Maisons-Alfort
Encyclopedia
Maisons-Alfort is a commune
in the southeastern suburbs of Paris
, France
. It is located 8.4 km (5.2 mi) from the center of Paris
.
Maisons-Alfort is famous as the location of the National Veterinary School of Alfort, the most renowned veterinary medical school
in France. The Fort de Charenton
, constructed between 1841 and 1845, has since 1959 housed the Commandement des Écoles de la Gendarmerie Nationale
.
Mansiones, meaning "the houses".
At the creation of the commune during the French Revolution
, the name of the hamlet of Alfort was joined with the name of Maisons. The name Alfort comes from the manor built there by Peter of Aigueblanche
, Bishop of Hereford
(England
), in the middle of the 13th century. The name of this Manor of Hereford was corrupted into Harefort, then Hallefort, and eventually Alfort. The National Veterinary School of Alfort was settled several centuries later in the manor and its estate.
.
In 1905, Buffalo Bill
stayed two months in Maisons-Alfort while his famous Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Show performed in Paris.
in the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia
.
: École Vétérinaire de Maisons-Alfort
, Maisons-Alfort — Stade
, and Maisons-Alfort — Les Juilliottes
.
It is also served by two stations on Paris RER line D
: Maisons-Alfort – Alfortville and Le Vert de Maisons.
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 southeastern suburbs 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 located 8.4 km (5.2 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...
.
Maisons-Alfort is famous as the location of the National Veterinary School of Alfort, the most renowned veterinary medical school
Schools of veterinary medicine
This is a list of veterinary schools throughout the world.-School of veterinary medicine in Afghanistan:* Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Kabul University, Kabul.-Schools of veterinary medicine in Argentina:...
in France. The Fort de Charenton
Fort de Charenton
Fort de Charenton is a fortification built in 1842 in the community of Maisons-Alfort, and part of the Paris defenses planned by Adolphe Thiers....
, constructed between 1841 and 1845, has since 1959 housed the Commandement des Écoles de la Gendarmerie Nationale
Gendarmerie Nationale (France)
In France, the National Gendarmerie is a branch of the French Armed Forces, in charge of public safety, with police duties among the civilian population. It also contains a military police force and a special forces component . It has a strength of more than 105,975 persons...
.
Name
Originally, Maisons-Alfort was called simply Maisons. The name Maisons comes from Medieval LatinMedieval Latin
Medieval Latin was the form of Latin used in the Middle Ages, primarily as a medium of scholarly exchange and as the liturgical language of the medieval Roman Catholic Church, but also as a language of science, literature, law, and administration. Despite the clerical origin of many of its authors,...
Mansiones, meaning "the houses".
At the creation of the commune during the French Revolution
French Revolution
The French Revolution , sometimes distinguished as the 'Great French Revolution' , was a period of radical social and political upheaval in France and Europe. The absolute monarchy that had ruled France for centuries collapsed in three years...
, the name of the hamlet of Alfort was joined with the name of Maisons. The name Alfort comes from the manor built there by Peter of Aigueblanche
Peter of Aigueblanche
Peter of Aigueblanche was a medieval Bishop of Hereford. A nobleman from Savoy, he came to England as part of the party accompanying King Henry III's bride Eleanor of Provence. He entered the royal service, becoming bishop in 1241...
, Bishop of Hereford
Bishop of Hereford
The Bishop of Hereford is the Ordinary of the Church of England Diocese of Hereford in the Province of Canterbury.The see is in the City of Hereford where the seat is located at the Cathedral Church of Saint Mary and Saint Ethelbert which was founded as a cathedral in 676.The Bishop's residence is...
(England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
), in the middle of the 13th century. The name of this Manor of Hereford was corrupted into Harefort, then Hallefort, and eventually Alfort. The National Veterinary School of Alfort was settled several centuries later in the manor and its estate.
History
On 1 April 1885, 40% of the territory of Maisons-Alfort was detached and became the commune of AlfortvilleAlfortville
Alfortville is a commune in the southeastern suburbs of Paris, France. It is located from the center of Paris.-History:The commune of Alfortville was created on 1 April 1885 by detaching its territory from the commune of Maisons-Alfort.-Transport:...
.
In 1905, Buffalo Bill
Buffalo Bill
William Frederick "Buffalo Bill" Cody was a United States soldier, bison hunter and showman. He was born in the Iowa Territory , in LeClaire but lived several years in Canada before his family moved to the Kansas Territory. Buffalo Bill received the Medal of Honor in 1872 for service to the US...
stayed two months in Maisons-Alfort while his famous Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Show performed in Paris.
Immigration
Administration
Maisons-Alfort is divided into two cantons:- Maisons-Alfort-Nord, with 23,704 inhabitants;
- Maisons-Alfort-Sud, with 27 399 inhabitants.
Points of interest
- École nationale vétérinaire d'AlfortÉcole nationale vétérinaire d'AlfortThe École nationale vétérinaire d'Alfort is a school of veterinary medicine located at 7, avenue du Général de Gaulle, Maisons-Alfort, Val-de-Marne, Île-de-France, France...
- Jardin botanique de l'École nationale vétérinaire d'AlfortJardin botanique de l'École nationale vétérinaire d'AlfortThe Jardin botanique de l'École nationale vétérinaire d'Alfort is a botanical garden operated by the École nationale vétérinaire d'Alfort, and located on the school's grounds at 7, avenue du Général de Gaulle, Maisons-Alfort, Val-de-Marne, Île-de-France, France...
- Musée Fragonard d'AlfortMusée Fragonard d'AlfortThe Musée Fragonard d'Alfort, often simply the Musée Fragonard, is a museum of anatomical oddities located within the École Nationale Vétérinaire de Maisons-Alfort, 7 avenue du Général de Gaulle, in Maisons-Alfort, a suburb of Paris...
Personalties
- Tariq Abdul-WahadTariq Abdul-WahadTariq Abdul-Wahad is a French former professional basketball player.Saint-Jean was born near Paris from parents who were natives of French Guiana. He changed his name to Tariq Abdul-Wahad after converting to Islam in 1997. He is the first player to be born and raised in France and play in the NBA...
,basketball player - Thomas N'Gijol,comedien
- Nicole TourneurNicole Tourneur- Works for adults :* Le dernier soleil* Laurie ou le souffle du papillon, novel , 2001* Les fenêtres, novella , 2002* Passé compliqué, novel , 2004* Les Dieux sont servis, novel , 2006...
,women writers
International relations
Maisons-Alfort is twinned with MoersMoers
Moers is a German city on the left bank of the Rhine. Moers belongs to the district of Wesel...
in the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia
North Rhine-Westphalia
North Rhine-Westphalia is the most populous state of Germany, with four of the country's ten largest cities. The state was formed in 1946 as a merger of the northern Rhineland and Westphalia, both formerly part of Prussia. Its capital is Düsseldorf. The state is currently run by a coalition of the...
.
Transport
Maisons-Alfort is served by three stations on Paris Métro Line 8Paris Metro Line 8
Paris Métro Line 8 is one of 16 metro lines in Paris, France. It connects the Balard station in southwestern Paris, to Créteil – Préfecture station in Créteil, a town south-east of the French capital, following a parabolic route on the right bank of Seine River...
: École Vétérinaire de Maisons-Alfort
École Vétérinaire de Maisons-Alfort (Paris Métro)
École Vétérinaire de Maisons-Alfort is a station on line 8 of the Paris Métro in the commune of Maisons-Alfort, named after the nearby École nationale vétérinaire d'Alfort, the national veterinary school founded in 1765....
, Maisons-Alfort — Stade
Maisons-Alfort - Stade (Paris Métro)
Maisons-Alfort - Stade is a station on line 8 of the Paris Métro in the commune of Maisons-Alfort.The station opened on 19 September 1970 with the extension of the line from Porte de Charenton - Écoles. It was the eastern terminus of the line until its extension to Maisons-Alfort - Les Juilliottes...
, and Maisons-Alfort — Les Juilliottes
Maisons-Alfort - Les Juilliottes (Paris Métro)
Maisons-Alfort - Les Juilliottes is a station on line 8 of the Paris Métro in the commune of Maisons-Alfort.The station opened on 27 April 1972 with the extension of the line from Porte de Charenton - Écoles. It was the eastern terminus of the line until its extension to Créteil - L'Échat on 24...
.
It is also served by two stations on Paris RER line D
RER D
The RER D is one of the five lines in the RER rapid transit system serving :Paris, France.The line officially runs from the northern terminus Orry-la-Ville – Coye to the southern terminuses Melun and Malesherbes...
: Maisons-Alfort – Alfortville and Le Vert de Maisons.