Bois-Guillaume (French pronunciation: [bwa ɡijom]) is a commune in the Seine-Maritime department in the Normandy region in northern France.
Bois-Guillaume | |
|---|---|
 A general view of Bois-Guillaume | |
 Coat of arms | |
Location of Bois-Guillaume  | |
  Bois-Guillaume  Bois-Guillaume | |
| Coordinates: 49°27′41″N 1°06′33″E / 49.4614°N 1.1092°E | |
| Country | France |
| Region | Normandy |
| Department | Seine-Maritime |
| Arrondissement | Rouen |
| Canton | Bois-Guillaume |
| Intercommunality | Métropole Rouen Normandie |
| Government | |
| • Mayor (2020–2026) | Théo Pèrez[1] |
| Area 1 | 8.85 km2 (3.42 sq mi) |
| Population (2021)[2] | 14,262 |
| • Density | 1,600/km2 (4,200/sq mi) |
| Time zone | UTC+01:00 (CET) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+02:00 (CEST) |
| INSEE/Postal code | 76108 /76230 |
| Elevation | 52–171 m (171–561 ft) (avg. 167 m or 548 ft) |
| 1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km2 (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries. | |
Geography edit
The town is a wealthy, residential hilltop suburb of Rouen, semi-rural, semi-suburban with a little farming and some light industry. It is considered part of Greater Rouen, being just five kilometres (3 mi) to the northeast, at the junction of the D43 and the D928 roads.
History edit
Bois-Guillaume was originally a Gallo-Roman settlement of which few traces remain. Local legend claims that in 1040 William the Conqueror's mother built a country house on the hill and the area thus came to be known variously as Boscum Guillelmi or Bosco Willelmi, later becoming Bois-Guillaume. There is, however, no serious evidence of any link to William the Conqueror; this derivation of the town's name is therefore in all likelihood a folk etymology.[3]
By the late 19th century, nearby Rouen had expanded to such an extent that parts of Bois-Guillaume had become urbanized. This led to tensions between the urban neighborhoods closest to Rouen (such as Bihorel) and the rest of the commune, which had remained more rural. The situation came to a head in 1892, when Bihorel split from Bois-Guillaume and became a commune in its own right. As a result of the split, the commune of Bois-Guillaume saw its territory reduced by 22% and its population reduced by 38%.[citation needed]
In 2010, the municipal councils of Bois-Guillaume and Bihorel began to cooperate more closely, with a view to merging in order to become a single commune once again. In July 2011, despite opposition among residents of both communes, the merger was approved by the two municipal councils and ratified by prefectoral order on 29 August 2011. The new commune of Bois-Guillaume-Bihorel came into being on 1 January 2012. Following an appeal, however, the prefectoral order was repealed on 18 June 2013, and the new commune was disbanded on 31 December 2013; on 1 January 2014, the two former communes of Bois-Guillaume and Bihorel were reinstated.[citation needed]
Activities edit
Bois-Guillaume is well known for its tranquility. No bars are open at night-time; people tend to go out in Rouen [4] (city center). Bois-Guillaume's leisure amenities include several parks (Parc Anderson, Parc des Cosmonautes, and a dedicated play area called La Plaine de Jeux des Portes de la Forêt), a forest area (La Forêt Verte), and two cycle routes that pass through the town (Cailly–Robec and Plaine de la Ronce). There are also a number of soccer pitches (in particular in the Parc des Cosmonautes), which are available for use by local schools and sports clubs.[5]
Heraldry edit
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The arms of Bois-Guillaume are blazoned: Per pale azure and gules, a garb, and in pale 2 lions Or. The line of division is fimbriated Or.
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Population edit
Graphs are unavailable due to technical issues. There is more info on Phabricator and on MediaWiki.org. |
| Year | Pop. | ±% p.a. |
|---|---|---|
| 1968 | 8,782 | — |
| 1975 | 9,590 | +1.27% |
| 1982 | 9,323 | −0.40% |
| 1990 | 10,159 | +1.08% |
| 1999 | 11,968 | +1.84% |
| 2007 | 13,070 | +1.11% |
| 2012 | 12,847 | −0.34% |
| 2017 | 13,796 | +1.44% |
| Source: INSEE[6] | ||
Places of interest edit
Health edit
There are different hospitals and clinics in Bois-Guillaume.
The Bois-Guillaume hospital is one of the facilities of the Rouen University Hospital Center.
There are also the Cedar Clinic, St. Anthony Clinic and the French Red Cross, with Bois-Guillaume Hospital and Training Institute.
Sports edit
In Bois-Guillaume, there are several riding clubs, a football club, a tennis club, volleyball, table tennis, judo, aikibudo and a golf training course.
Notable people edit
- François Hollande, politician, former French President, born 1954
- Grégory Tafforeau, footballer, born 1976
Twin towns edit
See also edit
References edit
- ^ "Répertoire national des élus: les maires" (in French). data.gouv.fr, Plateforme ouverte des données publiques françaises. 13 September 2022.
- ^ "Populations légales 2021". The National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies. 28 December 2023.
- ^ de Beaurepaire, François (1979). Les Noms des communes et anciennes paroisses de la Seine-Maritime (in French). Paris: A. et J. Picard. ISBN 2-7084-0040-1. OCLC 6403150. Ouvrage publié avec le soutien du CNRS.
- ^ Rouen tourist office website.
- ^ Ville de Bois-Guillaume – Parcs, sentes et forêts.
- ^ Population en historique depuis 1968, INSEE
External links edit
- Official town website (in French)