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[3] | ||
Sites of interest
- Ruins of the castle 48°46′36″N 1°48′16″E / 48.77667°N 1.80444°E
- Maison de Maurice Ravel, which is now a museum. Maurice Ravel lived here from 1921 until his death.[4]
- 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.[5]
- Omar Sy, actor
- Denis Christophel, painter
Twin towns
- Nickenich, Germany
See also
References
- ^ "Répertoire national des élus: les maires" (in French). data.gouv.fr, Plateforme ouverte des données publiques françaises. 4 May 2022.
- ^ "Populations légales 2021" (in French). The National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies. 28 December 2023.
- ^ Population en historique depuis 1968, INSEE
- ^ La maison-musée Maurice Ravel, Ville de Montfort-l’Amaury.
- ^ "Obituary: Ambroise Roux". The Independent. 9 April 1999. Retrieved 16 April 2017.
External links
- Official website
- Pictures of Castle Montfort l'Amaury
- Photos by Amaury Laporte, free to use for non commercial purposes
- Information about Montfort l'Amaury
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| Geographic | |
Recent Comments