Pontoise

Geography

Pontoise is located on a rocky outcrop dominating the confluence of the Oise and the Viosne. Chief town of district of the Val-d'Oise, it belongs to the agglomeration of the new Ville of Cergy-Pontoise. It is also a small port, along some quays.

The city, of which the center was surrounded by an enclosure, is divided into two by the railway of the 19th century, which shares the high part in north (Bélien Mount) and the wooded part of Saint Martin's day in the south (crossed by the highway a 15). In the suburbs, one finds small districts picturesque like the Étannets (of Andalusian style) or the Hermitage .

The 717,02 hectares of the city (river included) are divided into 463,95 hectares of built urban space (either 65% of entire surface), 130,41 hectares of urban space not built (or 18%) and 122,66 hectares of rural areas (or 17%).
The urban screen is consisted of the old center to the continuous habitat low (7,5% of the frame), of houses, primarily of and 20th centuries, which developed around the historical center (27,1% of the frame), of multifamily apartments and another types of constructions, primarily in the west, in the districts of Marcouville and of Louvrais (8,8% of the frame). The equipment, offices, zones of activity, large surfaces commercial and the transport infrastructures occupy 33,9% of the territory. The latter are located very mainly in the south, in limit of Cergy near the highway a 15.

The communes bordering on Pontoise are Auvers-sur-Oise (in north), Saint-Ouen-the Alms (in the east), Éragny-on-Oise (in south-east), Cergy (in the south), Osny in the west and Ennery (in the North-West).

Geology

The Geology of the east city that of the French Vexin, constitutive of the Paris basin and characterized by its sedimentary nature .

The basement includes/understands several types of superimposed rocks. The first is the white Craie campanienne, oldest, going back to approximately 80 million years and approximately eighty meters thickness, which levels in the funds of valleys. It is surmounted by a layer Calcaire Montien (65 million years), stone to build vexinoise par excellence, then by the layers of Argile and Sable of the Yprésien, whose clays of the Sparnacien, thick from five to fifteen meters, their impermeable character causes the appearance of lines of sources and returns the funds of marshy valleys. This layer is surmounted by the sand of the Cuisien, from ten to thirty meters thicknesses.

Then the important calcareous mass of the Lutétien is, a thickness from twenty to forty meters, which constitutes the base of the plate of Vexin. Its presence explains the existence of karstic phenomena . The layers of the Bartonien which succeed to him (40 million years) see alternating the sandstone and Auversien sands it, then the limestone of Saint-Ouen, and finally sands of the Marinésien, thick from five to thirty meters. The sedimentary layers are notched by the valley of the Oise.

The commune includes/understands a site listed on the database of the ministry for ecology relating to the sites and grounds polluted (or potentially polluted) calling an action of the public authorities, with preventive measure or curative (BASOL). This site, old a Works gas in activity of 1868 with 1944, is the property of Gaz de France and constitutes according to the studies only one place at the weak risk of pollution. The common one counts on the other hand 113 small industrial sites, current or old, potentially polluted (old workshops, service station or Décharge S for example).

Natural hydrography and risks

The communal territory is crossed by two rivers, the Oise and the Viosne. Oise is born in Belgium, crosses 139 communes along its 341,1 kilometers to France before throwing in the the Conflans-Holy-Honorine Seine with , with a few kilometers downstream from Pontoise. Viosne notches the plate of Vexin in a narrow valley crossing fourteen communes, on a North-South axis a 28,8 kilometers length, moving towards the course of the Oise in which it is thrown to Pontoise.

The geographical location of Pontoise makes the city particularly vulnerable to natural risks. The commune is subjected at the risk of movement of ground on the totality of cliff constituting the escarpment of the plate of Vexin which dominates the alluvial plain, like essentially of the downtown area (spur consisted the Bélien Mount). The alluvial plain is as for it at the high risk of Inondation by consecutive overflow with a Crue of Oise, in particular in the district of Cabbage upstream, in that of the station and downstream, with the right of the island of Derivation and in the bottom of the district of Larris. All these zones were flooded at the time of the great rising of 1910, the city being impacted at the time of the risings of the the Seine downstream. This risk justified the installation of a prevention plan against the risks of flood (PR), put into force in July 1998 by order of the prefect. It relates to in the Val-d'Oise the twenty-two bordering communes of Oise. This plan determines four zones, priority on the local plans of town planning (RAINED) of the communes concerned: a red zone delimited according to the risings of 1926 and 1995, a restricted parking zone where the urbanization is strongly regulated, a green zone, remained not built and in front of remaining it and an orange zone, being used as field of storage and expansion of raw (the plain between Asnières-on-Oise and Noisy-on-Oise and the plain of Champagne-on-Oise upstream, the meander of Cergy - Neuville downstream, which should allow the storage of 2,5 million m of water).

The distributed drinking water is a mixture of underground and surface origin, coming from the filtration of water of the Oise. The commune is partially fed out of water by the station of treatment of Méry-on-Oise, managed by the company Veolia Environnement. Drinking water in Pontoise east of very bacteriological good quality, containing few Nitrates, being little fluorinated and become less Calcareous since the installation of the Nanofiltration in 1999 with the factory of distribution for the zone of distribution of bank of Oise, but harder elsewhere, in the sectors supplied with the underground layer.

Communication network

Crossed by RN14 put at 2x2 ways (districts of Saint Martin's day, of the Port and the Hospital) which borrows from unquestionable place old the Chaussée Jules-César, the skirting of the historical center was made possible by the viaduct of the Viosne (RD 915) which currently makes it possible to join the new districts and the modern infrastructures (hospital, college, prison…) more quickly. The small street of the Hospital skirting Oise is the crossroads of all the roads old and new and the zone of the bridge of Pontoise is an often bottled place. In addition, the offer of parking remains insufficient in downtown area.

The road ways most important in traffic which cross the commune are the Highway a 15 (2x4 ways) and the connection departmental A15-Road 915 (2x2 ways).

These various terrestrial infrastructures have an impact raised enough in sound term of Pollution according to the regulation. The principal road ways of the downtown area are classified of category 3, or 4 in the center, of moderate level. On the other hand, four axes are classified of category 2 (high): the street of Rouen, the Jean-Jaurès boulevard, the railway of the station towards Oise (but of level 4, low, towards Gisors), and the connection departmental A15-Road 915. The highway a 15 is classified of category 1, highest.

The the Community of agglomeration of Cergy-Pontoise account close to soixante-seize cycle kilometers of installations. Several are located on the territory of Pontoise, in particular in limit of Cergy, in the districts of Larris and Maradas, like near the viaduct of Viosne (D 915). The Gare of Pontoise is equipped with a park with bicycle.

List few streets and places having changed name with the wire of time:

Bridges

There exist five bridges in Pontoise:

Bridge of Pontoise (reopened after the war, in 1948): truck driver with strong flow (3 ways)
Bridge of Saint-Ouen (1946, two new built contiguous bridges in September and October 1998, old bridge dismounted in 1999): railway with 6 ways + footbridge pedestrian
Bridge of the lock (20th century): deprived for the operation of the lock
Bridge of A15 (Years 1970): truck driver with very strong flow (8 ways)
Bridge of Oise or Éragny (1990): truck driver with medium flow (2 ways + cycle track)

Transport

The Station of Pontoise to the characteristic to be connected at the same time to the stations of Paris-Saint-Lazare and Paris-North and also served by the line C of the RER since September 2000. This service road by three different networks is not divided in Île-de-France (except Paris) only by the Gare of Ermont - Eaubonne, in the same department and Versailles - Building sites. It is also possible to reach the city starting from the Gare of Cergy - Prefecture on the line has the RER, connected by several lines of bus in only a few minutes.

The Airport of Pontoise - Cormeilles-in-Vexin (located at Cormeilles-in-Vexin) is located at four kilometers in the North-West of the city and accessible quickly by the secondary road 915.

The port is used little because the Oise is a rather narrow river, but a recent project hopes to arrange it in tourist port.

Town planning and housing

Pontoise is a city mainly made up of multifamily apartments, and especially made up tenants with more than one third of social housing, but it counts nevertheless a considerable suburban park.

Recently, one attends the rebirth of center-old, which had known a relative impoverishment for one century. One finds buildings of very different times there, some going back to XVème century (district of the Cathedral). But weakened by the risks of falls of ground due to the undergrounds and galleries located under the rock, the historical center is the subject of an important requalification and alteration work campaign. Until 2009, within the framework of the Programmed Operation of Improvement of Habitat (POIH), the private owners of center-old can profit from subsidies under certain conditions. The signature of convention “ Town of Art and History ” on January 5th, 2007 falls under this strong dynamics of sensitizing to the inheritance.

the Hermitage and the district Saint-Jean/La Justice , located in the old suburbs, constitute very required residential sectors. The Hermitage, that the Impressionnistes attended, guard still today an atmosphere of village, with its vast coloured gardens surrounding the houses of Master, in an undulating landscape. On the other hand, the district Saint-Jean/La Justice is more urban. One finds there beautiful houses middle-class, between court and garden, built between 1850 and 1920. Several styles are represented: the house of the Beautiful Time, very high, into grinding, with its marchioness, the pastiche of Small Trianon, Flemish architecture…

The city counted: 11907 residences of which: 10882 main homes in 1999. In 1999,91,4% of the residences pontoisiennes were main homes and only 0,3% of the second home. The Middle Age of the park Immobilier is lower than the regional tendency, a strong majority of the residences dating from the rebuildings according to war continuations with the destruction of 1944, and from the demographic boom of the Années 1970: 52,2% of the main homes went back to 1949 with 1974, against 37,8% in Île-de-France. Recent constructions (of 1990 at 1999) are a little more present than the average of the area thanks to the launching of some real estate schemes within the framework of the refitting of the district of the station or with the construction of houses in the district of Cabbage in particular. In 1999, 9,9% of the main homes dated from 1990 or afterwards against 9,1% in Île-de-France. A contrario , constructions former to 1949 accounted for only 23,3% of the park compared with 33,7% for the regional average francilienne, and this in spite of the old character of the city.

The main homes were distributed to 26,6% in houses and to 73,4% in apartments is almost exactly the average francilienne (respectively 26,9% and 73,1% in the area). 37,1% only of the inhabitants are owners of their housing, against 58,7% which are only tenants (respectively 44,3% and 51,1% in the area).

The commune is subjected to the legislative obligation of construction of 20% of social housing under the terms of the law n°2000-1208 of December 13rd, 2000 relating to solidarity and the renewal urban. With: 3790 residences HLM is 34,8% of the park in 1999 (23,4% also in the area), the city largely respects the provisions of the law. One can note moreover that the number of vacant housings was a little weaker in 1999 with 7,6% of the park against 8,1% on average regional.

The dwellings are characterized by their important surface: the residences of four parts and more largely dominate (48,9%). The residences of three parts (26,6%) follow, then 2 parts (15,0%). The small residences remain rather minority (studios: 9,5%), but in increase of 68,5% of 1990 to 1999, which contributes to better rebalancing the park.

Climate

Pontoise 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).

Heraldic

History

Pontoise is the historical capital of the French Vexin. It is, of 1964 with 1970, the single prefecture of the Val-d'Oise, before becoming about it a sub-prefecture while remaining the chief town of the department. It shelters the residence of the prefect today while Cergy accommodates the prefecture.

Origins

The foundation of Briva Isaræ (the ford of the river) seems former at the time Roman. Isara is the Latin translation of impetuous Rivière , at the origin of the names Oise or Isere . The inhabitants initially concentrated with the confluence of Oise and Viosne at the place even where the Chaussée Jules-César passed on a currently wooded zone. The cruel invasions then the threat Norman encourage the inhabitants to take refuge on the rock piton overhanging Oise more in the north ( Mont Bélien ) which supports the defense of the city thus and allows the control of the passage of the river. The first zone of settlement is converted into a Abbaye ( Saint Martin's day ) and is left wooded. The roadway is partly abandoned.

Early middle ages

The borough mérovingien is located on the plate of Saint Martin's day, with the accesses of the Roman way which connects Paris to Rouen. Sarcophagi of this time were discovered besides at the Saint Martin's day school. The archeologists also put at the day the traces rural structures (bottom of hut, holes of posts and silos).

At the 9th century during the Carolingian time , Pontoise is a commercial borough. It is the only place of the area where one can cross Oise. In 862, Charles the Bald person orders to stop the Norman ones barring the rivers by strengthened bridges; the first bridge of Pontoise probably goes back to this time. In 864, Charles the Bald person gives to the Abbaye of Saint-Denis rights to perceive on the weekly market of Pontoise, as well as rights to take on the trade of the port, at the edge of Oise. On the Mount-Bélien is founded a Abbaye, dedicated to Notre-Dame de Lorette (Loreto in Italy). In this abbey the Saint-Melon relics are transported since Rouen to put them at the shelter raids the Norman ones which devastate France. In 885 the Norman ones besiege and take the town of Pontoise. Because of this threat, the inhabitants are installed on the Bélien Mount, easy to defend. The borough of Pontoise is established there in a final way. A castle is built there by the counts of the Vexin. The plate of Saint Martin's day does not remain however one of the points of fixing of the population of Pontoise until the Guerre One hundred Year old, the village of origin ( Villa Sancti-Martini ) not sheltering nevertheless any more but a few tens of inhabitants.

In 911, to the treaty of Saint-Clearly-on-Epte, Charles Simple the, king of the Francs, gives to Rollon, Norman, the grounds of the Epte to the sea. Pontoise quickly becomes frontier town and defends the accesses of Paris.

The Middle Ages

Little by little, Pontoise increased and becomes a city; the passage of the Oise is not done any more by the old way but by a new bridge towards 1070 builds. Louis VI the Large (1081-1137) defends the French Vexin savagely, border Western of its royal field, against the multiple attacks of the Norman ones. The city is surrounded by a wall, the bridge on Oise east rebuilt out of stone and strengthened and the powerful royal castle, dominating the city and Oise, is then rebuilt of 1103 with 1122. It becomes one of the places of favorite stay of the Capétiens, in particular Philippe Auguste and Saint Louis. The kings make strike currency in Pontoise, which belongs to their field.

At the end of the 11th century a Abbey, initially founded in Pontoise, street of the Cutlery, is established on the Saint Martin's day plate. The monks have right of fair there about 1170, one sells to with it wine produced by the surrounding vines and of herring. It is the origin of the current fair of Saint Martin. By tradition, one drinks there still today the wine of the slopes of the area, the “ ginglet ”. In the city, the craft industry of leather and industry clothier are in full rise.

In 1188, Philippe Auguste gives to the city a communal charter, but exchanges some, the expensive maintenance of the ramparts is with the load of the middle-class men. The charter grants a broad legal and administrative autonomy and recognizes the existence of the mayor and of these pars, it is an essential date in the history of the city. Pontoise is then an important commercial and artisanal place, with the doors of Paris. The productions of corn, Vexin and Picardy, forward there. During the 12th century, the course of the Viosne was arranged at economic ends. Many mills settled, mills with corn but also mills with tan for the shaping of leather and mills fullers for cloths. The creation of the Notre-Dame suburb, out the enclosing walls, goes up at that time. English workmen come to work cloth there. The town of Pontoise takes a form which will perdurera until the 18th century and which is guessed still today in the installation of its streets in the walls. One can easily find the layout of the ramparts besides registers in the compartmental one.

In 1204, Philippe-Auguste annexes Normandy, which reduces its strategic position but increases its safety n the other hand. Starting from the reign of Saint Louis, Pontoise becomes royal residence. His/her mother, White of Castille, then bases on other bank the Abbaye of Maubuisson, last monastic creation capétienne, in which it is buried.

The 13th century is the time of prosperity. The city counts several parishes and abbeys: Saint Martin's day, Saint-Melon, Saint-Pierre, for the conventual establishments; Saint-Maclou, Saint-Andrew, Saint-Melon, Saint-Pierre, for the parish churches. House-God, left medieval hospital, is on the place of small Martroy. Saint-Louis makes transfer this one, in 1256, on banks of Oise about to the site of the old swimming pool. The Notre-Dame church is built and Cordeliers install a convent out the walls (the current Town hall is in the walls of this old convent).

The city thrives: a census of 1332 account: 2150 fires, is: 8000 with: 10000 inhabitants what is considerable and does of them one of the principal cities of the kingdom; it is necessary to wait the 20th century to find an equivalent population (the city counts: 8492 inhabitants in 1906). It shelters several markets and fairs, the corporations are there powerful (bakers, butchers). The prosperity of its trade and its industry attracts the middle-class men and the financial foreigners, Juifs, Lombards, English. It is one time of development for all Europe.

In 1337, begins the Guerre One hundred Year old (commonly divided into two periods, 1337 with 1380 and 1415 with 1453) which accentuates the military character of the castle of Pontoise. To these disorders come to be added several epidemics of Peste who responsible for died for an inhabitant on eight. Pontoise is relatively saved during the first period of the Guerre One hundred Year old. In 1368 is built the Saint-Jacob hospital to accommodate the pilgrims of Compostelle; the frontage of the building is still visible nowadays, street of the large cup.

The 15th century is the time of the decline. Although strongly strengthened, the city passes on several occasions between the hands of the English. Indeed, in 1417, the English take the city, then it is with the turn of the Bourguignons in 1419. Released in 1436, the city is reconquered by the English the following year. It is taken again definitively by the king of France only in 1441 after a testing seat three months. The combat and plunderings ruined the city which is not any more one important commercial place; many buildings, whose Notre-Dame church, are destroyed. During the occupation, the duke of Bedford, regent of the kingdom, attaches Pontoise to the bailliage Gisors, i.e. to Normandy, dispossessing the town of any administrative and political importance.

Rebirth at the XVIIIe century

The 16th century is marked by the wars of religion. Pontoise as Paris remain opposite with the Protestantisme, which is established despite everything in the west of French Vexin. Following its adhesion with the League, it again is besieged and taken by both Henri (the king of France Henri III and its cousin Henri de Navarre) in July 1589, but benefitting from the distance of the royal army, the League takes again the city in January 1590 after a six days bombardment. The seats of 1589 and 1590 put at evil the ramparts that it is necessary to raise. Moreover, the construction of a citadel is undertaken street of Gisors by Henri III. It will never be finished. Indeed the borders move away and Pontoise will lose its statute of frontier town. The city is very impoverished, in spite of the prosperity of the surrounding soils of Vexin.

At the 17th century, the city sees its trade and its craft industry to continue their decline, like besides all the medium-sized cities surrounding Paris. Recurring epidemics of plague, in particular the terrible epidemic of 1638 which makes: 1200 victims, accelerated depopulation. Many houses are with the abandonment. Pontoise loses its military character gradually. The municipality which knows enormous financial problems must maintain a garrison until in 1666 and repair the fortifications. But the enclosure, in very bad condition, ends up being abandoned. Not being more one important commercial and military place, Pontoise reappears nevertheless grace the vitality of the catholic reform. Many a convent and monasteries were established in Pontoise: Carmelite nuns in 1605 (initially street Marcel Rousier then in the monastery of the street Pierre Spoils where Carmel is still today), the Ursulines in 1611, the Jésuites in 1604, the English Bénédictines in 1658. On the political plan, Louis XIV must take refuge with the castle of Pontoise during the Fronde. It makes come the Parliament to Pontoise in 1652. But after this episode, the castle is with the abandonment. In 1697, the city becomes the seat of an election and an attic with salt, but it loses the control of National Forestry Commission and the seat of the constabulary.

The XVIIIe century

At the 18th century, the city knows a relative economic growth and demographic. Important work of town planning is completed. The fortifications are sold and destroyed just like the old castle of Pontoise by Louis XV, due to insalubrity. During this century, Pontoise plays a considerable political role. Indeed, the Parlement of Paris is established there twice, in 1720 and 1753, as sanction of the royal capacity. But it is nothing any more but one place of exile, leaving its name to the pejorative expression “To return from Pontoise”, meaning the failure. In addition, Pontoise is touched by the riots frumentaires “ War of Farines ” (1775), which bursts in reaction to the liberalization of the trade of the grains wanted by Turgot. At that time, industry périclite, except for flour-milling, the activity is especially consisted of the vine growing and of the market to the grains, the city does not count any more that approximately four to five thousand inhabitants, is half of its population of the 14th century. The religious orders are touched by the spiritual crisis, the convent of the Bénédictines English, most recent, closes in 1784, for lack of vocations.

To the Revolution, the secularization of the goods of the clergy carries a fatal blow to several religious establishments. Saint-melon is destroyed like Saint-Pierre and Saint-Andrew. The Ursulines and the Jesuit S as well as the abbey of Saint Martin's day disappear. The political ambitions of Pontoise are ruined: without to have consulted the population, the Revolution attaches the city to the new department of Seine-et-Oise. It becomes the chief town of a district of a hundred communes of 1790 with 1795, and takes again only one modest importance like chief town of district under the Consulate. In year II of the Republic, an attempt at annexation of Saint-Ouen-the Alms fails, and the population stagnates with a little more cinq-mille inhabitants during half of the 19th century.

The XIXe century

At the 19th century, the arrival of the line of Railroad Paris Lille raises hopes of development, but the station known as of Pontoise is established with several kilometers on other bank, in Épluches, hamlet of Saint-Ouen-the Alms. It has only one impact extremely limited on the city.

But a station is finally built in the city even in 1863 at the time of the opening of the line Paris Dieppe, and makes it possible Pontoise to communicate with Paris and the close suburbs. The population starts a recovery, and the industrial parks and of habitat develop with the neighborhoods thanks to the train (rail junction of Saint-Ouen-the Alms). A project of large openings as in Paris is born to connect the four cardinal points to the church Saint-Maclou (cathedral since 1966): only the street Thiers , in the named beginning Imperial street , in direction of the new station and strong inclined is inaugurated on October 10th 1869, at the same time as the statue of the general Victoire-Emmanuel Leclerc who overhangs it. But in September 1870, it is the disaster of Sedan and the war free-Prussian. As of the 15, Uhlans riders seek a passage on the Oise on the side of Saint-Ouen-the Alms; but the French Genius blew up the bridges a few days earlier. They pass nevertheless on a bridge of boats and immediately claim money at the city which must launch a loan. Pontoise is occupied from September 18th, 1870 to June 26th, 1871; during this period, the inhabitants are obliged to lodge the Prussian soldiers on their premises.

From 1870 to 1910, Pontoise is a middle-class small town of six-mille inhabitants directed by the notable ones, anchored on the right during forty years. Industrialization relates to it only slightly, the factories being built on left bank with Saint-Ouen-the Alms.

From 1900 to our days

In September 1914, the German outposts arrive to Auvers-sur-Oise, but move back during the release of the First battle of the Marne, Pontoise is not occupied. The atmosphere of the city is patriotic, and the mayor, Mr. Mallet, receive a blame on behalf of the military authority, which pushes it one moment with the resignation: it had made known in Pontoisiens the possibility to have to evacuate the city, which was judged like “defaitist”. During the First World War, each week sees to shell the names of the missings.

During the inter-war period, Pontoise is a quiet provincial town of twelve thousand inhabitants, directed by a radical and moderated municipality.

During the Second world war, Pontoise prepares in the worst case; air-raid shelters are dug in the garden of the city, but nothing occurs. Suddenly, the bombardments occur June 7th and 10th 1940. The bridge is mined by the French Genius in order to slow down the enemy troops what does not prevent them from passing as in 1870 on a bridge of boats, then the district of the road bridge is devastated by the German bombs, the Hospital disappears with all its files. Pontoisiens do not evacuate the city, at the beginning of the summer 1940, it does not count any more but one inhabitant hundred of which members of the Red Cross of Paris. A wood bridge is opened with circulation on September 15th, 1940, and the German troops settle with the Bossut barracks, abandoned by the first regiment of dragons. during four years, Pontoise lives like all France per hour of the restrictions, less hard nevertheless than with Paris, the city being country, of the curfew at 10 p.m., the subjected press and the noise of step of the troops of occupation. The winter 1941 - 1942 is particularly hard: Oise east entirely cold. This year there, of resistant are stopped and carried out or off-set. The city is again bombarded before the release, this time by the allies in order to destroy the bridge on Oise, August 9th and 14th 1944. The city is finally released on August 30th.

After war, the committee of Release renames several streets in order to pay homage to the victims of the Nazism: the dead end of the College is famous dead end Chabanne, the street Basse becomes street Pierre-Spoils, the boulevard of Ennery becomes the boulevard Jacques-Head, the street of the Sword becomes the street Marcel-Rousier, and the Main street is famous Alexandre-Prachay, communist deputy of the city stopped and deceased in 1943. The other resistant ones disappeared are also honoured, Lucien Francia, Eric de Martimprey and Jean-Paul Soutumier. The boulevard of the Ditches becomes also the Jean-Jaurès boulevard, in order to “pay homage to the large powerful orator”. The district of the bridge is rebuilt in a style evoking the edges of the Loire and the new road bridge is inaugurated in 1947.

The city finds a new prosperity: the population of the city doubles between 1945 and the end of the century with the construction of new districts in the north of the city. 1954 with 1958, the district of Cordeliers leaves ground, 1948 with 1962: 1200 residences are built. In 1964 with the creation of the department of the Val-d'Oise, and become seat of a évêché in 1966, Pontoise makes administrative and commercial great strides remarkable and becomes the center of the new city of Cergy-Pontoise with Cergy. The city continues to develop until in the Années 1980 with the appearance of turns HLM on the Plate and close to its limit with Cergy in the new districts to Marcouville , Louvrais (1965-1972) and Larris .

The growth of the city continues towards Cergy. Indeed, it is envisaged to parcel out the thirteen hectares of the Bossut barracks, which does not provide any more a military function. The grounds were yielded to the Community agglomeration with a vast plan of installation and urbanization which should last ten years starting from 2008.

Demography

With approximately: 10000 inhabitants at the 14th century, Pontoise was at the end of the Moyen-âge one of the most important cities of the kingdom. After a long consecutive decline with the War One hundred Year old, with the loss of its strategic military position of outpost vis-a-vis the Normandy and to the abandonment of the city by the kings of France, Pontoise restarted a slow demographic progression thanks to the arrival of the Railroad, in 1846 on left bank of Oise with Saint-Ouen-the Alms and in 1863 in Pontoise even. After a fall of population related to the many destruction of the Bombardment S of 1944, the city knew a spectacular progression at the beginning of the Années 1970 after its integration with the new city of Cergy-Pontoise and its promotion as a Chef-lieu of the new department of the Val-d'Oise. It thus gained close to: 10000 inhabitants between 1968 and 1975, before knowing a stagnation since this date, the whole of the communal territory being urbanized, and new constructions compensating for only the reduction in the number of people per hearth, total phenomenon in the western world.

Demographic table of the 20th century

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bar: 1901 At: 8180 fontsize: S text: 8.180 shift: (- 8,5) bar: 1906 At: 8492 fontsize: S text: 8.492 shift: (- 10,5) bar: 1911 At: 9023 fontsize: S text: 9.023 shift: (- 10,5) bar: 1921 At: 9915 fontsize: S text: 9.915 shift: (- 10,5) bar: 1926 At: 10719 fontsize: S text: 10.719 shift: (- 10,5) bar: 1931 At: 11709 fontsize: S text: 11.709 shift: (- 10,5) bar: 1936 At: 12183 fontsize: S text: 12.183 shift: (- 10,5) bar: 1946 At: 11009 fontsize: S text: 11.009 shift: (- 10,5) bar: 1954 At: 14139 fontsize: S text: 14.139 shift: (- 10,5) bar: 1962 At: 15232 fontsize: S text: 15.232 shift: (- 10,5) bar: 1968 At: 16817 fontsize: S text: 16.817 shift: (- 10,5) bar: 1975 At: 26014 fontsize: S text: 26.014 shift: (- 10,5) bar: 1982 At: 26780 fontsize: S text: 26.780 shift: (- 10,5) bar: 1990 At: 27150 fontsize: S text: 27.150 shift: (- 10,5) bar: 1999 At: 27494 fontsize: S text: 27.494 shift: (- 10,5)

TextData= fontsize: S pos: (30,20) text: source INSEE

Population pyramid

The population pyramid of Pontoise shows a slow demographic change of the city between 1990 and 1999 with the significant increase on behalf of the adults and the retreat in the number of young people.

In accordance with the area Ile-de-France as a whole, Pontoise sees the share of the children (less than 15 years) decreasing with a fall of 2 points between the two Recensement S of 1990 and 1999. These values remain almost in conformity with the share of less than fifteen years in the area (19,1% of the men and 17,7% of the women in Pontoise against respectively 19,9% and 17,9% in the area). But contrary to the regional tendency, the share from the 15 to 29 years remains important, even if it slightly moved back since 1990. The share from the 45 to 59 years on the other hand strongly increased in the city, more still than the regional total tendency. The section of more than 60 is as for it completely in conformity with the area, as well in proportion as in progression.

Administration

The city belongs to the Communauté of agglomeration of Cergy-Pontoise, but also to the urban Unité and the urban Aire of Paris.

Pontoise is the seat of a sub-prefecture (of which the services are placed street of the Cutlery). The city composes only the Canton of Pontoise. The administration continues to use the buildings of the sub-prefecture of Pontoise, which existed already when the city was chief town of district of Seine-et-Oise. The common one belongs to the First district of the Val-d'Oise, whose deputy is, since 1993, Philippe Houillon (UMP), also mayor of Pontoise since 2001.

Political tendencies

Politically, Pontoise is a commune oscillating between right-hand side and left according to the elections. The mayor Philippe Houillon (UMP) took the continuation of Jean-Michel Rollot (socialist) in 2001.

With the presidential election of 2002, the first turn saw arriving at the head Jacques Chirac with 19,5%, followed Lionel Jospin with 17,3%, Jean-Marie Le Pen with 15,4%, then Francois Bayrou with 7,6%, No5el Mamère with 7,1%, Jean-Pierre Chevènement with 6,8%, Arlette Laguiller with 4,8% no other candidate not exceeding the threshold of the 4%. With the second turn, the voters voted to 84,1% for Jacques Chirac against 15,9% for Jean-Marie Le Pen with a rate of abstention from 19,7%, result close to the national tendencies (respectively 82,21% and 17,79%; abstention 20,29%).

With the referendum on the constitutional treaty for Europe of May 29th, 2005, Pontoisiens approved with a small majority the European Constitution, with 51,98% of Yes compared with 48,02% of Not with a rate of abstention from 34,16% (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 close to the results franciliens (Yes 53,99%; Not 46,01%).

With the presidential election of 2007, the first turn saw arriving at the head Nicolas Sarkozy with 30,70%, followed by Ségolène Royal with 29,73%, Francois Bayrou with 20,56%, Jean-Marie Le Pen with 7,48%, finally Olivier Besancenot with 3,74%, no other candidate not exceeding the threshold of the 2%. The second turn saw arriving at the head Nicolas Sarkozy at very a small majority with 50,36% compared with 49,64% for Ségolène Royal (result national: respectively 53,06 and 46,94%).

Mayors of Pontoise

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Budget and taxation

The municipal budget the main thing 2006 added up: 11338000 Euro S of investment and: 30918000 euros of operation.

With a rate of tax of dwelling of 15,28 % in 2006, tax pressure for the private individuals in Pontoise east in the average of the department. This rate remained stable since 2001. He is necessary to add a tiny percentage of 0,01 to it; % for the trade-union share, is 15,29 % on the whole. 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 nevertheless lower in the common neighbors of Cergy with 11,22 % and of only 7,92 % with Saint-Ouen-the Alms, which profits from important incomes in Professional tax.

The city is the 171e of France of more than: 20000 inhabitants (out of 401) for the proportion of taxable people to the Solidarity tax on fortune (STF), is 161 household for tax purposes, representing 5,9 household for tax purposes for thousand inhabitants in 2006, declaring an inheritance average of: 1532210 €.

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 %.

Twinnings

The municipality of Pontoise concluded three Jumelage S with:

Böblingen (Germany) since 1956;
Sevenoaks (the United Kingdom) since 1964;
Geleen (Netherlands) since 1962.

Justice

The presence from a Court of justice in Pontoise goes back to the Ancien Mode (exile of the Parlement of Paris). One finds in Pontoise several jurisdictions: a Court of Bankruptcy, a magistrates' court, a bankruptcy court, an administrative court and a court of the Arbitration. New a law courts opened its doors on October 11th, 2006.

In the vicinity, the prison located at Osny was brought into service in 1990; it replaces the old prison of Pontoise, regarded as most decayed of France before its permanent closure. The Bar of Pontoise, one of most important of France, was made up in 1887 (barristers president since January 2007: Master Robert Dupâquier).

Economy

Pontoise shelters many administrative offices and ecclesiastics (sub-prefecture, cathedral, churches…) in spite of the departure of certain public services, from now on located at Cergy: branch of the Banque de France, Treasury.

The provincial character of the city attracted many liberal professions, to start with lawyers, around one of the first ten legal cities of France. On the other hand, it has few head offices, although 770 companies were listed in Pontoise in 2005.

The regional hospital Rene-Dubos is the heir to the old Hospital of Pontoise. It employs nearly 400 doctors and more than 2300 hospital agents, constituting the first public employer of the agglomeration of Cergy-Pontoise. As for the Sainte-Marie private clinic, founded in Pontoise in 1930 by Doctor Breton, it was transferred in Osny in 2005. The majority of the specialist physicians carrying on their activity in downtown area consult in one or the other of the two establishments.

The retail business is well represented in the old center (food, equipment of the house, equipment of the person) but its perenniality is not acquired. The revival of the trades following the retirements is not systematic. The markets of Pontoise are very attended (five market days per week in various places of the city, most important being held Saturday morning since the Middle Ages).

A shopping mall of proximity integrating several small shops and a supermarket (sign ED) are located in the district of Louvrais. A shopping mall, much vaster (hypermarket E.Leclerc) is at the limits of the city, with the locality Cross-Saint-Siméon with Osny. Two other great shopping malls are located in the close cities and compete with the small shop pontoisien hard: most important, in the face and a frequentation, is consisted the regional shopping mall the 3 Fountains in Cergy; one also finds the retail park of the Oseraie which continues its development around the hypermarket Auchan and of the store Leroy Merlin.

With obtaining the label “town of art and history”, the municipality put on the development of tourism (river tourism, discovered built and underground inheritance).

Sociology

In 1999, 29,3% of the Pontoisiens credits having an employment worked in the commune. This relatively high figure for the area nevertheless slightly moved back of 3,7 points between 1990 and 1999. But nearly a third of the credits worked out of the department, primarily with Paris and in the Hauts-de-Seine. The private car remains the privileged means of transport of residence-work displacements since it accounted for 48,9% of displacements in 1999 compared with 24,7% for public transport and 10,1% for the walking. Unemployment rate was close to the national tendency with 12% in 1999 (national average: 12,9% in 1999). The average revenue by household is slightly higher than the national average with 16.979 € per annum (national average: 15.027 € per annum). In 2006,143 household for tax purposes pontoisiens were subjected to the Solidarity tax on Fortune (STF).

The intermediate occupations are very represented in Pontoise with 27,3% of the credits (against 25,6% on average regional and 23,1% on average national). But they are the employees who are represented, with 32,3% of the inhabitants of the commune (against 29,5% in Ile-de-France and 28,8% in France). The workmen represent as for them that 19,8% of the credits of the commune (16,5% in Île-de-France area and 25,6% in France). The executives and intellectual professions account for 17,0% of Pontoisiens (against 13,1% on average in France and 22,8% on average regional). The farmers account for 0,1% of the credits of the city.

The rate of Pontoisiens having followed higher learning with 24,3% is higher than the national average (18,1%) but definitely lower than the regional average (28,1%).

Teaching

Blackjacks public schools exempt teaching in Pontoise: eight nursery schools, nine elementary schools, three colleges (Louvrais, Chabanne and Park-with-Charettes) and a general high school and technique (Pissarro College) also preparing with the BTS like with the entrance examinations at the Universities (maths sup and maths spé).

The city in addition counts four private establishments, the elementary school Saint-Louis, the college and private college catholic Saint Martin's day de France (boarding school and externat), the catholic college Notre-Dame of the Compassion and the college and Vauban college.

The common changing of the academy of Versailles. The schools are managed by the general inspection of the departmental inspection of State education Cergy Is - Pontoise. The district belongs to the basin of education and training of Pontoise.

The Saint Martin's day site of the University of Cergy-Pontoise, specialized in sciences, is located on the territory of the commune. Created in 1991, the university accommodated a total of: 19250 students on his campus in 2007.

Parks and green areas

Pontoise has many private and pot gardens, like five parks and public gardens. The hotel of Verville and the hotel of Monthiers have remarkable private gardens. One can also quote the family gardens of the Hermitage , kitchen gardens immortalized by Pissarro, of the English Pâtis or the Clos (Saint Martin's day district).

The garden of the Five Directions surrounds the Pissarro museum. It has the effect of being also conceived for the partially-sighted persons, presenting many plants and flowers to the constant perfumes and panels in Braille (free access the every day of 10:00 with 21:00).

The garden of the City takes again the layout of a pleasure garden created at the 18th century by Vasseur de Verville, Contrôleur of finances of the House of the King. It was acquired by the town of Pontoise in 1820. This public walk occupies part of the ditches which protected the medieval city.

The garden of the Lavender fields , to the west, is crossed by the sinuous course of the Viosne. It makes it possible to go to the mill of the Grass snake, represented by Paul Cézanne.

The park of the castle of Marcouville (street of Rouen) has a surface of more than five hectares. Its hydraulic system goes back to the 17th century.

The park of Larris (ten hectares) with its hill as for him was arranged in 1987

Tourist monuments and places

Pontoise is signatory of a convention “ Town of art ” since 1978. Because of the richness of its inheritance and efforts to emphasize it, it obtained on March 30th 2006 the label Ville of art and history.

The city has many historic buildings classified or registered voters. Part of its territory constitutes a registered site (the Bélien mount and the district of the Hermitage) and the site of the castle and park of Marcouville, is classified. The classification of the downtown area in Protection zone of the architectural, urban and landscape heritage (ZPPAUP) was studied in 1998, this project, already implemented in the common neighbor of Auvers-sur-Oise, could lead before 2010.

Museums

Museum Tavet-Delacour (medieval sculptures , manuscripts of the 18th century, and paintings of the 20th century): Installed in a private mansion of the end of the 15th century, formerly remains Vicar-general of Pontoise, the Tavet-Delacour Museum preserves the historical collections of the City. Its collections of the 20th century were primarily made up around the Donation Freundlich (1968). The museum present of the traditional expositions at the 20th century, with the historical collections, and with those which concern the programming of the Pissarro Museum.

Museum Pissarro (impressionist collections), in the park of the old castle, and garden of the five directions: installed in a middle-class house which dominates the valley of Oise and the old city, over the site of the old royal castle, the museum Camille Pissarro pays homage to its work made in Pontoise between 1866 and 1883. Pissarro was at the origin of the stays to Pontoise and Auvers-sur-Oise of Cézanne, Gauguin and Vincent van Gogh. This museum constituted in a score of years a collection articulated around a whole of etchings of Camille Pissarro, but also of works of the many artists who worked in the second part of the 19th century between Pontoise and Isle-Adam.

Religious buildings

the Cathedral Saint-Maclou : composite monument of style, with the Bedside and Transept in primitive Gothic (12th century), with the frontage in blazing Gothic (15th century), and at the low sides of Renaissance style (16th century), it dominates the old center of Pontoise. The Saint-Maclou church was devoted cathedral in 1966. It is one of the rare cathedrals not belonging to the State.

Carmel : it is about oldest the Carmel of France in activity. Its buildings, dating from the beginning of the 17th century, are intact. Y are preserved many works of Article One finds in Carmel a testimony of the ingeniousness of the Moyen-âge: the old course of the Viosne deviated to feed out of water part of the downtown area.

Church Notre-Dame : located out of the ramparts, the Notre-Dame church going back to the 12th century is rebuilt starting from 1472. A statue of the Virgin is the object of a pilgrimage there. But in 1589, the building is destroyed during the head office of Pontoise by Henri III and king de Navarre. The new church, works of Nicolas the Draper, is finished in 1599. The porch dates from the 18th century.

the old convent of Cordeliers : the reform franciscaine made its appearance in Pontoise in the shape of a convent of Cordeliers, initially installed out the walls, then side of the Door of Ennery, and finally rebuilt in the middle of the city. It is the current Town hall since 1854.

vestiges of the abbey Saint Martin's day (school Saint-Martin-of-France): Benedictine abbey founded in first half of the 11th century. Initially established in the walls of Pontoise around a vault dedicated to Holy Germain, the community moved on the plate at the end of the 11th century. The abbey was then indicated by the double dedication “ Saint-Germain-and-Saint-Martin ”, then “ Saint-Martin ”. The first known abbot is Saint Gautier (towards 1030 - 1099). Very prosperous, the abbey counted twelve priories at the end of the 12th century. In the middle of the 17th century, the establishment was reformed by Mauristes. The cardinal of Bubble (1643 - 1715), commendatory abbot and lord engagist of the field of Pontoise, made rebuild with ostentation the abbey palate, decorated of a splendid formal garden. In 1752, the castle of Saint Martin's day became the property of the prince de Conti, Large-Prior of France. July 13rd, 1788, the abbey was devastated by a storm. The buildings, in bad condition, were shaven starting from 1791. There remains today only the bell-tower of the abbey church, the 12th century (MH) and a barn going back to the 15th century. The field of Saint Martin's day shelters today the school Saint-Martin-of-France, animated by the Oratoriens. The rich person files of the abbey are preserved at the departmental records of the Val-d'Oise.

Civil architecture

ramparts of the royal castle : the castle built by Capétiens was sold in 1739 to be shaven. The foundations and part of the ramparts (western) were preserved. The defensive system going back to the 12th century was deeply transformed at the 16th century.

the hotel of Verville or hotel of the Cutlery is a private mansion altered in second half of the 18th century for the family Vasseur de Verville. It has a beautiful interior decoration. It nowadays accommodates the residence of the prefects of the Val-d'Oise.

the hotel of Monthiers is a private mansion of the 17th century having belonged to Jean Matisse, wire of the painter Matisse.

the hotel of Pitch or Orgemont is a building going up at the 11th century of which there remains the external turret and of the undergrounds (street of the Rock).

the old town hall , of the 18th century has a gate offered in 1779 by the prince de Conti. It gives access to the Garden of the City.

the Pihan property of Forest is the house of the magistrate and historian Paul François Pihan of Forest (1739-1810), rebuilt at the end of the 19th century. The splendid arched cellars go back to the 13th century. One admires there a staircase “with hand” worked of 21 steps.

the old hospital of the poor locked up has a frontage of the end of the 18th century).

the fountain of love is a tower which probably dates from the end of the 18th century. Its name was associated with a legend: whereas it goes to this fountain, place of secret appointment with his/her lover, an young girl finds this one assassinated by order of his/her father.

the mill of the Grass snake (MH) is a mill of the 18th century painted by Paul Cézanne.

the castle of Marcouville (Chamber of commerce and of industry) is a castle of the 17th century rebuilt in the Années 1950.

Pontoise counts many old houses and picturesque districts : the district of Étannets, the place of Large-Martroy, the place of Small-Martroy, the street of the Town hall…

Other curiosities

Pontoise has an important network of hollow and souterrains' . The Bélien Mount, on which the old castle of Pontoise was built, is a limestone spur. The extraction of material necessary to construction left many cellars and careers of: “ career of Château ”, the “ port souterrain ”, the “ glacière ”, the “ cellar of Moineaux ”, the underground vault of the presbytery, etc One can visit these undergrounds at the time of the European Journées of the inheritance, in September, or on go near the Tourist office of Pontoise (visit each Sunday).

Pontoise in addition has vines, the vineyard of the commune of Saint Martin's day .

Culture

Pontoise offers a rather active cultural life, even if this one can seem not very dynamic. With obtaining in 2006 of the statute of town of art and history, it has many projects in order to become a pole impossible to circumvent of the department.

Pontoise in painting

The city attracted the painters as of the 17th century: one can quote Israel Sylvestre for his medieval sights, Louis-Gabriel Moreau or Claude Chastillon for his engravings. The privileged sight is that of the other bank, which allows a total representation of the city dominating Oise. But the purpose of these representations are primarily to propose the religious and military characteristics city.

At the 19th century, the city loses the majority of its architectural symbols and its representation evolves to that of the picturesque landscapes. Turner, the English great painter paints it under this angle. During the Years 1850, Adolphe d' Hastrel is the first to represent the remarkable monuments of the city, but produced works are subjected to the orders of the public and the style remains academic.

It is starting from the arrival of Camille Pissarro in 1866 that Pontoise becomes a major place of the history of art and one of the capitals of the impressionist movement . Many painters took as a starting point the city and its area for the creation of landscapes. Camille Pissarro remains there as from 1866, then in 1872 until in 1884 settles there. Pontoise represents for him an accessible city thanks to the new railroad, with the sufficiently moderate rents and especially virgin on the artistic level. Indeed, for a landscape designer, to paint a site already surveyed by a large Master in makes become a disciple. Sometimes nevertheless, the influence of Daubigny, its neighbor of Auvers, is felt in certain fabrics. In nearly eighteen years, it realizes more than three hundred fabrics and of many engravings and drawings. Pissarro never seeks the picturesque one, it never makes directly appear a monument or original place, or only in second plan. Nature is not represented any more with a romantic influence, the painter chooses prospects representing reality, the country life, industry. During Years 1870, an abstract group is formed around Pissarro, made up of Armand Guillaumin, Paul Cézanne, Edouard Béliard, Ludovic Piette then Pontoisien Louis Hayet, comrade of his Lucien son.

Ludovic Piette on several occasions remains at Pissarro of 1874 with 1877. Contrary to the Master, it represents many picturesque scenes of the city, of which markets, that it approaches under a more total prospect in order to propose the social dimension of the places. The subject takes precedence over art, contrary to the impressionists.

Pissarro collaborates of 1872 in 1881 with Paul Cézanne, who settles during one year and half with Saint-Ouen-the Alms then with Auvers-sur-Oise. This common work is of a great richness for the two painters. Pissarro invites Cézanne to adhere to impressionism, to paint on the reason, in the open air. The common subjects are covered in a very different way: while Cézanne painted by flat tints of colors and simplifies the drawing, Pissarro seeks the fragmentation of the light, which will carry out it later towards the Pointillisme incarnated by Georges Seurat. In 1879, Paul Gauguin arrives at Pontoise, which inaugurates a new collaboration. But young person and less advanced on the artistic level, he says pupil of the Master.

But of the financial problems oblige Pissarro to leave the city at the beginning of 1884 for Éragny-on-Epte, in the north of Gisors. He writes with Claude Monet: … I am obliged to leave Pontoise much to my regret, not finding more one house, located well and in modest prices. Much to my regret, because in my opinion, Pontoise, from all the points of view, was appropriate to me; but I think that you can find your business, being able to pay a higher rent .

Other artists lived or worked in the area such as William Thornley with Osny, Vincent van Gogh, Maurice de Vlaminck, Otto Freundlich and much of others with Auvers-sur-Oise.

Media

The local press consists of several publications: in addition to the municipal magazine Pontoise infos , supplemented by a municipal letter of monthly information which points out the road works or the dates of public meetings for example, the community of agglomeration diffuses a free magazine Twelve like a , pun around the number of common composing this community.

The city contains the seats of the newspapers the Gazette of the Valley of Oise and the Regional Echo , the departmental seat of the newspaper Parisian the being located in the city close to Cergy.

The departmental television channel VOtv , financed primarily by the General advice has his studios in the buildings of the Saint Martin's day university of Pontoise. It was diffused Eiffel Tower within the framework of the experiments of diffusion of local televisions. It is currently available in time sharing of antenna on Télif, gathering of local televisions of satellite Ile-de-France diffused by , on the cable networks of Noos, Numericable and via ADSL.

Two local radios emit on the town suit new, RGB (99.2 FM) and the radio coed DREAM FM (89.6 FM); both diffuse their programs of Cergy.

An association manages the Web site 95degres.net which presents the cultural diary of Cergy-Pontoise and its surroundings.

Libraries

The city counts three libraries: a power station in downtown area (Guillaume-Apollinaire) which places at the disposal: 67500 documents on: 1600 m, and two appendices of district in Louvrais and Marcouville. The central library, which occupies its site street Alexandre-Prachay since 1988, has a rich patrimonial bottom of: 16000 documents, of which incunables of the 15th century, which makes some most important of the department. It was consisted the various revolutionary seizures, in particular in the monastic establishments, and not of the gifts of local scholars with 19th and 20th century, like Ernest Mallet, mayor of Pontoise and president of the historical company which bequeathed all its personal library and its fortune to the municipality in order to build a building worthy of this name to accommodate the historical funds. The libraries count: 5800 users in 2006 of which: 3660 Pontoisiens. Equipped with an annual budget of acquisition with: 91000 Euro S, they buy on average: 4500 documents per annum.

Learned societies

The Historical and archaeological Company of Pontoise, the Val-d'Oise and Vexin was founded in 1877. Its seat is located at 43, rue de la Roche, close to the Town hall, and shelters a rich person library. A volume of the Memories joining together articles on Pontoise and its area is published each year.

Saint Martin's day fair

Annual fair in November since the Middle Ages, the Saint Martin's day fair became a fun fair today. It traditionally has as culinary specialities the Hareng, which were easily brought Dieppe by the Dieppe-Paris road which crosses Pontoise, and the Ginglet, wine produces formerly in Cergy-Pontoise, today in the neighborhoods. A trade fair is also held at the same period in the Exhibition site of Cergy-Pontoise. In 2007, the fair sees its 837e edition.

The Exhibition site is in Pontoise on old the Chaussée Jules-César, place of several regional living rooms and also the national Salon of the humanitarian.

Spectacles and festivals

The theater of Louvrais ( the Apostrophe , national scene) was inaugurated in 1974. Destroyed by a case of arson at the time of the urban riots of November 2005, the theater reopened its doors in March 2007.

Since 1986, the Baroque festival of Pontoise (each year in September and October) proposes interpretations of the large type-setters Des. Directeur of the Festival Baroque of Pontoise: Patrick Lhotellier.

Pontoise and the cinema

The Cinéma made its appearance in Pontoise in 1899 at the time of the Saint Martin's day fair. the film shows take place in the village hall during the years 1913 à1929. In 1919, opens the first room, the “cinema of the Families”, located 16, Grande-Rue (current street Alexandre-Prachay). Nowadays, the room of the city, the cinema Utopia, is a independent Cinéma which has the statutes “ Art and Essai ” and “ Cinema of Recherche ”.

Picturesque districts of Pontoise and its side “ provincial ” attracted many realizers. The first feature-length film turned in the city is All the city shows in 1955, a film of Claude Boissol with Jean Marais. In 1959, it is the Green harvest of François Villiers, then Promised in marriage of the pirate in 1969. More recently, the film P.R.O.F.S. in 1985 and the Gipsy in 1986 of Philippe de Broca reveal a calm provincial town. The difficulty of turnings with Paris and the proximity of Pontoise and of the countryside of the French Vexin give a true blow of accelerator to the number of cinematographic turnings. In 1995, the Swedish Matches of Jacques Ertaud is turned in the city, then Mr NR. , the tri-car of Belleville , long Sunday of engagement , etc…

Among other films, one can quote: the Guardian angels (1995) of Jean-Marie Pear, Two men in the city (1973) of Jose Giovanni, the Family spirit (1982) of Roland Bernard, Victoire, or the pain of the women (2000) of Nadine Trintignant, the Rivers crimsons 2 (2004) of Olivier Dahan, Balzac (1999) of Josée Dayan (telefilm).

Famous characters

Philippe II of Burgundy was born in Pontoise in 1342. The city, located on the road of Compiegne and Flandres, then one of is populated and richest of the kingdom.
Nicolas Flamel (native of the city, Ca 1330): goldsmith of profession, it would have discovered the Philosopher's stone which makes it possible to change metals into gold ( place NR. Flamel close to the legal City, and College Nicolas Flamel, in the past of Louvrais).
Guillaume Of the Valley (1570-1646), professor of medicine and botany to the Collège de France, is native of Pontoise.
Jacques Lemercier (1585-1654), architect of the king Louis XIII of France.
Pierre François Léonard Fountain (1762-1853): architect, it renovates in particular with his Percier accomplice Malmaison, the palate of Louvre, Tileries, the triumphal arch of the Carousel under Napoleon and completes the Palais Royal in 1822.
Victor-Emmanuel Leclerc (1772-1802): general and brother-in-law of Napoleon i, his statue throne vis-a-vis the station ( street of the general Leclerc to Saint-Ouen-the Alms).
Maria Deraismes (1828-1894), feminist and woman of letters, whose bust is in the district of the Hermitage and who gave his name to a street of the city.
Camille Pissarro, impressionist painter, immortalisé by its tables several districts of the city.
Eugene Turpin (1848-1927), inventor of the mélinite, is buried with the cemetery of Pontoise. In 1897, Turpin prosecuted Jules Verne because it would have caricatured it with the character of the scientist Thomas Roch, tragic hero of the novel Vis-a-vis the flag . Verne, defended by Raymond Poincaré, was cleared, but a letter with his/her Paul brother confirms well that Turpin was a source of inspiration of the novel.
Edouard-Alfred Martel (1859-1938): is regarded as the founder of the modern Spéléologie.
Jean-Claude Chabanne (1921-1942): studying in right and founder of a group resistant, shot to the Valérien Mount on February 27th, 1942; a college of the city bears its name, just as the dead end which carries out to it.
Rédouane Bougara (1972-1998): sportsman world champion (its name was given to old the Avenue of Normandy ).
Jules Lambert (1883-1977): mayor-assistant of Pontoise ( street Jules-Lambert ).
the actor Sylvain Joubert lived Pontoise.
the actor Claude Brosset is deceased at the hospital on June 25th 2007.
the painter Pierre Carron (1932-), academician, President of the Academy of Beautiful Art (2002) lived Pontoise in the old residence of the Cardinal of Bubble, then of the Canrobert marshal: the Red House.
the singer Iggy Pop credits on its first album solo The Idiot Château with Hérouville - Pontoise like place of recording (with Munich and Berlin) but it acts of an inaccuracy because the recording took place well with Hérouville, which is with ten kilometers of Pontoise.

Sport

Pontoise counts a swimming pool in the district of Louvrais and seven others are located in the common neighbors. A Patinoire is located on the square of the Prefecture at Cergy. The city has moreover many installations: a Bowling pitch, three gymnasia, a room of dance, a ground of shooting to the arc, a shooting range, a sports complex and a hall general sports and four stages including one devoted to Rugby.

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.

Among the teams and clubs, one can quote the Hockey Club of Cergy-Pontoise (Hockey), the Entente Cergy Osny Pontoise BB (Basket-ball), the RCACP (Rugby club of the agglomeration of Cergy-Pontoise) or the club of table tennis of Pontoise-Cergy.

Health

Pontoise accommodates the most important hospital of the department, the Rene-Dubos hospital. He is the heir to the old Hospital of Pontoise located on the edges of Oise, destroyed by a bombardment in 1940. In 2002, the hospital recorded: 35000 hospitalizations: 257000 consultations: 87000 passages to the urgencies: 133000 calls to the SAMU and: 3328 births. The hospital is equipped with a total annual budget exceeding 150 million Euro S and employs: 2700 paid. It was several times classified among the fifty best hospitals of France. A new maternity opened its doors in 2006 (classified in level 3 of care).

Places of worship

The faithful ones of the Paroisse are accommodated to Cathédrale Saint-Maclou, the Notre-Dame church and the Saint-Pierre church of Louvrais. The parish of Pontoise concerns the deanery and the Diocèse of Pontoise. It is served in 2007 by the father Bertrand Rosier.

Among the other places of worship of the city, one can quote the vault Saint-Mathias, the convent of the Carmelite nuns of Pontoise, the mosque of Pontoise and the evangelic church.

Appendices

Internal bonds

French Vexin
the Community of agglomeration of Common Cergy-Pontoise
of the Val-d'Oise

External bonds

Official site of the Town of Pontoise
Site of the Tourist office of Pontoise
Photographs of Pontoise
Weather on line in Pontoise

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