La Garenne-Colombes


La Garenne-Colombes is a commune in the northwestern suburbs of Paris, France. It is located from Notre Dame de Paris, France's kilometre zero.
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Name

The commune used to be part of the neighbouring city of Colombes. At this time, before 1910, it was called La Garenne de Colombes, literally "the warren of doves".
The explanation for the city being called "warren" is that it used to be a warren where people would hunt. But this dates back to the French monarchy, in the 18th century and before.

Geography

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

Surroundings

Four towns surround La Garenne-Colombes: Colombes, Bois-Colombes, Courbevoie and Nanterre. The city is quite 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.

Transportation

La Garenne-Colombes is served by two stations on the Transilien Paris-Saint-Lazare suburban rail line: La Garenne-Colombes and Les Vallées. The train has been used there since 1837.
The two stations directly join Paris's most important urban station in 10 minutes and the largest university in Paris 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 and Charlebourg. To join the center of the CBD, 2 to 4 minutes will be required by tramway.

History

The area was named "La Garenne dépendant de Colombes" in 1240. After the Bourbon Restoration in 1815, the estate was bought by Peter Urban Sartoris, a Genevois banker who had lived in London for many years. On his death in 1833 it was inherited by his six children, who urbanised it and named the Rue Sartoris. They sold the last of their interests in 1865.
The commune of La Garenne-Colombes was created on 2 May 1910 by detaching its territory from the commune of Colombes. The Hôtel de Ville was completed in 1971.

Demography

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. Thereby the population will grow certainly over 30,000 after many reconstructions in the "Champs-Philippe" neighbourhood, with a density over.
According to statistics, La Garenne-Colombes is an average city of the Hauts-de-Seine department, 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 the downtown Paris districts surrounding the Eiffel Tower or the Champs-Élysées. Paradoxically, the most advanced part of the city of Paris, geographically 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 is mainly a residential city. However, some 1200 business units are there.

Tertiary activity

The service industry 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 resulted in a redevelopment of a part of the city, and should bring a new breath of life 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 buildings account for the majority of the building stock in La Garenne-Colombes. Many of these buildings were constructed in the early 1900s. In a large part of the town, new construction is limited to 4 floors.
The neighbourhood 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:
  • two public squares
  • two gardens
  • four parks

Commonly known places

  • Place de la Liberté, known under the name of place du marché or place de l'Eglise
  • Place du Général Leclerc, known under the name of place de la Fontaine
  • Place de Belgique
  • Rond-point du Souvenir français, known under the name of place Jean Baillet
  • Rond-point de l'Europe

Politics and administration

Twin towns – sister cities

La Garenne-Colombes is twinned with:

Education

The commune has four public preschools and five public elementary schools.
Students wishing to attend a general high school may go to Lycée Albert-Camus in Bois-Colombes or Lycée Paul-Lapie in Courbevoie.
The city owns a castle in Normandy where students are sometimes sent 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