Rocquencourt

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For the commune in the Oise département, see Rocquencourt, Oise.

Rocquencourt is a commune of the Yvelines département, in the Île-de-France région, in France. Its postal code is 78150. The INSEE code is 78524. Population (1999): 3,218.

It is mostly known for:

hosting a research unit of INRIA (in the Domaine de Voluceau, formerly Camp Voluceau, used by SHAPE);
having a freeway exchange known as the Rocquencourt Triangle (triangle de Rocquencourt), often heard about in traffic news.

[edit] History

On 1 July 1815, Napoleon's Grande Armée fought its last battle in Rocquencourt and Le Chesnay. After the defeat of Waterloo on 18 June 1815, Grouchy's army withdrew to Paris via Namur and Dinant, reaching Paris on 29 June, a few days before the Prussians, who camped at Versailles.

While negotiating the final armistice, Exelmans was ordered to attack the Prussians at Versailles on 1 July 1815. Under attack the Prussians retreated from Versailles and headed east, but were blocked by the French at Vélizy. They failed to re-enter Versailles and headed for Saint-Germain-en-Laye. Their first squadron came under fire at the entrance of Rocquencourt and attempted to escape through the fields. They were forced into a small, narrow street in Le Chesnay and killed or captured. However, the main body of the Prussian army succeeded in reaching Saint-Germain. (From Presentation of Rocquencourt)