Cergy

Cergy is a common French, located in the department of the Val-d'Oise and the area Île-de-France. Its inhabitants is called Cergyssois and those of the Communauté of agglomeration of Cergy-Pontoise Cergy-Pontains. The prefecture of the Val-d'Oise and the General advice are installed on the territory of the commune.

Geography

Cergy is a city of the outer suburbs north-western of Paris, on the Oise, and located at the south of the French Vexin. It is the principal center of the Communauté of agglomeration of Cergy-Pontoise, crossed by the A15 towards Paris, Argenteuil or Rouen, Vernon then of the N184 towards the airport Roissy - Charles-of-Gaulle, Versailles, Chantilly, Beauvais, Poissy.

Toponymy

Cergy is a city which with the characteristic to have a great richness in the names of its streets. Thus only ten ways bear the name of a character on the hundreds which account the city.

During the creation of the agglomeration of Cergy-Pontoise, the engineers do not want to take party for a socio-economic model. They thus decide not to give any name of man known to the streets. The main roads carry the names of the places, buildings or zones which they serve while smallest are business of imagination! See the Seedlings, Touleuses or Maradas.

One will be able to note that the rule was enfreinte for the which occurred of Martelet (small hammer) and the place of the Billhook (small sickle), at the end of the Années 1970 where the town planners wondered about the future of the French Communist party. In the Years 1990, some ways are renamed name of the large “patrons” of the agglomeration like Bernard Hirsch or Hubert Renaud.

For the district of Cergy-Prefecture , the names of the streets are names of small islands associated with a name with color, one thus obtains the street of the Oaks emerald , where the invariability of the adjective is often transgressed! The Axis-Major district “/clock” (in the past named Saint-Christophe ) is more rational with names of the more or less local folklore.

The district of the Top-with-Cergy (in the past named Cergy-le-Haut ) bears imaginary names invented partly by a class of schoolboys. One then obtains poetic names like the street of the lacteous Fogs or the street of the Desert to the Clouds .

To note, that the town of Cergy is crossed by the boulevard of Oise , spinal column of the agglomeration and by the A15.

List streets having changed name with the wire of time:

Bridges

Cergy is on Oise and to cross it, there exist 4 bridges:
  • Footbridge of the Major Axis (2003): for pedestrians (it constitutes one of the “stations” of the walk of the Major Axis, it is closed until April 2008 due to work of prolongation of the footbridge to the island of the pond of the madness and of construction of an amphitheater)
  • Pont of Cergy or Ham (oldest): truck driver with low flow (since this bridge which spans Oise has only one way, 2 fires, one in each direction, regulate its access)
  • Pont of the Hautil (XXe century): truck driver with strong flow (4 ways)
  • Bridge of the RER (Years 1970): railway with intense passage (2 ways of railroad)

Climate

Cergy as all the Île-de-France is subjected to a degraded oceanic Climat. It intramurally is different from the climate of Paris by a variation in temperature of a few degrees, particularly notable at daybreak, and which tends to be accentuated with the passing of years. This variation, of 2° on average but which can reach 8° by one night clear and a weak Vent, is explained by the urban density which increases the temperature in the middle of the agglomeration. The annual average temperature is of 11°C, the month more the cold is January with +4°C; the hottest months are July and August with +19°C (average day laborer).

History

Origins

The name Cergy would come from a Roman general " Sergius" to which one would have given a ground on the commune.

A legend (probably urban) supports that the origin is “Y” (read “Cergy” letter with letter with back), indicating the form which Oise takes on the grounds of the commune, name given by the King of France. This thesis is most probably a legend because on certain old charts, one can see a village in the name of Sergy close to Pontoise.

Another advanced explanation would be that the commune of Cergy being near a river, the suffix aqua would have been added at the end of the name of the owner ( sergius-aqua ), this process allowed to name the places belonging to the owner without using his simple name, which would have could cause confusions. Moreover, the presence and the management of water in the Romain empire are known to have been very important. Thereafter, the suffix aqua would have been replaced by “Y”, it would be besides the case for many town of France.

The historical quarters of Cergy are commonly named " Cergy-village" , it comprises a very typical series of small stone farms of size, it is like positioned Juste in the vicinity direct of Oise.

The history of the city is badly known before its entry in the new agglomeration of Cergy-Pontoise.

Demography

When Cergy was selected to become the center of a new agglomeration, it was yet only one village. The commune had less 3  000 inhabitants at the end of the Years 1960. It then started to develop much more quickly, exceeding: 10000 inhabitants in the middle of the Years 1970 and similar: 20000 at the beginning of the Years 1980. It is in this decade that its growth was most spectacular, since the city exceeded: 48000 inhabitants in 1990. The increase continued since but at a clearly slowed down rate/rhythm, to reach: 56167 according to a complementary census in 2003.

Heraldic

Administration

Cergy shelters the prefecture and the General advice of the Val-d'Oise. The city belongs to the jurisdiction of authority, of great authority as well as trade of Pontoise. The city accommodates in addition the administrative court Val-d'Oise as well as a house of justice and right (12, place des Institutions).

Cergy is chief town of two cantons:

Cergy belongs to the 2nd district of the Valley of Oise, the largest district of France. Axel Poniatowski (UMP) is the deputy since 2002. He is historically the only deputy of this district to be re-elected. In 2002, he was elected vis-a-vis Dominique Gillot (PS), was appointed outgoing, and in 2007, vis-a-vis Dominique Lefebvre, mayor of Cergy.

Mayors of Cergy

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Political tendencies

Politically, Cergy is a commune of left, the votes going mainly to the various local or national polls on the socialist party.

With the referendum on the constitutional treaty for Europe of May 29th, 2005, Cergyssois mainly approved the European Constitution, with 52,57% of Yes compared with 47,43% of Not with a rate of abstention from 33,06% (whole France: Not to 54,67%; Yes to 45,33%). These figures are contrary with the departmental tendency of the Val-d'Oise (Not to 53,47%; Yes to 46,53%) but slightly lower than the results franciliens (Yes 53,99%; Not 46,01%).

With the presidential election of 2007, the first turn saw very mainly arriving at the head Ségolène Royal with 38,83% (national: 25,87%), followed Nicolas Sarkozy with 24,87% (national: 31,18%), then Francois Bayrou with 19,95% and Jean-Marie Le Pen with 5,72%, no other candidate not exceeding the threshold of the 4%. The second turn saw arriving largely at the head Ségolène Royal with 60,44%, Nicolas Sarkozy adding up 39,56% of the votes Cergyssois, figures opposite with the national results with a rate of abstention from 14,57%, slightly lower than the national average of 16,03%.

Budget and taxation

With a rate of tax of dwelling of 11,22% in 2006, the tax pressure for the private individuals with Cergy is one of most moderate department. This rate remained stable since 2001. The departmental rate of the Val-d'Oise was fixed the same year at 5,88% of the rental value. As comparison, this rate was (trade-union share included) of 15,29% with Pontoise but a contrario from only 7,92% with Saint-Ouen-the Alms, which profits from important incomes in the form of Professional tax.

Safety

The rate of criminality of the district of police force of Cergy (including Pontoise, Saint-Ouen-the Alms, Osny, Éragny and Pierrelaye) is of 110,62 acts for 1000 inhabitants (crimes and offenses, figures 2005) what locates it in second position in the Val-d'Oise behind Enghien-the-Baths, largely beyond average the main road (83/1000) and secondary road (88,15/1000). The rate of resolution of the businesses by the police services is of 30,46%, slightly higher than the average of the department of 28,83%.

Twinning

Twinnings of the community of agglomeration or some of its communes:

Economy

Located at 30 km of Paris, Cergy-Pontoise profits from great transportation routes. In the car, the highway a 15 makes it possible to join Cergy-Pontoise (which is at 30 minutes of Defense).

The shopping mall “the 3 Fountains” constitutes one of the most important shopping malls of the department. The building was built in 1972 by Claude Vasconi and André Georgel. It belongs to the whole of the district of the prefecture of the new Ville, and it was, with the prefecture, one of the two axes of development of the district. For the first time a shopping mall was at the same time connected to lanes on a side (Highway A15) and at the pedestrian city of the autre.
Maintenant a station the RER has serves the immediate surroundings of the shopping mall.

The center was prolonged and increased in the years 1990 (Cergy 3), increasing the commercial surface of two large surfaces (FNAC and Fly) like 30 other shops.
Le many customers per day is estimated at 35  000.

The Three-Fountains count today 147 trade distributed out of three levels. Among them, a Hypermarket Auchan. On 28  226  m, it carries out 40  % of the turnover of the whole of the downtown area.

Tourist monuments and places

One can find in Cergy in the Major district Axe/Horloge the “monument” of the Major Axe, realized by the sculptor Dani Karavan as from 1980. It is an axis arranged in the tradition of the great layouts of and 18th century, pretext with a monumental urban course, with immense a Jardin with successive stagings offering a sight on Paris and the towers of Defense. The monument of the Twelve Columns, punctuates this course. The Spanish architect Ricardo Bofill carried out in 1985 the semicircular space located around the point of origin of the axis.

In the south, in the loop of Oise, the base of leisures of Cergy-Neuville is. Artificial ponds formed starting from old sand pits of EDF, it is today a place of walk for the inhabitants of the agglomeration. One bathes there, made sail or pedal boat, nautical ski-lift… The club of Canoe-Kayak is also involved there, just like the club of oar of the ESSEC.

The Village, heart historical of Cergy is an appreciated place of the walkers.

A Port-Cergy, marina, was built on the Oise by Bernard Spœrry in 1989. One can see some yachts there as well as dwellings whose gardens give on channels.

Famous characters

  • celebrates It alchemist Nicolas Flamel was originating in Pontoise.

  • the writer Annie Ernaux resides at Cergy. Annie Ernaux is aggregate and professor of modern Lettres, his first Romance the empty Cupboards appears in 1974. She obtained the Prix Renaudot for her novel the Place (1984).
  • the man of theater Gerard Philippe also resided at Cergy-village in the Années 1960.

Transport

Origins

Cergy-village consisted of a main street:
  • in the south, it was divided into two roads, one towards Neuville-on-Oise, the other towards Éragny on Oise (passing through the Wood of Cergy). One can always see an old road panel besides indicating “Seine-et-Oise”;
  • in north, it followed Oise towards the hamlet of Menandon (anc. Menaudon ) then to the hamlet of Gency (old Jancy );
  • the remainder of the commune was only fields or wood (Hazay, Justice…)

The development of the Railroad at the 19th century led to the creation of the line Pontoise - Meulan where a Micheline passes regularly until in the Années 1950. The station was with the current site of the Place of Verdun .

In Cergy, the line followed a layout still clearly visible today for its greater part since it was transformed into way pedestrian and hiking trail.

The New City

The new Ville of Cergy brings a modern railway with the RER passing more to north of the old village. Spoil of the galleries dug was in addition used to build the Butte of Cat-Perched . It is initially the Gare of Cergy - Prefecture (center town) which opens, served by the RER  With; Cergy-Prefecture and Orée of the Wood which are composed of several districts like: the Cross Small, Oaks, Paradises, Prefecture, as well as Touleuses, the Seedlings, the Scrap-metals, the Saint-Sylvère Castles, the Clearings. In the Center of the city the district of the Slopes is: the Culvert, Linandes, Justice, Heuruelles. Then in 1980/85 the Station of Cergy - Saint-Christophe Cergy Saint-Christophe is composed of several districts: the Beautiful Spine, the Orchard, Genottes, the Wooden bowl, Terraces, the Country house, the Large Stone, the Perched Cat, the Soil, Bontemps and the Major Axis. In 1994 it was inaugurated the Gare of Cergy - the Top (new city on the high plateaus of Cergy). Cergy the Top is composed of the following districts: the Point of the Day, the Enclosure, Hazay, Essarts, Lapelote Wood and the Center Park.

The three stations are currently served by the RER has in direction of Marne-the-Valley (connects A4 of the RER) and of a train for Paris Saint-Lazare at the rush hours.

With regard to the network drunk, it is the Réseau of bus STIVO which serves the new town suit. Other networks have termini at the stations of the RER (especially Cergy - Prefecture), of which the Réseau of bus Busval of Oise, network braces departmental Val-d'Oise.

Since 1970, the highway A15 serves the city by north.

Education

Fifty four public schools exempt teaching with Cergy: forty six nursery schools and primary, five colleges and three colleges.

The city concerns the academy of Versailles. The schools of the commune are managed by the general inspection of the departmental inspection of State education of Cergy-Slope-in-the Oise (the 6, avenue du Jour Lantern). The district belongs to the basin of education and training of Cergy.

Higher education is distributed between:

  • the University of Cergy-Pontoise created in 1991, its campus accommodated 10.500 students in 2007
  • the IUFM with 8000 students into 2007 which integrated the UCP on January 1st, 2007
  • a Academic institute of technology
  • several universities:
    • ENSEA (3Ecole Nationale Sup3erieure of Electronics and its Applications)
    • ESSEC (University of the Economic scenes and Commercial)
    • EISTI (International School of Sciences of the Data processing)
    • ENSAPC (3Ecole Nationale Sup3erieure of Arts of Paris-Cergy)
    • IPSL (Polytechnic Institute Saint-Louis): School of Industrial Biology (EBI); School of Electricity, Production and Industrial Methods (EPMI); School Practices Social service (EPSS); University of Organic chemistry and Mineral (ESCOM); Geological institute Albert-of-Lapparent (IGAL); University of international agro-development (ISTOM); Free institute of Physical education Superior (ILEPS))
    • ITIN (University in Data processing, Networks and Information systems)
    • ESCIA (University of Management and Finance, member of Group ITIN-ESCIA)
    • (ENSPO) French dental School
    • (IGAL) geological Institute Albert-with-Lapparent
    • (ILEPS) free Institute of physical education superior

Culture

; Cergy with the cinema:

; Cergy in the song:

  • Cergy , song of Anise, album the chance , 2005.

Sport

The base of leisures of Cergy-Pontoise occupies a surface of 250 hectares including 150 in water levels, in the center of the loop of Oise with Cergy and Neuville-on-Oise. It allows the practice of many sports and leisures, board with veil, bathe, tennis, badminton, course of miniature golf… just like the simple walk. Stage of a running, single water in Europe, and a nautical ski-lift allow the practice of the Rafting, Kayak, Wakeboard and other sliding sports. Three courses of Golf S are located at Vauréal, Jouy-le-Moutier and Saint-Ouen-the Alms.

See too

Internal bonds

Notes, sources and references

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