La Garenne-Colombes

La Garenne-Colombes

Train station
Paris and inner ring départements
Administration
Country France
Region Île-de-France
Department Hauts-de-Seine
Arrondissement Nanterre
Canton La Garenne-Colombes
Mayor Philippe Juvin
Statistics
Elevation 37–46 m (121–151 ft)
(avg. 41 m/135 ft)
Land area1 1.78 km2 (0.69 sq mi)
Population2 27,211  (2006)
 - Density 15,287 /km2 (39,590 /sq mi)
INSEE/Postal code 92035/ 92250
1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km² (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries.
2 Population without double counting: residents of multiple communes (e.g., students and military personnel) only counted once.

La Garenne-Colombes is a commune in the northwestern suburbs of Paris, France. It is located 9.6 km (6.0 mi) from Notre Dame de Paris which is the center of Paris. It is one of the most densely populated municipalities in Europe.

Contents

Name

The city used to be part of the neighbouring city of Colombes. At this time, before 1910, it was called "La Garenne de Colombes", which means "Colombes' Garenne". "Garenne" is French for "warren", so the English for "La Garenne-Colombes" could be "Columbia's warren" or "Warren of Columbia" ; yet the official translation of the name of the city is just "La Garenne-Colombes".

The explanation for the city being called "warren" is that it really used to be a warren where people would hunt. But this dates back to the French Royalty, at the 18th century or so.

Geography

La Garenne-Colombes is usually simply called "La Garenne", and nicknamed "petit Neuilly".

Surroundings

Four towns surround La Garenne-Colombes: Colombes (North), Bois-Colombes (East), Courbevoie (South) and Nanterre (West). The city is quiet small compared with the other cities in the Hauts-de-Seine, it is more or less as small as the first arrondissement of Paris. Very close to La Garenne-Colombes are La Défense and the Île de la Jatte island (Bowl Island).

Transportation

La Garenne-Colombes is served by two stations on the Transilien Paris – Saint-Lazare suburban rail line: La Garenne-Colombes and Les Vallées (this last station is located at the border between the commune of La Garenne-Colombes and the commune of Bois-Colombes, with a postal address in La Garenne-Colombes). The train has been used there since 1837.

The two stations directly join Paris's most important urban station (Gare Saint-Lazare, Saint-Lazare station) in 10 minutes and the biggest university in Paris (Paris Ouest La Défense University, Western Paris University La Défense) in 2 minutes.

In 1935, five Tramway lines crossed La Garenne-Colombes.

Many RATP Bus lines also cross the city: lines 73, 161, 163, 164, 176, 178, 262, 272, 278, 358 and 378.

Two RATP Noctilien night Bus lines cross the city: N24 and N152.

In 2012, the line 2 of the Parisian Tramway will cross La Garenne-Colombes, with two stations: Les Fauvelles (French for Wildcats) and Charlebourg. To join the center of the CBD, 2 to 4 minutes will be required by tramway.

History

The commune of La Garenne-Colombes was created on 2 May 1910 by detaching its territory from the commune of Colombes. Yet, it was urbanised much earlier. This entity was already mentioned in 1240 as "La Garenne dépendant de Colombes" ("La Garenne depending on Colombes").

Demography

Historical population of La Garenne-Colombes
Year 1911 1921 1926 1931 1936 1946 1954 1962 1968 1975 1982 1990 1999 2006
Population 14,534 18,512 20,545 23,167 24,734 24,080 26,753 27,341 26,562 24,038 20,990 21,754 24,067 27,211
From the year 1962 on: population without double counting—residents of multiple communes (e.g. students and military personnel) are counted only once.

As the commune's territory is entirely built up, population can only grow if buildings are demolished and replaced by bigger buildings for more people (higher, less gardens). Thereby the population will grow certainly over the 30,000 after many reconstructions in the "Champs-Philippe" neighbourhood, with a density over 17,000 inhabitants per square kilometres (43,855 inhabitants per square miles).

According to statistics, La Garenne-Colombes is an average city of the Hauts-de-Seine department (Paris region), which is one of the richest places in Europe.

Economy

The landscape looks like an American CBD. But this is in the suburbs of Paris, which do not look like downtown Paris districts of the Eiffel Tower or Champs-Elysées. Paradoxically, the most advanced part of the city of Paris, urbanly speaking, is on the outskirts of the city itself.

There used to be many workshops in La Garenne-Colombes, as in a large part of the Hauts-de-Seine department. Today, it mainly is a residential city. However, some 1200 business units are there.

Tertiary activity

The service is paramount in the economy of La Garenne-Colombes. The proximity of La Défense increases this phenomenon. There is :

The arrival of the Tramway in 2012 results in a redevelopment of a part of the city. It should bring a new breath to the local economy.

Urbanism

The city

In spite of the proximity of La Défense and Paris which has applied a strong pressure, no big buildings were built in La Garenne. Residential uses (detached homes and apartment buildings) account for the majority of the building stock in La Garenne-Colombes and many of the town's residential buildings were constructed in the early 1900s. In a large part of the town, new constructions are limited to 4 floors.

The neighbourwood of the place de Belgique and National boulevard, which is the entry of La Défense, is being redeveloped.

Green ways

Eight green ways are in La Garenne-Colombes, exactly:

Commonly known places

Administration

Mayors List

Twin cities

Education

The city own a castle in Normandy where they send the scholars for class-holidays.

Life in La Garenne-Colombes

According to statistics published by the Figaro newspaper, La Garenne-Colombes is the Hauts-de-Seine's city with the lowest crime rate, without forgetting that the Hauts-de-Seine is a very quiet part of the Paris region.

Personalities

Born in La Garenne-Colombes

Lived in La Garenne-Colombes

Died in La Garenne-Colombes

See also

References

External links