.

[edit] Administration

The Communauté d'Agglomération "La Roche-sur-Yon Agglomération" contains 15 communes:

La Roche-sur-Yon is the chief town of the Arrondissement of La Roche-sur-Yon, which covers 11 cantons, 92 communes, and has a population of 230,386 (1999 census).

La-Roche-sur-Yon is chief town of two cantons, covering 12 communes, with a total population of 70,709.

  • Cantons: seat of 2 cantons (12 communes,70,709 inhabitants)
  • Population with double accounts(1999): 52,947 inhabitants
  • Population without double accounts (1999): 49,262 inhabitants
  • Intercommunality (2004): Communauté d'Agglomération 79,665 inhabitants

[edit] Main sights

  • Saint-Louis church and Napoléon square

  • Napoléon's statue (1854)

  • Kiosk on Napoléon square

  • Saint-Louis church

  • Saint-Louis church

  • Saint-Louis church organ

  • Theatre

  • Old Hospital

  • Museum

  • Post office

  • Prefecture building

  • Sacré-cœur church

  • Renaissance house (1566)

  • Old Palais de Justice

  • Benjamin Rabier media library

  • Train station

  • Abbey of Fontenelles

[edit] Transport

The Gare de La Roche-sur-Yon railway station offers connections to Nantes, Paris, Les Sables-d'Olonne, Bordeaux and several regional destinations. The A87 motorway connects La Roche-sur-Yon with Les Sables-d'Olonne and Angers, the A83 with Nantes and Niort.

[edit] Twin towns

La Roche-sur-Yon is twinned with:

[edit] See also

[edit] References

  1. ^ Graham Robb, The Discovery of France, Picador, London (2007), pp257-8
  2. ^ John Murray et al, A Handbook for Travellers in France (1854), quoted in Graham Robb, The Discovery of France, Picador, London (2007), p.258

[edit] External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: La Roche-sur-Yon
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