Maisons-Alfort

Coordinates: 48°48′21″N 2°26′27″E / 48.80583°N 2.44083°E / 48.80583; 2.44083

Commune of Maisons-Alfort
Location
Paris and inner ring départements
Coordinates	48°48′21″N 2°26′27″E / 48.80583°N 2.44083°E / 48.80583; 2.44083
Administration
Country	France
Region	Île-de-France
Department	Val-de-Marne
Arrondissement	Créteil
Canton	2 cantons
Mayor	Michel Herbillon
Statistics
Elevation	24–47 m (79–150 ft)
Land area1	5.38 km2 (2.08 sq mi)
Population2	53,900  (2005 [1])
- Density	10,019 /km² (25,950 /sq mi)
Miscellaneous
INSEE/Postal code	94046/ 94700
1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km² (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries.
2 Population sans doubles comptes: residents of multiple communes (e.g., students and military personnel) only counted once.

Maisons-Alfort is a commune in the southeastern suburbs of Paris, France. It is located 8.4 km (5.2 mi). (5.2 miles) from the center of Paris.

Maisons-Alfort is famous as the location of the National Veterinary School of Alfort, the most renowned veterinary medical school in France. The Fort de Charenton, constructed between 1841 and 1845, has since 1959 housed the Commandement des Écoles de la Gendarmerie Nationale.

Name

Originally, Maisons-Alfort was called simply Maisons. The name Maisons comes from Medieval Latin Mansiones, meaning "the houses".

At the creation of the commune during the French Revolution, the name of the hamlet of Alfort was joined with the name of Maisons. The name Alfort comes from the manor built there by Peter of Aigueblanche, Bishop of Hereford (England), in the middle of the 13th century. The name of this Manor of Hereford was corrupted into Harefort, then Hallefort, and eventually Alfort. The National Veterinary School of Alfort was settled several centuries later in the manor and its estate.

History

On April 1, 1885, 40% of the territory of Maisons-Alfort was detached and became the commune of Alfortville.

In 1905, Buffalo Bill stayed two months in Maisons-Alfort while his famous Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Show performed in Paris.

Demographics

Immigration

Administration

Maisons-Alfort is divided into two cantons:

• Maisons-Alfort-Nord, with 23,704 inhabitants;
• Maisons-Alfort-Sud, with 27 399 inhabitants.

Points of interest

• École nationale vétérinaire d'Alfort
• Jardin botanique de l'École nationale vétérinaire d'Alfort
• Musée Fragonard d'Alfort

Twinning

Maisons-Alfort is twinned with Moers in the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia.

Transport

Maisons-Alfort is served by three stations on Paris Métro Line 8: École Vétérinaire de Maisons-Alfort, Maisons-Alfort — Stade, and Maisons-Alfort — Les Juilliottes.

It is also served by two stations on Paris RER line D: Maisons-Alfort – Alfortville and Le Vert de Maisons.

References

1. ^ 2005 estimate, 51,103 at the 1999 census

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Maisons-Alfort

• Official website

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