Meudon
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Meudon | |
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 Observatory of Meudon | |
 Coat of arms | |
 Parisand inner ring départements | |
Location of Meudon  | |
  Meudon  Meudon | |
| Coordinates:48°48′44″N2°14′17″E/ 48.812309°N 2.238150°E | |
| Country | France |
| Region | Île-de-France |
| Department | Hauts-de-Seine |
| Arrondissement | Boulogne-Billancourt |
| Canton | Meudon |
| Intercommunality | Grand Paris |
| Government | |
| • Mayor(2020–2026) | Denis Larghero[1](UDI) |
| Area 1 | 9.90 km2(3.82 sq mi) |
| Population (2021)[2] | 46,342 |
| • Density | 4,700/km2(12,000/sq mi) |
| Time zone | UTC+01:00(CET) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+02:00(CEST) |
| INSEE/Postal code | 92048/92190, 92360 |
| Elevation | 28–179 m (92–587 ft) (avg. 103 m or 338 ft) |
| 1French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km2(0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries. | |
Meudon(French pronunciation:[mødɔ̃]) is amunicipalityin the southwestern suburbs ofParis,France. It is in the département ofHauts-de-Seine.It is located 9.1 km (5.7 mi) from thecenter of Paris.The city is known for many historic monuments and some extraordinary trees.
Geography
[edit]
The town of Meudon is built on the hills and valleys of theSeine.The wood of Meudon lies for the most part to the west of the town.
The north-west part of Meudon, overlooking the Seine, is known asBellevue( "beautiful view" ).
The neighboring communes are:Sèvres(North-west),Boulogne-Billancourt(North);Issy-les-Moulineaux(northeast),Clamart(east and southeast),Vélizy(south and southwest) andChaville(west).
The town includes several districts: Meudon-sur-Seine, Val Fleury, Meudon-Centre, Bellevue and Meudon-La-Forêt.
History
[edit]At Meudon, theargile plastiqueclaywas extensively mined in the 19th century. The firstfossilof the EuropeandiatrymaGastornis parisiensiswas discovered in these deposits byGaston Planté.
Archaeological sites show that Meudon has been populated sinceNeolithictimes.
TheGaulscalled the areaMol-Dum(sand dune), and the Romans Latinized the name asMoldunum.
The handsome Galliera Institutions, on the hill of Fleury, were founded by the duchess of Galliera for the care of aged persons and orphans. The buildings were completed in 1885.
The oldcastle of Meudonwas rebuilt in Renaissance style in the mid-sixteenth century. It was bought byLouis XIVas a residence for his sonLouis, the Dauphinunder whom Meudon became a center of aristocratic life. After the death of the Dauphin in 1711, the château was neglected, emptied in theRevolutionary sales,and finally burned in 1871 at the close of theFranco-Prussian War,while it was occupied by Prussian soldiers. A branch of theParis Observatorywas founded on the ruins in 1877. The Meudon town hall is about 43 m (141.08 ft) in altitude above that of Paris and the climb from there to the observatory offers some rewarding views of Paris.
Automotive pioneering
[edit]Nicolas-Joseph Cugnot,the inventor of the'world's first automobile',is reported to have carried out some early trials at Meudon in the early 1770s.
Pioneering aviation
[edit]Chalais-Meudonwas important in the pioneering of aviation, initiallyballoonsandairships,but also the early heavier-than-air machines. ACorps d'Aérostatiersunder the command ofJean-Marie-Joseph Coutellewas established in 1794, its balloons being used at theBattle of Fleurus.'Hangar Y' (at48°47′52″N2°13′59″E/ 48.7977°N 2.233°E) was built in 1880 at the request of the military engineer CaptainCharles Renard(1847–1905), for the construction of balloons and airships. The building is 70 m (230 ft) long, 24 m (79 ft) wide and around 26 m (85 ft) high. The airshipLa France,designed by Renard andArthur Krebs,was built in Hangar Y in 1884 and was the first airship which was controllable during flight and which could return to its starting point.
Population
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| Source: EHESS[4]and INSEE (1968-2017)[5] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Economy
[edit]Although a choice residential district, access to the railway (RER) and the Seine river have made Meudon a manufacturing center since the 1840s. Metal products and military explosives have been continuously produced there since then.
Scientific facilities
[edit]In addition to the Observatory, what is todayONERA,a national aerospace research institute andwind tunnelhas been present since the military opened its aerostatic (lighter-than-air) field in the Chalais park in 1877. From 1921 to 1981 the Air Museum was located here until it moved toLe Bourget Airport.
CNRShas a campus inBellevue.
Public transport
[edit]
Meudon is well served by public transport operated jointly by theSNCFand theRATP.
Meudon is served by line C of the RER byMeudon – Val Fleurystation.
Meudon is also served by the Transilien Line N throughMeudon stationandBellevue station.
The T2 tramway line linksPont de Bezonsstation toPorte de Versaillesstation. It stops byLa Défense.Meudon is served byBrimborionandMeudon-sur-Seinestations.
The T6 tramway line runs fromChâtillontoViroflay.Meudon is served by Georges Millandy and Meudon la Forêt stations.
Meudon is served by twelve lines of the RATP bus network, that have numerous stops in the city:
- Line 162 runs from Arceuil –CachanRER station toVillejuif Louis Aragon.
- Line 169 runs fromPont de Sèvresto the Georges Pompidouhospital.
- Line 179 runs fromPont de Sèvresto theRobinson RER station.
- Line 190 runs fromPetit ClamarttoMairie d'Issy.
- Line 289 runs fromPorte de Saint-CloudtoClamart– Cité de la Plaine.
- Line 290 runs fromLe Plessis-RobinsontoIssy-Val-de-Seine.
- Line 291 runs fromPont de Sèvresto Vélizy Europe Sud.
- Line 379 runs fromVélizy 2toAntony–La Croix de Berny RER station.
- Line 389 runs fromPont de Sèvresto Meudon-la-Forêt.
- Line 390 runs fromVélizy Villacoublayto theBourg-la-ReineRER station.
The area was once served by theBellevue funicular,a model of which is in the local Museum of Art and History.
Education
[edit]Public schools:
- Three groups of preschools and elementary schools[6]
- Nine standalone preschools[7]
- Six standalone public elementary schools[8]
- Three junior high schools: Collège Armande Béjart, Collège Bel Air, Collège Rabelais[9]
- Two senior high schools:Lycée RabelaisandLycée des métiers Les Côtes de Villebon[9]
Private schools:
- One junior and senior high schoolInstitut Notre-Dame[9]
- One elementary school through junior high school[10]
- Three preschools-elementary schools[10]
International relations
[edit]
Brezno,Slovakia
Celle,Germany
Ciechanów,Poland
Mazkeret Batia,Israel
Rushmoor,England, United Kingdom
Woluwe-Saint-Lambert,Belgium
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Coat of arms at twin townCelle(Germany), granite artwork below signpost
Cultural heritage
[edit]The Imperial Cedar (Cèdre Impérial), attracted the attention ofEmpress EugénieandQueen Victoria.[12]As of March 2021, the tree is in good condition, but it is threatened by real estate speculation. Another real estate project is planned for the historic park of the Napoleon III villa built byCharles Schacher.Both projects are controversial and have aroused local opposition.
Personalities
[edit]- PainterMay Alcottlived here until her death.
- Émilie Ambre,the French opera singer, lived on an estate in Meudon bought for her by her then-loverWilliam III of the Netherlandsin 1877
- ArtistsJean ArpandSophie Taeuber-Arpwere resident here from 1929 to 1940. Their neighbours were the artist and architectTheo van Doesburgand his wife Nelly.
- Édouard-Gérard Balbiani(1823–1899), embryologist, died in Meudon
- The 20th-century French lawyer and IslamologistGeorges-Henri Bousquet(1900–1978) was born in Meudon.
- Louis-Ferdinand Célinelived here until his death, and is buried in Cimetière Longs Réages, Bas Meudon.
- Gregoire Defrel,footballer
- Madame de Pompadourlived in theChâteau de Bellevue,built for her byLouis XVin 1750; it was demolished in 1823.
- Lorenzo Callegari,footballer
- Souleymane Doukara,footballer
- Marcel Dupré,perhaps the most famous French organist of the 20th century, lived and worked in Meudon. He transformed his home into a small concert hall; the current owners of the home still hold public concerts there.[13]
- Nicolas Isimat-Mirin,footballer
- The painterGwen Johnlived in Meudon from 1911 until just before her death in 1939.
- Argeline Buise the model for Gwen Johns' painting The Pilgrim (1920) was a resident of Meudon. Gwen painted her "again and again"[14]
- Lionel Jospin,former France prime minister, was born here.
- André Kertész,photographer legend, took a famous photo of the train viaduct in Meudon.
- Charle-Michel Marle, mathematician, born in 1934, has lived in Meudon since 1970.
- Jean-Luc Marionwas born in 1946.
- The artistJean Metzingerlived and worked in Meudon from around 1911, during some of the crucial years ofCubism.
- George Simeon Papadopoulos,OBE, Professor of History, Dep. Director of Education Department of OECD (1925–2012)
- Clémence Poésy,French actress attended the bilingual alternative schoolLa Source,Meudon, and is best known for her portrayal of Fleur Delacour in theHarry Potter and the Goblet of Firemovie.
- The town has a monument toRabelaiswho died here ascanonof Meudon, where he held the benefice from 1551 to 1552.
- Jean Robiquet,art historian and curator was born in Meudon 6 July 1874.
- SculptorAuguste Rodin's villa "des Brillants", now a museum of his art, is located here, as is his grave.
- Jean-Paul Sartregrew up at his maternal grandfather's house in Meudon, as recounted in his memoirThe Words
- Adama Soumare,footballer
- Grand DukeBoris Vladimirovich of Russialived here in exile in Château Sans-Souci (in Bellevue), from 1920.
- Richard Wagnerwas a resident (No. 27 Av. du Château), and here composedThe Flying Dutchman.
See also
[edit]- Communes of the Hauts-de-Seine department
- A statue of François Rabelais byGeorges Saupiquestands in front of the Meudon town hall. François Rabelais was the parish priest of Meudon from 1551 to 1553
- Chateau de Meudon
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.
- ^Ville de Meudon, Aviation, Archdeacon and Wright No 3Archived1 March 2009 at theWayback Machine
- ^Des villages de Cassini aux communes d'aujourd'hui:Commune data sheet Meudon,EHESS(in French).
- ^Population en historique depuis 1968,INSEE
- ^"Écoles maternelles." Meudon. p.1–2.Retrieved on 7 September 2016.
- ^"Écoles maternelles." Meudon. p.1.Retrieved on 7 September 2016.
- ^"Écoles élémentaires." Meudon. p.1.Retrieved on 7 September 2016.
- ^abc"Collèges et lycées."Meudon. Retrieved on 7 September 2016.
- ^ab"Écoles maternelles." Meudon. p.2.Retrieved on 7 September 2016.
- ^"Jumelages".meudon.fr(in French). Meudon.Retrieved19 November2019.
- ^History of the Imperial Cedar of Meudon
- ^l'Association pour la Sauvegarde de l'Orgue de Marcel DupréArchived3 April 2011 at theWayback Machine
- ^https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H-ZahMymu9w
External links
[edit]
- Ville de Meudon website
- Le musée de Meudon
- Observatoire de Paris(Paris Observatory)
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