Coordinates:
48°53′49″N, 02°05′29″E
- For treaties with this name see Treaty of Saint-Germain-en-Laye
(disambiguation)
Saint-Germain-en-Laye is a commune in the western suburbs of
Paris in France. It is located
19.1 km (11.9 miles) from the center of Paris. Inhabitants are called Saint-Germanois.
It is a sous-préfecture of the Yvelines département, being the seat of the
Arrondissement of Saint-Germain-en-Laye. Because it includes the
National Forest of Saint-Germain-en-Laye, it covers approximately 48
km², making it the largest commune in Yvelines. It occupies a large loop of the Seine.
Saint-Germain-en-Laye lies at one of western terminus of the line A of the RER.
History
Saint-Germain-en-Laye was founded in 1020 when King Robert the Pious (ruled
996-1031) founded a convent on the site of the present Church of Saint-Germain.
-
Main article: Château de
Saint-Germain-en-Laye
Prior to the French Revolution in 1789, it had been a royal town and the Château de
Saint-Germain the residence of numerous French monarchs.
The Church of
Saint-Germain.
The old château was constructed in 1348 by King Charles
V on the foundations of an old castle (château-fort) dating from 1238 in
the time of Saint Louis. François I was
responsible for its subsequent restoration. In 1862, Napoleon III set up the
Musée des Antiquités Nationales in the estwhile royal château. This museum has exhibits ranging from Paleolithic to Celtic
times. The "Dame de Brassempouy" sculpted on a mammoth's ivory tusk around 23,000 years ago is the most famous exhibit in the
museum.
Kings Henri IV and Louis XIII left
their mark on the town.
Louis XIV was born in the château (the city's coat
of arms consequently shows a cradle and the date of his birth), and established Saint-Germain-en-Laye as his principal
residence from 1661 to 1681. Louis XIV turned over the château to King James II
after his exile from Britain after the Glorious Revolution in 1688. King James lived
in the Château for 13 years, and his daughter Marie-Louise Stuart was born in exile here in 1692.
King James Stuart is buried in the Church of Saint-Germain.
Saint-Germain-en-Laye is famous for its 2.4 kilometre long stone terrace built by André
Le Nôtre from 1669 to 1673. The terrace provides a view over the valley of the Seine and,
in the distance, Paris.
One of the German bunkers built in 1942
During the French Revolution, the name was changed along with many other places
whose names held connotations of religion or royalty. Saint-Germain-en-Laye became Montagne-du-Bon-Air.
In the 19th century, Napoleon I
established his cavalry officers training school in the Château-Vieux.
During the occupation from 1940 to 1944, the town was the
German Army Headquarters.
Transport
Saint-Germain-en-Laye is served by Saint-Germain-en-Laye station on
Paris RER line A.
It is also served by two stations on the Transilien Paris –
Saint-Lazare suburban rail line: Saint-Germain – Bel-Air – Fourqueux and Saint-Germain – Grande Ceinture.
Finally, Saint-Germain-en-Laye is also served by Achères – Grand Cormier station on Paris RER
line A and on the Transilien Paris – Saint-Lazare suburban rail line. This station is located in the middle of the
Forest of Saint-Germain-en-Laye, far away from the urbanized part of the
commune.
Miscellaneous
Births
Saint-Germain-en-Laye was the birthplace of:
Twin towns
Saint-Germain-en-Laye is twinned with:
- Aschaffenburg, Germany - since 1975
- Temara, Morocco - since 1982
- Ayr, Scotland - since 1984
- Winchester, Massachusetts, United States of America - since 1990
- Konstancin-Jeziorna, Poland - since 1992
External links
Wikimedia Commons has media related to:
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