Les Ulis
Encyclopedia
Les Ulis is a commune
in the Essonne
department located in the southwestern suburbs (banlieue
) of Paris
, France
. It is 23 km (14.3 mi) from the center of Paris
.
Inhabitants of Les Ulis are known as Ulissiens.
located in the Île-de-France
, in the south-west of the Parisian agglomeration and in the north-west of the Essonne
department. It sits on the Cortabœuf plateau which dominates the Yvette
valley, also known as the Chevreuse valley. It is 23km to the south-west of central Paris, 20km north-west of Évry
and 14km to the south-east of Versailles
.
s. Over 65% of the area is built-up, 17% is semi-rural and 16% is either rural or comprises communal green space. The French Institut Géographique National gives the co-ordinates of the town as 48°40'58" N and 02°09'55" E at the central point.
The source of the minor river Rouillon (river)
is in the neighbouring town of Villejust
, close to the communal border. The lowest point of the town, at the point where it meets Bures-sur-Yvette
, is at an altitude of 87m. Most of the town is situated at an average altitude of over 150m. It's highest point is at 170m. The land on which it is built consists of clay
, sand
and millstone
.
The town is divided into distinct neighbourhoods by the main roads running through it. To the east is a large industrial zone. To the west is the residential area, a large part of which consists of 33 HLM
tower blocks, grouped into four neighbourhoods.
The town was conceived and built in the 1970s according to the precepts of Le Corbusier
by architects Robert Camelot, François Prieur and Georges-Henri Pingusson
. Its tower blocks are raised on slabs so that they are accessed above street level by means of pedestrian walkways. The town incorporates a large urban park, to the north.
runs through the Chevreuse and local bus services give access to the train stations at Orsay
and Bures-sur-Yvette
.
Les Ulis finds itself at a significant meeting point of motorways. The most significant of these, the route nationale 118
, meets the route nationale 104 at an interchange
on the communal border with the town of Marcoussis
.
tools in the neighbouring town of Villejust
suggests the possibility of pre-historic human occupation of the area that is today Les Ulis. During the Roman era
, villas rustica
occupied the Courtabœuf plateau. One, the "Villa Bona" gives its name to nearby Villebon-sur-Yvette
. A number were constructed by a property owner named Uslo, whose name might conceivably be connected to that of Les Ulis. It is also possible that the name is related to the Old French
usler, meaning to raze by fire. The area was at one time wooded, but was cleared during the Middle Ages
.
The name "Ullys" is first recorded as that of a feudal fee in a monastic inventory of 1382. In 1712, this land is recorded as belonging to Charles Boucher, an important Parisian civil servant. In 1767, it was transferred to Count Pierre Gaspard Marie Grimod d'Orsay
.
A significant farm of 160 hectares, the Grand Vivier, occupied much of the land. It raised cattle and sheep and cultivated wheat, potato, strawberry and beet. There was also a distillery on the land.
The Ligne de Sceaux
railway opened in 1867, passing just to the west of the present-day town.
The development of the Courtabœuf industrial park was decided on in 1960, accompanied on 30 November that year by a decision to create a priority development zone for ten thousand homes to sit along side it. 265 hectares of land comprising four farms, previously belonging to the communes of Bures-sur-Yvette
and Orsay
, were set aside for this housing project.
On 13 March 1964, an urban district of Bures-Orsay was established to oversee the development of the area. Road and utilities for the industrial zone were completed by July 1966, with the first business, AtoChem (part of what is now Total S.A.
), moving in the following year. Hewlett-Packard
created its French headquarters in the industrial zone in 1968. In the same year, the first residents moved into Les Ulis, although running water was not yet available in all homes.
The first municipal council for Les Ulis was elected in 1971. In 1973, a shopping centre, Ulis 2, was opened under the auspices of Carrefour
.
A census of 1975 records 20,283 people living in Les Ulis. Because this was significantly greater than the populations of both Bures-sur-Yvette and Orsay, which shared administrative responsibility for the town, a local plebiscite was held on 14 March 1976 to decide between three propositions: maintaining the status quo; creating a new commune comprising the three towns; creating a new commune for Les Ulis. Just over 50% of voters in Orsay and Bures-sur-Yvette favoured the last option, whereas a majority in Les Ulis favoured a commune comprising the three towns. Both municipal councils voted in favour of the creation of a new commune for Les Ulis. The Prefect of Essonne
, Paul Cousserand, created Les Ulis as the 196th commune of the department on 17 February 1977.
In March 1977, Paul Lorident was elected mayor of Les Ulis, whilst the town remained in construction. He oversaw the building of a town hall, a market, a hybrid library
and a cultural centre, named after the writer Boris Vian
.
In 1982, the population of Les Ulis was 28,223. In 1985, it became a canton
.
and Villejust
. Many companies such as [Hewlett Packard and Apple have their French head offices in this area.
Communes of France
The commune is the lowest level of administrative division in the French Republic. French communes are roughly equivalent to incorporated municipalities or villages in the United States or Gemeinden in Germany...
in the Essonne
Essonne
Essonne is a French department in the region of Île-de-France. It is named after the Essonne River.It was formed on 1 January 1968 when Seine-et-Oise was split into smaller departments.- History :...
department located in the southwestern suburbs (banlieue
Banlieue
In francophone areas, banlieues are the "outskirts" of a city: the zone around a city that is under the city's rule.Banlieues are translated as "suburbs", as these are also residential areas on the outer edge of a city, but the connotations of the term "banlieue" in France can be different from...
) of Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
. It is 23 km (14.3 mi) from the center of Paris
Kilometre Zero
In many countries, Kilometre Zero or similar terms in other languages, is a particular location , from which distances are traditionally measured...
.
Inhabitants of Les Ulis are known as Ulissiens.
Location
Les Ulis is a newtownNewtown
-Australia:*Newtown, New South Wales*Newtown, Queensland *Newtown, Queensland *Newtown, Victoria, a suburb of Geelong*Newtown, Victoria , a locality near Ballarat-Ireland:* Newtown, County Cork* Newtown, County Laois...
located in the Île-de-France
Île-de-France
Île-de-France may refer to:In places:* Île-de-France , historical province of France* Île-de-France , modern French administrative région* Île-de-France , constituency in the European Parliament...
, in the south-west of the Parisian agglomeration and in the north-west of the Essonne
Essonne
Essonne is a French department in the region of Île-de-France. It is named after the Essonne River.It was formed on 1 January 1968 when Seine-et-Oise was split into smaller departments.- History :...
department. It sits on the Cortabœuf plateau which dominates the Yvette
Yvette
The Yvette is a small river in southern Île-de-France , left tributary of the Orge, which is a tributary of the Seine. Its source is in Les Essarts-le-Roi, north of Rambouillet, in the Yvelines department...
valley, also known as the Chevreuse valley. It is 23km to the south-west of central Paris, 20km north-west of Évry
Évry
-Administration:Évry is the préfecture of the Essonne département. It is also the official seat of the arrondissement of Évry, although in reality the sous-préfecture buildings and administration are located in the neighboring commune of Corbeil-Essonnes.Évry is the capital of two cantons:*...
and 14km to the south-east of Versailles
Versailles
Versailles , a city renowned for its château, the Palace of Versailles, was the de facto capital of the kingdom of France for over a century, from 1682 to 1789. It is now a wealthy suburb of Paris and remains an important administrative and judicial centre...
.
Geography
The town is laid out in the form of a U, approximately three km by two km, and covers 680 hectareHectare
The hectare is a metric unit of area defined as 10,000 square metres , and primarily used in the measurement of land. In 1795, when the metric system was introduced, the are was defined as being 100 square metres and the hectare was thus 100 ares or 1/100 km2...
s. Over 65% of the area is built-up, 17% is semi-rural and 16% is either rural or comprises communal green space. The French Institut Géographique National gives the co-ordinates of the town as 48°40'58" N and 02°09'55" E at the central point.
The source of the minor river Rouillon (river)
Rouillon
Rouillon is a commune in the Sarthe department in the Pays de la Loire region in north-western France....
is in the neighbouring town of Villejust
Villejust
Villejust is a commune in the Essonne department in Île-de-France in northern France.Inhabitants of Villejust are known as Villejustiens.-References:** -External links:* *...
, close to the communal border. The lowest point of the town, at the point where it meets Bures-sur-Yvette
Bures-sur-Yvette
Bures-sur-Yvette is a commune in the Essonne department in Île-de-France in northern France.Inhabitants of Bures-sur-Yvette are known as Buressois.-Geography:...
, is at an altitude of 87m. Most of the town is situated at an average altitude of over 150m. It's highest point is at 170m. The land on which it is built consists of clay
Clay
Clay is a general term including many combinations of one or more clay minerals with traces of metal oxides and organic matter. Geologic clay deposits are mostly composed of phyllosilicate minerals containing variable amounts of water trapped in the mineral structure.- Formation :Clay minerals...
, sand
Sand
Sand is a naturally occurring granular material composed of finely divided rock and mineral particles.The composition of sand is highly variable, depending on the local rock sources and conditions, but the most common constituent of sand in inland continental settings and non-tropical coastal...
and millstone
Millstone
Millstones or mill stones are used in windmills and watermills, including tide mills, for grinding wheat or other grains.The type of stone most suitable for making millstones is a siliceous rock called burrstone , an open-textured, porous but tough, fine-grained sandstone, or a silicified,...
.
The town is divided into distinct neighbourhoods by the main roads running through it. To the east is a large industrial zone. To the west is the residential area, a large part of which consists of 33 HLM
HLM
HLM , French for "housing at moderated rents" or "rent-controlled housing", is a form of subsidised housing in France. There are approximately four million such residences, housing an estimated 12 million people — nearly one-fifth of the population of France...
tower blocks, grouped into four neighbourhoods.
The town was conceived and built in the 1970s according to the precepts of Le Corbusier
Le Corbusier
Charles-Édouard Jeanneret, better known as Le Corbusier , was a Swiss-born French architect, designer, urbanist, writer and painter, famous for being one of the pioneers of what now is called modern architecture. He was born in Switzerland and became a French citizen in 1930...
by architects Robert Camelot, François Prieur and Georges-Henri Pingusson
Georges-Henri Pingusson
-Biography:Georges-Henri Pingusson was born 1894 in Clermont-Ferrand. 1920-1925 he studied architecture at the École des Beaux-Arts in Paris.He built hotel Latitude 43 and several villas in the south of France...
. Its tower blocks are raised on slabs so that they are accessed above street level by means of pedestrian walkways. The town incorporates a large urban park, to the north.
Transport
Line B of the RERRER B
The RER B is one of the five lines in the RER rapid transit system serving :Paris, France.The line runs from the northern termini Aéroport Charles de Gaulle and Mitry-Claye to the southern termini Robinson and Saint-Rémy-lès-Chevreuse ....
runs through the Chevreuse and local bus services give access to the train stations at Orsay
Orsay
Orsay is a commune in the Essonne department in Île-de-France in northern France. It is located in the southwestern suburbs of Paris, France, from the center of Paris.Inhabitants of Orsay are known as Orcéens.-History:...
and Bures-sur-Yvette
Bures-sur-Yvette
Bures-sur-Yvette is a commune in the Essonne department in Île-de-France in northern France.Inhabitants of Bures-sur-Yvette are known as Buressois.-Geography:...
.
Les Ulis finds itself at a significant meeting point of motorways. The most significant of these, the route nationale 118
Route nationale 118
-History:The route was created in 1972. It takes the place of route nationale 187 between Sèvres and Meudon la Forêt, of the route nationale 306 between Saclay and Bièvres and of the route nationale 446 between Saclay and Orsay.-Exit list:...
, meets the route nationale 104 at an interchange
Interchange
An interchange is a location where two things meet, usually perform some kind of exchange, and possibly go on their ways again. It is used in a number of different contexts...
on the communal border with the town of Marcoussis
Marcoussis
Marcoussis is a commune in the southern suburbs of Paris, France. It is located from the center of Paris.Marcoussis is famous as the location of the CNR where the French national rugby union team prepare for international competitions...
.
History
The discovery in 1977 of bronze ageBronze Age
The Bronze Age is a period characterized by the use of copper and its alloy bronze as the chief hard materials in the manufacture of some implements and weapons. Chronologically, it stands between the Stone Age and Iron Age...
tools in the neighbouring town of Villejust
Villejust
Villejust is a commune in the Essonne department in Île-de-France in northern France.Inhabitants of Villejust are known as Villejustiens.-References:** -External links:* *...
suggests the possibility of pre-historic human occupation of the area that is today Les Ulis. During the Roman era
Roman Gaul
Roman Gaul consisted of an area of provincial rule in the Roman Empire, in modern day France, Belgium, Luxembourg, and western Germany. Roman control of the area lasted for less than 500 years....
, villas rustica
Villa rustica
Villa rustica was the term used by the ancient Romans to denote a villa set in the open countryside, often as the hub of a large agricultural estate . The adjective rusticum was used to distinguish it from an urban or resort villa...
occupied the Courtabœuf plateau. One, the "Villa Bona" gives its name to nearby Villebon-sur-Yvette
Villebon-sur-Yvette
Villebon-sur-Yvette is a commune in the Essonne department in Île-de-France in northern France.The inhabitants of Villebon-sur-Yvette are known as Villebonnais.-Geography:...
. A number were constructed by a property owner named Uslo, whose name might conceivably be connected to that of Les Ulis. It is also possible that the name is related to the Old French
Old French
Old French was the Romance dialect continuum spoken in territories that span roughly the northern half of modern France and parts of modern Belgium and Switzerland from the 9th century to the 14th century...
usler, meaning to raze by fire. The area was at one time wooded, but was cleared during the Middle Ages
Middle Ages
The Middle Ages is a periodization of European history from the 5th century to the 15th century. The Middle Ages follows the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 and precedes the Early Modern Era. It is the middle period of a three-period division of Western history: Classic, Medieval and Modern...
.
The name "Ullys" is first recorded as that of a feudal fee in a monastic inventory of 1382. In 1712, this land is recorded as belonging to Charles Boucher, an important Parisian civil servant. In 1767, it was transferred to Count Pierre Gaspard Marie Grimod d'Orsay
Pierre Gaspard Marie Grimod d'Orsay
Pierre Gaspard Marie Grimaud d'Orsay , comte d'Orsay, was a collector of sculptures, paintings and drawings .-Biography:...
.
A significant farm of 160 hectares, the Grand Vivier, occupied much of the land. It raised cattle and sheep and cultivated wheat, potato, strawberry and beet. There was also a distillery on the land.
The Ligne de Sceaux
Ligne de Sceaux
thumb|Old ligne de Sceaux, between [[Saint-Rémy-lès-Chevreuse]] and [[Boullay-les-Troux]]"La Ligne de Sceaux" was a railway line in France running from Paris to some of its southern suburbs, including Sceaux from which it takes its name...
railway opened in 1867, passing just to the west of the present-day town.
The development of the Courtabœuf industrial park was decided on in 1960, accompanied on 30 November that year by a decision to create a priority development zone for ten thousand homes to sit along side it. 265 hectares of land comprising four farms, previously belonging to the communes of Bures-sur-Yvette
Bures-sur-Yvette
Bures-sur-Yvette is a commune in the Essonne department in Île-de-France in northern France.Inhabitants of Bures-sur-Yvette are known as Buressois.-Geography:...
and Orsay
Orsay
Orsay is a commune in the Essonne department in Île-de-France in northern France. It is located in the southwestern suburbs of Paris, France, from the center of Paris.Inhabitants of Orsay are known as Orcéens.-History:...
, were set aside for this housing project.
On 13 March 1964, an urban district of Bures-Orsay was established to oversee the development of the area. Road and utilities for the industrial zone were completed by July 1966, with the first business, AtoChem (part of what is now Total S.A.
Total S.A.
Total S.A. is a French multinational oil company and one of the six "Supermajor" oil companies in the world.Its businesses cover the entire oil and gas chain, from crude oil and natural gas exploration and production to power generation, transportation, refining, petroleum product marketing, and...
), moving in the following year. Hewlett-Packard
Hewlett-Packard
Hewlett-Packard Company or HP is an American multinational information technology corporation headquartered in Palo Alto, California, USA that provides products, technologies, softwares, solutions and services to consumers, small- and medium-sized businesses and large enterprises, including...
created its French headquarters in the industrial zone in 1968. In the same year, the first residents moved into Les Ulis, although running water was not yet available in all homes.
The first municipal council for Les Ulis was elected in 1971. In 1973, a shopping centre, Ulis 2, was opened under the auspices of Carrefour
Carrefour
Carrefour S.A. is an international hypermarket chain headquartered in Levallois-Perret, France. It is one of the largest hypermarket chains in the world...
.
A census of 1975 records 20,283 people living in Les Ulis. Because this was significantly greater than the populations of both Bures-sur-Yvette and Orsay, which shared administrative responsibility for the town, a local plebiscite was held on 14 March 1976 to decide between three propositions: maintaining the status quo; creating a new commune comprising the three towns; creating a new commune for Les Ulis. Just over 50% of voters in Orsay and Bures-sur-Yvette favoured the last option, whereas a majority in Les Ulis favoured a commune comprising the three towns. Both municipal councils voted in favour of the creation of a new commune for Les Ulis. The Prefect of Essonne
Essonne
Essonne is a French department in the region of Île-de-France. It is named after the Essonne River.It was formed on 1 January 1968 when Seine-et-Oise was split into smaller departments.- History :...
, Paul Cousserand, created Les Ulis as the 196th commune of the department on 17 February 1977.
In March 1977, Paul Lorident was elected mayor of Les Ulis, whilst the town remained in construction. He oversaw the building of a town hall, a market, a hybrid library
Hybrid library
Hybrid library is a term used by librarians to describe libraries containing a mix of traditional print library resources and the growing number of electronic resources.-Overview:...
and a cultural centre, named after the writer Boris Vian
Boris Vian
Boris Vian was a French polymath: writer, poet, musician, singer, translator, critic, actor, inventor and engineer. He is best remembered today for his novels. Those published under the pseudonym Vernon Sullivan were bizarre parodies of criminal fiction, highly controversial at the time of their...
.
In 1982, the population of Les Ulis was 28,223. In 1985, it became a canton
Cantons of France
The cantons of France are territorial subdivisions of the French Republic's 342 arrondissements and 101 departments.Apart from their role as organizational units in certain aspects of the administration of public services and justice, the chief purpose of the cantons today is to serve as...
.
Personalities
- Football player Thierry HenryThierry HenryThierry Daniel Henry is a French professional footballer who plays for the New York Red Bulls in Major League Soccer.Henry was born in Les Ulis, Essonne where he played for an array of local sides as a youngster and showed great promise as a goal-scorer. He was spotted by AS Monaco in 1990 and...
, who played for the French national teamFrance national football teamThe France national football team represents the nation of France in international football. It is fielded by the French Football Federation , the governing body of football in France, and competes as a member of UEFA, which encompasses the countries of Europe...
and currently plays for New York Red Bulls in Major League SoccerMajor League SoccerMajor League Soccer is a professional soccer league based in the United States and sanctioned by the United States Soccer Federation . The league is composed of 19 teams — 16 in the U.S. and 3 in Canada...
, was born and raised in Les Ulis. - Another famous French football player Patrice EvraPatrice EvraPatrice Latyr Evra is a French international footballer who currently plays for English club Manchester United in the Premier League and the France national team. Originally an attacker, he primarily plays as a left back and is described as "the classic example of a modern full-back" who is...
, who plays for Manchester United in EnglandFA Premier LeagueThe Premier League is an English professional league for association football clubs. At the top of the English football league system, it is the country's primary football competition. Contested by 20 clubs, it operates on a system of promotion and relegation with The Football League. The Premier...
, also a member of the French national teamFrance national football teamThe France national football team represents the nation of France in international football. It is fielded by the French Football Federation , the governing body of football in France, and competes as a member of UEFA, which encompasses the countries of Europe...
, was raised in Les Ulis. - French foilFoil (fencing)A foil is a type of weapon used in fencing. It is the most common weapon in terms of usage in competition, and is usually the choice for elementary classes for fencing in general.- Components:...
fencerFencingFencing, which is also known as modern fencing to distinguish it from historical fencing, is a family of combat sports using bladed weapons.Fencing is one of four sports which have been featured at every one of the modern Olympic Games...
Térence Joubert was also born in Les Ulis on 17 April 1982. - The former spokesman of the ecological French party, Stéphane PocrainStéphane PocrainStéphane Pocrain is French politician and TV journalist.He was born in Paris, on November 27, 1972. His parents came from Guadeloupe.He was candidate for an ecologist movement for in 2002's elections in Orsay....
, was raised in Les Ulis and was almost elected for the town's constituencyConstituency (France)France is divided into 577 constituencies for the legislative elections . Members of Parliament to the National Assembly are elected in a two round system to a term fixed to a maximum of five years...
(with the other towns of Gif-sur-YvetteGif-sur-YvetteGif-sur-Yvette is a commune in the south-western suburbs of Paris, France. It is located from the center of Paris.-Geography:The town is crossed by and named after the Yvette river.The total area is and is green spaces and woods.-Place names:...
, OrsayOrsayOrsay is a commune in the Essonne department in Île-de-France in northern France. It is located in the southwestern suburbs of Paris, France, from the center of Paris.Inhabitants of Orsay are known as Orcéens.-History:...
etc...) in 2002. - French supermodel Noémie LenoirNoémie LenoirNoémie Lenoir is a French model and actress of African and European descent.-Career:Lenoir was first spotted by Ford Models when she was 16 years old. In 1995, Lenoir signed with L'Oréal, and has since appeared in their advertisements alongside Laetitia Casta and long-term model and actress Andie...
was born in Les Ulis on 19 September 1979 before her family moved to a very quiet life first in Gif-sur-YvetteGif-sur-YvetteGif-sur-Yvette is a commune in the south-western suburbs of Paris, France. It is located from the center of Paris.-Geography:The town is crossed by and named after the Yvette river.The total area is and is green spaces and woods.-Place names:...
and then in VersaillesVersaillesVersailles , a city renowned for its château, the Palace of Versailles, was the de facto capital of the kingdom of France for over a century, from 1682 to 1789. It is now a wealthy suburb of Paris and remains an important administrative and judicial centre...
where she was discovered and started her career in modeling. - French writer Patrick LapeyrePatrick LapeyrePatrick Lapeyre is a French writer, and winner of the Prix Femina, 2010, for his seventh novel, La vie est brève et le désir sans fin. Laypeyre was born in 1949 in Pantin. He attended the École Normale Supérieure with Alain Finkelkraut and Pascal Bruckner before studying literature at the Sorbonne...
(author of the award-winning L'homme-sœur) is a teacher in Les Ulis' high school (Lycée de l'Essouriau). - Rapper SinikSinikThomas Idir a.k.a. Sinik is a French-language rap artist. His father is Algerian while his mother is French.His meeting with Diam's at 14 was the turning point of his career...
, was born central ParisParisParis is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, moved to Les Ulis at age four. - Gilbert Bayiha N'DjemaGilbert Bayiha N'DjemaGilbert Bayiha-N'Djema is a Cameroonian footballer who plays for Aris Limassol in Cyprus.-References: * * * *...
,footballer
Economy
The biggest industrial area (tertiary) in Europe is concentrated in Parc d'Activité de Courtabœuf (area: 378 ha) with more than 1000 companies employing 24,500 people. This area is spread over three communes: Les Ulis (mainly), Villebon-sur-YvetteVillebon-sur-Yvette
Villebon-sur-Yvette is a commune in the Essonne department in Île-de-France in northern France.The inhabitants of Villebon-sur-Yvette are known as Villebonnais.-Geography:...
and Villejust
Villejust
Villejust is a commune in the Essonne department in Île-de-France in northern France.Inhabitants of Villejust are known as Villejustiens.-References:** -External links:* *...
. Many companies such as [Hewlett Packard and Apple have their French head offices in this area.
External links
- Official website (in French)
- Land use (IAURIF)