Gentilly, Val-de-Marne

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For other places with the same name, see Gentilly.


Commune of Gentilly
Location
Paris and inner ring départements
Coordinates 48°48′54″N, 2°20′56″E
Administration
Country France
Region Île-de-France
Department Val-de-Marne
Arrondissement L'Haÿ-les-Roses
Intercommunality Communauté
d'agglomération
de Val de Bièvre
Statistics
Land area¹ 1.18 km²
Population²
(1999 census)
16,118
 - Density (1999) 13,659/km²
¹ French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km² (0.386 mi² or 247 acres) and river estuaries.
² Population sans doubles comptes: single count of residents of multiple communes (e.g. students and military personnel).
France

Gentilly is a commune in the southern suburbs of Paris, France. It is located 4.1 km. (2.5 miles) from the center of Paris. It is one of the most densely populated municipalities in Europe.

[edit] Name

The name Gentilly was recorded for the first time in the 6th century as Gentiliacum, a royal estate of some importance where coinage was minted. The etymology of the name seems to be "estate of Gentilius", a Gallo-Roman landowner. However, some other researchers think that the name is connected with Latin gentilis (meaning "gentile", "pagan", "foreigner") in reference to foreign goldsmiths who may have settled in Gentilly in the Early Middle Ages.

[edit] History

On January 1, 1860, the city of Paris was enlarged by annexing neighboring communes. On that occasion, about half of the commune of Gentilly was annexed to Paris, and forms now the neighborhoods of Maison-Blanche and Glacière, in the 13th arrondissement of Paris.

On December 13, 1896, about half of the territory of Gentilly was detached and became the commune of Le Kremlin-Bicêtre, leaving Gentilly as a rump commune after the 1860 and 1896 losses of territory.

[edit] Transport

Gentilly is served by Gentilly station on Paris RER line B.