Montfort-l'Amaury
Montfort-l'Amaury | |
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 Town hall
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 Coat of arms
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Location of Montfort-l'Amaury
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  Montfort-l'Amaury  Montfort-l'Amaury | |
| Coordinates: 48°46′40″N 1°48′36″E | |
| Country | France |
| Region | Île-de-France |
| Department | Yvelines |
| Arrondissement | Rambouillet |
| Canton | Aubergenville |
| Intercommunality | CC Cœur d'Yvelines |
| Government | |
| • Mayor (2020–2026) | Hervé Planchenault |
| Area 1
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5.71 km2 (2.20 sq mi) |
| Population
(Jan. 2020)
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2,903 |
| • Density | 510/km2 (1,300/sq mi) |
| Demonym | Montfortois |
| Time zone | UTC+01:00 (CET) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+02:00 (CEST) |
| INSEE/Postal code |
78420 /78490 |
| Elevation | 98–183 m (322–600 ft) |
| Website | www.montfortlamaury.fr |
| 1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km2 (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries. | |
Montfort-l'Amaury (French pronunciation: [mɔ̃fɔʁ lamoʁi]) is a commune in the Yvelines department in the Île-de-France region, Northern France. It is located 20 km (12 mi) north of Rambouillet. The name comes from Amaury I de Montfort, the first seigneur (lord) of Montfort.
Geography
Montfort-l'Amaury lies north of the Rambouillet Forest. It is located at the foot of low hills, at about 130 m above sea level.
History
King Robert II built a castle in 996 in the hills of Montfort. Montfort-l'Amaury was the stronghold of the Montfort family from the start of the 11th century. Amaury I built the ramparts.
The Comté de Montfort was related to the Duchy of Brittany following the marriage of Yolande de Dreux-Montfort with Arthur of Brittany in 1294. It returned to the crown of France when Brittany became a part of France under Francis I. The castle was destroyed by the English during the Hundred Years' War.
Population
| Year | Pop. | ±% p.a. |
|---|---|---|
| 1968 | 2,074 | — |
| 1975 | 2,319 | +1.61% |
| 1982 | 2,566 | +1.46% |
| 1990 | 2,651 | +0.41% |
| 1999 | 3,137 | +1.89% |
| 2007 | 3,088 | −0.20% |
| 2012 | 3,073 | −0.10% |
| 2017 | 2,940 | −0.88% |
| Source: INSEE | ||
Sites of interest
- Ruins of the castle 48°46′36″N 1°48′16″E
- Maison de Maurice Ravel, which is now a museum. Maurice Ravel lived here from 1921 until his death.
- Château de Groussay, built in the 19th century
People
- Jean Anouilh, dramatist
- Colette Darfeuil, actress
- Henri George Doll, scientist
- Pierre Dupuis (1610–1682), painter
- Jean Monnet, architect of European Unity
- Simon de Montfort, 6th Earl of Leicester (born in the castle, 1208)
- Maurice Ravel, composer
- Charles Aznavour, singer
- Ambroise Roux (1921-1999), CEO of Compagnie générale d'électricité (later known as Alcatel) from 1970 to 1981, lived and died in Montfort-l'Amaury.
- Omar Sy, actor
Twin towns
- Nickenich, Germany