Villers-Cotterêts
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This article may be expanded with text translated from the corresponding article in the French Wikipedia. (December 2008) Click [show] on the right for instructions.
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Villers-Cotterêts |
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| Main square with a statue of Alexandre Dumas | |
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 Villers-Cotterêts
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| Administration | |
|---|---|
| Country | France |
| Region | Picardy |
| Department | Aisne |
| Arrondissement | Soissons |
| Canton | Villers-Cotterêts |
| Intercommunality | Villers-Cotterêts–Forêt de Retz |
| Mayor | Jean-Claude Pruski (2008–2014) |
| Statistics | |
| Elevation | 65–226 m (213–741 ft) (avg. 120 m or 390 ft) |
| Land area1 | 41.71 km2 (16.10 sq mi) |
| Population2 | 10,168 (2008) |
| - Density | 244 /km2 (630 /sq mi) |
| INSEE/Postal code | 02810/ 02600 |
| 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: 49°15′36″N 3°05′26″E / 49.26°N 3.0906°E
Villers-Cotterêts (pronounced: [vi.lɛʁ kɔ.tə.ʁɛ] or [vi.le kɔ.tə.ʁɛ][1])is a commune in the Aisne department in Picardy in northern France.
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[edit] Geography
It is located 80 km (50 mi) NE of Paris via the RN2 facing Laon. Its nickname Petite villa sur la côte de Retz means Little villa by the coast of Retz, as the town is situated next to the Retz forest which covers 130 km2 (50 sq mi) of land.
[edit] History
Villers-Cotterêts is famous because of the Ordinance of Villers-Cotterêts 1539 signed by king Francis I of France ('François Ier') which made French the official language in the kingdom instead of regional languages like Occitan and also Latin.
In 1914, the British Expeditionary Force fought a rearguard action here during the Retreat from Mons. On 1 September, the British 4th (Guards) Brigade who were covering the withdrawal of 2nd Division, came into contact with the leading units of the German III Corps on the edge of woodland near Villers-Cotterêts. The brigade lost more than 300 men in the encounter, but were able to break away and continue the withdrawal.[2]
[edit] Population
| Year | 1793 | 1800 | 1806 | 1821 | 1831 | 1836 | 1841 | 1846 | 1851 | 1856 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 2400 | 2327 | 2273 | 2543 | 2688 | 2692 | 3481 | 3465 | 3602 | 2609 |
| Year | 1861 | 1866 | 1872 | 1876 | 1881 | 1886 | 1891 | 1896 | 1901 | 1906 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 2764 | 3396 | 3119 | 3206 | 3811 | 3790 | 4582 | 4772 | 4981 | 5381 |
| Year | 1911 | 1921 | 1926 | 1931 | 1936 | 1946 | 1954 | 1962 | 1968 | 1975 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 5654 | 4208 | 4610 | 4612 | 5070 | 3607 | 3917 | 5489 | 6313 | 8949 |
| Year | 1982 | 1990 | 1999 | 2008 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 8380 | 8867 | 9834 | 10,168 |
The inhabitants are called Cottereziens.
[edit] Personalities
It was the birthplace of Alexandre Dumas, père (1802–1870), novelist.
[edit] Sports
The town was the start of Stage 4 in the 2007 Tour de France.
[edit] Sights
The local château, known as Château de Noüe was built in the 16th century for Francis I and later got 18th century régence decoration by Gilles-Marie Oppenordt. The original château was built around 950 AD and was burnt to the ground twice before being rebuilt out of stone in the early 12th century. The front entrance is the only original remaining structure, which is listed with the Historic Monument Registry at the Beaux Arts. The château was purchased from the de Noüe family by Francis I to house his mistress Anne de Pissleux. The current owner is the Pepinieres du Valois, an agricultural venture.
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ "Villers-Cotterêts" (in French). Wiktionnaire. http://fr.wiktionary.org/wiki/Villers-Cotter%C3%AAts. Retrieved 2011-06-25.
- ^ Mons 1914: the BEF's Tactical Triumph by David Lomas and Ed Dovey, Osprey Publishing, 1997 p.85
[edit] External links
- Tourist office website (in French)
- Historic society of Villers-Cotterêts (in French)
- The Catholic Encyclopedia entry on Gilles-Marie Oppenordt
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