Seine-et-Oise
Encyclopedia
Seine-et-Oise was a département of France
encompassing the western, northern, and southern parts of the metropolitan area of Paris
. Its préfecture
(capital) was Versailles and its official number was 78. Seine-et-Oise was abolished in 1968.
and Oise River
) flowing through it.
At its disappearance in 1968, Seine-et-Oise consisted of 688 suburban and rural communes completely surrounding the Seine
département although it was at its narrowest just east of Seine between that département and the Seine-et-Marne
département which still exists today. It had an area of 5,658 km² (2,184 sq. miles). The division of Seine-et-Oise into arrondissements changed many times. At its disappearance it had ten arrondissements: Argenteuil
, Étampes
, Mantes, Montmorency
, Palaiseau
, Pontoise
, Le Raincy
, Rambouillet
, Saint-Germain-en-Laye
, and Versailles.
, Val-d'Oise
, and Essonne
. A small part of Seine-et-Oise was also merged with parts of the Seine
département (also disbanded on the same date) to create the three new départements of Hauts-de-Seine
, Val-de-Marne
, and Seine-Saint-Denis
.
In detail, the splitting up of the Seine-et-Oise département was carried out like this: 262 communes in the central part of the département became the Yvelines département, with Versailles as the préfecture. The official number 78 which was used for Seine-et-Oise was given to the new Yvelines département, which is the largest chunk of the former Seine-et-Oise (40% of the area of Seine-et-Oise). 198 communes in the south of Seine-et-Oise (32% of the area of Seine-et-Oise) became the Essonne département, and the official number 91 was assigned to this département (a number previously used for the Alger
département in French Algeria
). 185 communes in the north of Seine-et-Oise (22% of the area of Seine-et-Oise) became the Val-d'Oise département, and the official number 95 was assigned to this département (a number never used before).
Of the remaining 6% of Seine-et-Oise, 18 communes were grouped with 29 communes of the Seine département to create the Val-de-Marne département. 16 communes of Seine-et-Oise were grouped with 24 communes of the Seine département to create the Seine-Saint-Denis département. Finally, the last 9 communes of Seine-et-Oise were grouped with 27 communes of the Seine département to create the Hauts-de-Seine département.
Thus, Yvelines, Val-d'Oise, and Essonne are altogether smaller than the former Seine-et-Oise département (5,658 km² for the Seine-et-Oise département vs. 5,334 km² for the three départements).
département, are altogether known in France as the grande couronne (i.e. "large ring", as opposed to the "small ring" of the suburbs closer to Paris).
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...
encompassing the western, northern, and southern parts of the metropolitan area 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...
. Its préfecture
Préfecture
A prefecture in France can refer to :*the Chef-lieu de département, the town in which the administration of a department is located;*the Chef-lieu de région, the town in which the administration of a region is located;...
(capital) was Versailles and its official number was 78. Seine-et-Oise was abolished in 1968.
General characteristics
Seine-et-Oise was created on March 4, 1790. Its name comes from the two main rivers (Seine RiverSeine
The Seine is a -long river and an important commercial waterway within the Paris Basin in the north of France. It rises at Saint-Seine near Dijon in northeastern France in the Langres plateau, flowing through Paris and into the English Channel at Le Havre . It is navigable by ocean-going vessels...
and Oise River
Oise River
The River Oise is a right tributary of the River Seine, flowing for 302 km in Belgium and France. Its source is in the Belgian province Hainaut, south of the town Chimay. It crosses the border with France after about 20 km. It flows into the Seine in Conflans-Sainte-Honorine, near Paris...
) flowing through it.
At its disappearance in 1968, Seine-et-Oise consisted of 688 suburban and rural communes completely surrounding the Seine
Seine (département)
Seine was a département of France encompassing Paris and its immediate suburbs. Its préfecture was Paris and its official number was 75. The Seine département was abolished in 1968 and its territory divided among four new départements....
département although it was at its narrowest just east of Seine between that département and the Seine-et-Marne
Seine-et-Marne
Seine-et-Marne is a French department, named after the Seine and Marne rivers, and located in the Île-de-France region.- History:Seine-et-Marne is one of the original 83 departments, created on March 4, 1790 during the French Revolution in application of the law of December 22, 1789...
département which still exists today. It had an area of 5,658 km² (2,184 sq. miles). The division of Seine-et-Oise into arrondissements changed many times. At its disappearance it had ten arrondissements: Argenteuil
Argenteuil
Argenteuil is a commune in the northwestern suburbs of Paris, France. It is located from the center of Paris. Argenteuil is a sub-prefecture of the Val-d'Oise department, the seat of the arrondissement of Argenteuil....
, Étampes
Étampes
Étampes is a commune in the metropolitan area of Paris, France. It is located south-southwest from the center of Paris . Étampes is a sub-prefecture of the Essonne department....
, Mantes, Montmorency
Montmorency, Val-d'Oise
Montmorency is a commune in the northern suburbs of Paris, France. It is located from the center of Paris.Montmorency was the fief of the Montmorency family, one of the oldest and most distinguished families of the French nobility...
, Palaiseau
Palaiseau
Palaiseau is a commune in the southern suburbs of Paris, France. It is located from the center of Paris. Palaiseau is a sub-prefecture of the Essonne department and the seat of the Arrondissement of Palaiseau....
, Pontoise
Pontoise
Pontoise is a commune in the northwestern suburbs of Paris, France. It is located from the centre of Paris, in the "new town" of Cergy-Pontoise.-Administration:...
, Le Raincy
Le Raincy
Le Raincy is a commune in the eastern suburbs of Paris, France. It is located from the center of Paris. Le Raincy is a sub-prefecture of the Seine-Saint-Denis department and the seat of the Arrondissement of Le Raincy....
, Rambouillet
Rambouillet
Rambouillet is a commune in the Yvelines department in the Île-de-France in north-central France.It is located in the suburbs of Paris southwest from the center...
, Saint-Germain-en-Laye
Saint-Germain-en-Laye
Saint-Germain-en-Laye is a commune in the Yvelines department in the Île-de-France in north-central France. It is located in the western suburbs of Paris from the centre.Inhabitants are called Saint-Germanois...
, and Versailles.
Split-up
At the first French census in 1801, Seine-et-Oise had 421,535 inhabitants. With the growth of the Paris suburbs, the population of Seine-et-Oise increased markedly, and by 1968 it had reached 2,943,350 inhabitants. It was judged that Seine-et-Oise was now too large and ungovernable, and so on January 1, 1968 it was split into (essentially) three smaller départements: YvelinesYvelines
Yvelines is a French department in the region of Île-de-France.-History:Yvelines was created from the western part of the defunct department of Seine-et-Oise on 1 January 1968 in accordance with a law passed on 10 January 1964 and a décret d'application from 26 February 1965.It gained the...
, Val-d'Oise
Val-d'Oise
Val-d'Oise is a French department, created in 1968 after the split of the Seine-et-Oise department and located in the Île-de-France region. In local slang, it is known as "quatre-vingt quinze" or "neuf cinq"...
, and 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 :...
. A small part of Seine-et-Oise was also merged with parts of the Seine
Seine (département)
Seine was a département of France encompassing Paris and its immediate suburbs. Its préfecture was Paris and its official number was 75. The Seine département was abolished in 1968 and its territory divided among four new départements....
département (also disbanded on the same date) to create the three new départements of Hauts-de-Seine
Hauts-de-Seine
Hauts-de-Seine is designated number 92 of the 101 départements in France. It is part of the Île-de-France region, and covers the western inner suburbs of Paris...
, Val-de-Marne
Val-de-Marne
Val-de-Marne is a French department, named after the Marne River, located in the Île-de-France region. The department is situated to the southeast of the city of Paris.- Geography :...
, and Seine-Saint-Denis
Seine-Saint-Denis
- Culture :A number of hip hop artists come from the Seine-Saint-Denis, including one of the first major hip-hop groups in France, NTM, as well as Lord Kossity, or more recent acts such as Tandem or Sefyu.- Miscellaneous topics :...
.
In detail, the splitting up of the Seine-et-Oise département was carried out like this: 262 communes in the central part of the département became the Yvelines département, with Versailles as the préfecture. The official number 78 which was used for Seine-et-Oise was given to the new Yvelines département, which is the largest chunk of the former Seine-et-Oise (40% of the area of Seine-et-Oise). 198 communes in the south of Seine-et-Oise (32% of the area of Seine-et-Oise) became the Essonne département, and the official number 91 was assigned to this département (a number previously used for the Alger
Alger (département)
Alger is a former French département in Algeria. The département of Alger existed between 1848 and 1962.-The origin of the administrative divisions:...
département in French Algeria
Algeria
Algeria , officially the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria , also formally referred to as the Democratic and Popular Republic of Algeria, is a country in the Maghreb region of Northwest Africa with Algiers as its capital.In terms of land area, it is the largest country in Africa and the Arab...
). 185 communes in the north of Seine-et-Oise (22% of the area of Seine-et-Oise) became the Val-d'Oise département, and the official number 95 was assigned to this département (a number never used before).
Of the remaining 6% of Seine-et-Oise, 18 communes were grouped with 29 communes of the Seine département to create the Val-de-Marne département. 16 communes of Seine-et-Oise were grouped with 24 communes of the Seine département to create the Seine-Saint-Denis département. Finally, the last 9 communes of Seine-et-Oise were grouped with 27 communes of the Seine département to create the Hauts-de-Seine département.
Thus, Yvelines, Val-d'Oise, and Essonne are altogether smaller than the former Seine-et-Oise département (5,658 km² for the Seine-et-Oise département vs. 5,334 km² for the three départements).
Grande couronne
The three départements of Yvelines, Essonne, and Val-d'Oise, plus the Seine-et-MarneSeine-et-Marne
Seine-et-Marne is a French department, named after the Seine and Marne rivers, and located in the Île-de-France region.- History:Seine-et-Marne is one of the original 83 departments, created on March 4, 1790 during the French Revolution in application of the law of December 22, 1789...
département, are altogether known in France as the grande couronne (i.e. "large ring", as opposed to the "small ring" of the suburbs closer to Paris).