Draveil

Draveil is a common department of the the Essonne, in the area Île-de-France, in France.
It belongs to the Communauté of agglomeration of Sénart Val-de-Seine.
Its inhabitants are called Draveillois.
The word Draveil means “the spirit of the Alders” in gaulois.

Access

Paris: 25 km by RN7, RN6 and A6

Aéoport of Orly

SNCF railway stations: Juvisy-sur-Orge, Laugh-Orangis, the Vigneux-on-Seine

Bus TransEssonne towards Juvisy-sur-Orge, Vigneux, Évry, Yerres

General presentation

It was once, at the western end of the Brie Frenchwoman, a small village located between water and the forest. The Romans called it Dravernum and Gallic Dracvern, which means “the spirit of the Alders”.

Time of the Francs (Mérovingiens), the Cabinet of the medals of the National library of France preserves a third of gold penny bearing the name of Draverno. It is only at the beginning of the 13th century that the final name of Draveil appeared.

The first written documents relative to Draveil go back to the reign of Dagobert.

Formerly, the population lived products of the ground: cereals, vines and market gardenings.

The privileged situation of Draveil between the Seine and the forest of Sénart made of it a place of predilection for the large ones of this world under the Old Mode, then of holiday as from the 19th century for financial the, notable ones and artists.

Today, chief town of a canton of the department of the Essonne, Draveil has a surface of 1  580 ha.
Altitude is of 33 m to the bridge of Juvisy-sur-Orge, and 79 m in the place of Weapons of the district of Mainville.

North in the south, the City extends on 5,5 km and out of 6 km of is in west. It is bordered in north by the Vigneux-on-Seine, in the North-East and in the east by Montgeron, in south-east by Soisy-sur-Seine, of the south in the North-West by the Seine which separates it from the communes from Laugh-Orangis, Grigny, Viry-Châtillon, Juvisy and Athis-Mons. The small Ru of Oly separates Draveil de Montgeron over a length from 1,4 kilometer. The Seine sprinkles Draveil over a length of approximately eight kilometers by enclosing it of a gracious curve, attended the summer by many fishermen, sailing ships and amateurs of oar.

History

During prehistory, the presence of the menhir of Pierre with Mousseaux testifies some, Draveil enters the history with the Romans who name it Dravernum, name derived from the Gallic name Dracvern which means “the spirit of the Alders”.

At the 18th century, the forest was traversed by royal huntings because its game was abondant.
At the time of one of these huntings, Louis XV meets there Mrs Lenormand d' Etiolles (Jeanne Poisson) which will become marchioness of Pompadour.

Draveil, very wide city, join together several hamlets from where several poles of activities.

Become Draveil at the 13th century, the grounds belong to the abbey of Holy-Genevieve and to the lords of Draveil.
The majority of the inhabitants is made up until the 20th century, of market-gardeners, loggers, farmers and especially of vine growers.

Blazon

The armorial bearings of the city evoke its position and its past. The currency “Inter undas and raise” (between water and the trees) is an allusion to its geographical location between the Seine and the forest of Sénart; the seven nipples translate the seven letters of the name “Draveil”.

The two bands heavy showers of money symbolize the rivers:

  • the Seine, which borders the commune on 6 kilometers;
  • the Ru of Oly, on 1,4 kilometer between Draveil and Montgeron.

The text written in Latin “Inter undas and raise” in lower part of the blazon means in French “Between water and the trees”.

The crenelated towers point out the castles which embellish the city and the vine branches of vines, its wine past.
As for the three pinks, they evoke the three geographical units: the borough in downtown area and the two hamlets, Mainville and Champrosay.

Monuments

Personalities related to the commune

See too

  • Paris-gardens, Garden city and co-operative since 1911
  • the Port with Cherries, bases pedestrian leisures
  • marked out Sentiers GR.

External bonds

Official sites

  • Site of the town hall

  • Site of the tourist bureau

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