Houdan
Houdan | |
|---|---|
 Town hall | |
 Coat of arms | |
Location of Houdan  | |
  Houdan  Houdan | |
| Coordinates:48°47′N1°36′E/ 48.79°N 1.60°E | |
| Country | France |
| Region | Île-de-France |
| Department | Yvelines |
| Arrondissement | Mantes-la-Jolie |
| Canton | Bonnières-sur-Seine |
| Intercommunality | Pays houdanais |
| Government | |
| • Mayor(2020–2026) | Jean-Marie Tétart[1] |
| Area 1 | 10.39 km2(4.01 sq mi) |
| Population (2021)[2] | 3,699 |
| • Density | 360/km2(920/sq mi) |
| Time zone | UTC+01:00(CET) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+02:00(CEST) |
| INSEE/Postal code | 78310/78550 |
| Elevation | 87–129 m (285–423 ft) (avg. 104 m or 341 ft) |
| 1French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km2(0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries. | |
Houdan(French:[udɑ̃]) is acommune of the Yvelines department63 kilometres (39 mi) west of Paris in the north ofFrance.
History
[edit]
The name has evolved from theSaxon"Hoding," meaning "settlement on the hill". Houdan is thought to have been inhabited since the 5th century. By the 12th century, two churches and a château were present.
During theHundred Years' War,the town changed hands and was pillaged frequently. The town was destroyed; only the 12th century keep survives from that period. After the war, the town was ruled by the English until 1475.
Houdan is mentioned in the Prophecies ofNostradamus.
Houdan was a staging post on the road from Paris toBrittany,and many old inns are still standing.
Houdan was also an importantpoultrymarket for Paris and a breed is named after the town. The breed is ornamental, but is also used for its meat and white eggs.
It is the site of the Boldoflorine factory which over the years had transformed fromabsinthedistillery to producer of herbal remedies andtisanes.In the 2000s the factory was converted to residential use.[3]
Population
[edit]| Year | Pop. | ±% p.a. |
|---|---|---|
| 1968 | 2,409 | — |
| 1975 | 2,873 | +2.55% |
| 1982 | 2,973 | +0.49% |
| 1990 | 2,912 | −0.26% |
| 1999 | 3,112 | +0.74% |
| 2007 | 3,181 | +0.27% |
| 2012 | 3,381 | +1.23% |
| 2017 | 3,640 | +1.49% |
| Source: INSEE[4] | ||
Infrastructure
[edit]Houdan station is on the train line betweenDreux stationinEure-et-Loir,and theGare Montparnassein Paris. It is on theroute nationale 12connecting Paris withBrittany,which once passed through, but now bypasses, the town.
Attractions
[edit]
- Vestiges of the old town wall fortifications, including akeepbuilt around 1135.
- Houses of the 15th and 16th centuries.
- Church, 15th - 17th centuries,Gothicstyle containing an organ (1735), and aRenaissance-style choir.
International relations
[edit]Houdan istwinnedwith:
Pangbourne,United Kingdom[5]
Baïla,Sénégal
References
[edit]- ^"Répertoire national des élus: les maires"(in French). data.gouv.fr, Plateforme ouverte des données publiques françaises. 13 September 2022.
- ^"Populations légales 2021"(in French).The National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies.28 December 2023.
- ^"La Boldoflorine".Houdan(in French). Ville de Houdan. 15 November 2018.Retrieved18 February2021.
- ^Population en historique depuis 1968,INSEE
- ^"British towns twinned with French towns".Archant Community Media Ltd.Archived fromthe originalon 2013-07-05.Retrieved2013-07-11.
External links
[edit]
- Houdan websiteArchived2004-06-09 at theWayback Machine
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