Épône

Épône is a small town francilienne Yvelines located along the the Seine, on left bank of the river, at 45 km in the west of Paris. It is the most populated commune of sound canton. With the Wall-on-Seine and the Cliff, Épône forms an agglomeration of 10.000 inhabitants approximately. Its inhabitants are Épônois.

Its name comes from Latin Spedona and would not have, according to Daniel Bricon who quotes this assumption among the “alarming specters” of Épône, not of relationship with Épona, goddess Gaulois E of the horses and protective of the riders.

Geography

Located in the North-West of the department of Yvelines, with the confluence of the Mauldre and the Seine, the common of Épône is in the Mantois, with approximately 10 kilometers in the east of Mantes-the-Pretty and 36 kilometers in the North-West of Versailles.

The communes bordering are Gargenville in north (on Right Bank of the Seine), in the east Aubergenville and the Cliff, in south-east Maule, south-west Jumeauville and Goussonville and in the west the Wall-on-Seine.

Its territory, relatively wide, occupies 1.300 hectares (figure higher than the average of Yvelines which is of 872 hectares). It is composed of three parts:

  • in the south, the zone of the muddy plates, between 130 and 140 meter of altitude, devoted primarily to the field crop of Cereal S and Protéagineux; one finds there also the hamlet of Vélannes;
  • in north, the low alluvial valley, between 20 and 25 meters of altitude, which corresponds to the major bed of the Seine and to some extent with that of Mauldre; this zone is devoted to agriculture, partly irrigated (in particular of the market gardenings), but accommodates also various economic activities (warehouses, small companies, trade) as well as the great transportation routes; one also finds there centres of population around the station and in the district of Élisabethville.
  • between the two, with hillside, around the church of the 10th century, is the zone of old habitat of the old borough which upwards extends from now on its Lotissement S suburban in direction of the hamlet of Vélannes.

Geology

The basement of Épône, as in the remainder of the Ile-de-France, consists of a stacking of sedimentary layers of the tertiary era, quasi horizontal (there exists a light dip in direction of north), layers notched by the valleys of the Seine and Mauldre.

From top to bottom the layers levelling with Épône, on the slopes where the borough settled, are:

  • the silt of the plates (50 cm with 1 m in the south of Vélannes) formed of wind deposits of the quaternary one. This silt constitutes rich person grounds for agriculture; one frequently found there flints cut of the time Neolithic,
  • the limestone of Champigny of the higher Bartonien (10 to 12 meters from thickness with Vélannes),
  • the limestone of Saint-Ouen of lower Bartonien surmounting a layer of sand (approximately 40 million years),
  • the fresh water limestone of the Lutétien (approximately 80 million years), with at his base the “bench green” of marnes impermeable; this limestone was exploited like hones of size in a career of the Valley of Aulnay to 3 km in the south of Épône,
  • a layer of sand (higher Yprésien),
  • a layer of clay (lower Yprésien) at the coast approximately 100 meters, marked by the presence of old sources,
  • the chalk white with flint of the Santonien and the Campanien (70 to 80 million years), which constitutes the geological base of the sector.

The plate of Épône is on the axis anticline of the Seine, directed north-western - south-east, and made following the heights crowned more in the east by the forests of Alluets and Marly.

The valleys are covered with Alluvion S recent, quaternary, which formed of the deep agricultural grounds. These alluvia were exploited for the exploitation of sands and gravels, in particular during the construction of the highway).

Hydrography

The territory of Épône skirts left bank (or south) of the the Seine on approximately one kilometer. It is acted in fact of an arm, the course of the river being at this place divided by the island of Rangiport, attached administratively to the commune of Gargenville. It is crossed by the sinuous course of Mauldre on approximately four kilometers. The Seine currently does not play, contrary to certain periods of the past, direct role in the life of the commune, if not its drinkable water provision (by re-injections in the ground water). The Water table of the alluvia is included in the collecting fields of the drinking water factory of Aubergenville (exploited by the company Lyonnaise of Water). Several drillings are in the north of the territory épônois which is of this fact assujéti to a perimeter of protection.

The commune is concerned with the risk of Inondation S related to believed of the Seine and Mauldre. In particular the industrial park and the district of the station are classified in floodplain within the framework of the PR (Prevention plan of the risks of flood) of Yvelines.

Sources located at approximately 100 meters of altitude a long time ensured the food of the drinking water borough.

Climate

The climate with Épône is a moderate climate of degraded oceanic type characteristic of that of the Ile-de-France. The average temperatures spread out between 2 to 5 °C in Hiver (January) and 14 to 25 °C in be (July). The Pluviometry average, relatively low, is established to approximately 600 mm per annum. The months more rainy goes from October to January.

Occupation of the territory

The territory of the commune is primarily rural (74%), urban space builds accounting for 20% of the total, that is to say 261 hectares, including 56 assigned to the zones of activities.

Inhabited space is divided into three principal groups, between the old borough, the hamlet of Vélannes and the district of Élisabethville in the alluvial plain. The urbanization developed a little towards the east of the commune, in edge of the hamlet of Villeneuve (Wall) and a small hamlet of ten dwellings was formed with the locality “Canada” in the southern part.

Épône includes/understands a part (1500 inhabitants out of approximately 4000) of the “Cité-jardin” of Élisabethville. Founded in the Years 1920 and thus named in the honor of the queen of the Belgians of the time, this suburban city, which extends especially on the common neighbor from Aubergenville, lived by its beach of the edges of the Seine, its casino, and its golf 18 holes, which attracted the Parisian ones in search of escape lasting the Mad years . It preserved one of the first churches in Reinforced concrete, built in 1928 by the architect Paul Tournon, and devoted to holy Therese of the Child-Jesus.

The habitat is very mainly composed of houses (approximately 75%), but account approximately 600 residences in apartment buildings, located in the center of the village. It is as a majority of the social housing built in the Années 1960 to place near the employees of the Usine Renault de Flins. A new program of 90 multifamily apartments, baptized “Épône-Village”, will be built in the center of the village in 2007, first program of this kind for a long time.

The common one counts approximately 16% of social housing within the meaning of the law SRU of December 13rd, 2000. The municipal council thinks of a housing policy helped to reach 20% of social housing in the long term, although the commune, taking into account its size, is not subjected to the obligation to respect this threshold.

The economic activities are distributed around the station, in the industrial park, primarily occupied by warehouses, located between the highway and the RD 133, like in the sector of the “Post of Épône”.

The rural areas are primarily devoted to agriculture but account also approximately 20¨% of timbered surfaces, of which Lourdet wood, close to Vélannes, and it wood of Étibot in the southern part of the commune. One counts also a pond in the valley of the Seine close to Élisabethville, with the locality “the End of the World”, site of an old gravel pit reconverted in natural reserve.

Communications

Road infrastructures On the road level, the commune is served by the departmental n° 113, known in the past under the name of “Route of forty pennies”. It is about a displaced section of the Trunk road 13 Paris-Caen-Cherbourg which crosses the north of the commune in the East-West direction. This road was deviated and avoids the center of the two localities of Épône and the Wall-on-Seine. It is doubled by the Autoroute of Normandy (A13, open section in 1966) accessible by an exchanging (n° 10) located close to the station. A area rest is in the commune (in each direction of circulation).

In the North-South direction, the secondary road 191 (ex Trunk road 191), which joined Rambouillet towards the south, leads to the RD 113 of the valley of Mauldre to the locality “the post of Épône”. Towards north, the secondary road D 130 joined Gargenville on other bank of the Seine, crossing the river by the bridges of Rangiport, rebuilt after war, with the right of the island of the same name. This road is prolonged towards the south, crossing the center of the Wall-on-Seine, joining the south of common towards Canada.

Two projects of new road links could relate to the commune in an unspecified future and occupy part of the arable lands of the valley, which locally raises the opposition of the farmers and part of the opinion. It acts:

  • on the one hand of the connection known as F13, having to connect a13 highway to the highway projected (C13) between the poles of Cergy-Pontoise and Mantes-the-Pretty, which should cross the Seine between Gargenville and Épône and be grafted on the highway by a new exchanger,
  • on the other hand of the “new Voie of the valley of Mauldre” intended to connect the highway of Normandy to the national 12 for the south.
These projects, proposed by the General advice of Yvelines, are disputed by the district council of Ile-de-France with PS-Greens majority.

railway Infrastructures

On the railway level, the commune is crossed of is in west by the line Paris-Saint-Lazare - Rouen via Poissy and Mantes-the-Pretty. A junction in triangle, equipped with a Jump of sheep, is grafted to a few hundred meters in the east of the station and allows a direct connection with Paris-Montparnasse via Versailles-Building sites by the Ligne of the valley of Mauldre. They are in both cases electrified lines with double track, however between Épône and Mantes-the-City a third reversible lane was posed a few years ago to flux the traffic which mixes express trains of broad outlines and slower trains of suburbs or goods.

The commune is served by the Gare of Épône - Wall, divided with the common neighbor (inter-commune limit passing on the level of the footbridge who spans the ways). This station ensures nothing any more but one service of travellers of suburbs.

A long-term plan of “fast connection Normandy-Valley of the Seine” envisages the creation of a new line between Épône and Achères which would be disconnected in the east of the station of Épône - Wall to be registered in the south of the current line in the corridor of a13 highway.

Services of public transport

The railway services are ensured by the Transilien of the SNCF using trains two levels. Towards Paris Saint-Lazare, the frequency at the rush hours is of three trains per hour and towards Paris-Montparnasse of a train per hour, run times being respectively of 50 and 65 minutes.

Several services of urban buses ensure in week the folding back of the users of the train since the districts of Épône (Vélannes, castle) and the common neighbors (Wall, Goussonville, Boinville, Jumeauville, Issou, Gargenville). This folding back is done however especially by the private cars and of the car parks had to be arranged around the station, in particular in the old court of the goods.

The district of Élisabethville is served by a line of bus (line 42) ensuring the folding back on the Gare of Aubergenville - Élisabethville. The commune is also served by the services Maule-Meulan (line 18, stop with the “Post of Épône”).

Others

The commune is crossed of is in west by a Oléoduc of the Trapil along the road of Cliff and of the highway 13 A. They are drains of 20" (50 cm diameter) pertaining to network LHP (Harbor-Paris) and ensuring the transport of liquid hydrocarbons (high-grade petrol, gas oil, domestic fuel, kerosene, semi-finished products).

A Path of great excursion, the GR. 26, whose layout connects Paris to Deauville, crosses the commune in its southern part, in the wood of Étibot. Two marked out “diverticula” connect this path to the station of Épône-Wall.

History

Heraldic

Prehistory

The past of Épône goes up with prehistory oldest since vestiges of the Paléolithique were found as well in the low alluvial plain as on the plate, in particular various objects out of flint of the Moustérien.

This territory revealed megalithic rich person vestiges of monuments of the Neolithic , collective burials and temples hypogean (gone covered) pertaining to civilization known as “Seine-et-Oise - the Marne”. These monuments, of which several were destroyed, testify to a population already relatively dense and a developed social organization. The remainders of the one of them, “the shady walk of Justice”, are still visible in Élisabethville. Another, the “shady walk of the hole to the English”, was reconstituted in the ditches of the Château of Saint-Germain-in-Bush hammer because he was threatened of destruction. He presents a engraved drawing representing a man holding a plow to two will mancherons. It is the oldest testimony of an agricultural activity in the area.

With the Bronze Age, Épône was on one of the roads of the tin which borrowed the Seine. Some vestiges were found not far from the river.

With the Age of iron, the Celtes installed in the area left few traces.

Antiquity with the Middle Ages

Before the Roman conquest, the area of Épône was in the north of the territory of the Carnutes, in contact with the Véliocasses (Vexin) and of the Bellovaques in the north of the Seine and the Aulerques Éburovices towards the west (Évreux).

At the time Gallo-Roman, Épône constituted a small scattered agglomeration installed on the low slopes of the slope, whose vestiges were put at the day in 1975 during the installation of the industrial park.

A cemetery Mérovingien, dated from 4th at the 7th century, partially put at the day in 1973 during the installation of the Allotment of “the Rosery”, shows the importance of the agglomeration at that time. More than three hundred tombs containing of the Sarcophagus S of stone or Plâtre were discovered.

In 845, the village was set fire to by the Normands established in the Island of Jeufosse to a score of kilometers downstream.

Towards 980, the seigniory of Épône is entrusted by the king Lothaire to the bishop of Paris, Élisiard, which transfers it, as well as the church Saint-Happy, with the canons of the Chapitre of Notre-Dame de Paris.

The current church is finished with its Clocher towards 1150. In 1190, the Chapter sees its rights and preferences confirmed by the king Philippe II and will remain until the Révolution the principal lord of Épône.

The Guerre One hundred Year old is one black period for the area which undergoes in turn the foreign invasions, in 1346, king d' Angeterre, Edouard III, unloads in Normandy and devastates the valley of the Seine, the Black Death which touches the area in 1348, and of the bands of brigands who plunder villages and campaigns. Robert Knolles, with the service of Charles the Bad, probably takes Épône in 1359.

a false legend: the council of Épône

Certain authors quote alleged “a Concile of Épône” which would have been held in the year 517. It is acted in fact of a council which really took place on this date, but in the great area of the Rhone, according to the Concile of Agde in 506 and preceding several others in particular Arles, Carpentras… There would have been confusion with the name of Epaona , which could indicate Agonne in the Valais or Yenne in Savoy.

Rebirth with the Revolution

Towards 1540 emerges the stronghold of Cocheret, with its manor with the top of the church. It is sold in 1566 to Denis de Fossez. This one increases the field and it is probably its grand-daughter, Marie of the Valley-Fossez, married to Henri de Mesmes, second of the name, lord of Roissy-in-France and marquis de Malassise, who builds the castle towards 1650. The first girl of the latter, duchess of Créqui because it married Charles II, duke of Créqui, will inherit in 1661 it. The successive lords sought to extend their field and to free themselves, without reaching really that point, of the suzerainty of the chapter of Notre-Dame.

Blazon of the former lords of Épône . Henri IV allots to Sully, lord of Rosny, the incomes of the seigniories of Épône and Wall.

An agreement signed in 1697 between the Chapter of Notre-Dame and Madam de Créqui makes it possible to delimit the respective strongholds and to carry out a demarcation. Square terminals installed at the time, twenty-and-a still remained in the Années 1960.

The castle is put on sale by the duchess of Créqui, by an act of November 13rd 1706 which gives the first detailed description of it. It is repurchased by Louis Herault, noble of origin Norman.

The first municipal elections are held on February 14th 1790 and the first elected mayor is Philippe Desvignes, notable local (royal notary and clerk) who occupied the function of syndic previously.

The chapter of Notre-Dame de Paris is dissolved on November 29th, 1790, its goods, in particular of the grounds with Épône and in Mézières, are nationalized like goods ecclesiastical and sold with the biddings during the year 1791. The last lord of Épône, Marie-Jean Herault de Séchelles takes an active part in the events of the Revolution and finishes guillotine on April 5th 1794. Its goods, whose castle, are seized and put on sale the same year. The purchasers are often notable buildings.

Modern time

During the 19th century, Épône undergoes a demographic crisis and sees its population regressing of 21% between 1800 and 1851, year when it reaches her minimum with 841 inhabitants. It is one period of economic stagnation marked by the human losses due to the Napoleonean Guerres and by many epidemic episodes (malaria, Peste, Variole). Towards the end of the century the population is stabilized then increases gradually thanks to external contributions but its initial level only the day before the First World War will find.

In 1814 and 1815, the area is occupied by the allied armies which overcame Napoleon and the population must undergo requisitions and contributions of war to place and nourish men and horses.

May 4th 1843, it is the inauguration of the railway line Paris-Rouen and of the station, established in extreme cases of the two communes of Épône and Wall, opened with the movement of travellers on May 9th. July 1st 1883, it is the startup of the Tramway of Épône with Mareil-on-Mauldre, whose exploitation is stopped at the end of a few months, on January 7th 1884. It is about the first section of a tram line with vapor with metric gauge track which will be then carried out between Épône and Versailles, then prolonged until Meulan and whose exploitation will perdurera at least partially until in 1933, in spite of a difficult and always overdrawn exploitation. August 30th 1900 is brought into service the junction at normal way between Épône and Plaisir, which allows still today a direct connection with Versailles and the Gare Montparnasse.

In 1870, the Prussian army occupies the area and Épône must undergo expensive requisitions, but escapes plunderings and destruction which strikes its neighbors, Maule and the Wall-on-Seine. The latter is set fire to by reprisals against the franc-tireurs on September 22nd, 1870.

In 1908, the “social Future”, Orphanage rested by Madeleine Vernet, militant trade unionist and feminist, settles in Épône, creating a certain tension in this rather preserving commune.

In 1910, the raw history of the Seine also touches the commune drowning all the grounds to the trunk road, including the station.

During the First World War, Épône, behind of the face, accommodates various regiments, of which a center of instruction of the infantry. Building sites of naval repair are installed in edge of the Seine by the French then by the Americans in 1918. The commune deplores dead thirty-one and missings. The War memorial the communal which honors them is inaugurated on October 30th 1921.

In 1923 begins the installation of the garden city of Élisabethville, with horse on the two communes of Épône and Aubergenville, intended for the origin to the war veterans and victim of the French war and Belgian and which became in the Années 1930 a holiday for the Parisian ones with Golf, casino and Plage of sand arranged in edge of the Seine.

After the rout of 1940, Épône are occupied, as the remainder of Yvelines, as of on June 13rd, 1940. The Germans seize the private transmitter which had just been installed in the castle by Radio-Normandy, to diffuse their propaganda towards the Great Britain. The mayor, Rene Dreyfus, of Jew confession is relieved and eclipses.

In 1944 the allied Bombardement S destroy the station and the bridges on the Seine. August 18th, the Germans explode the castle, and the transmitting set of radio. There remain about it nothing any more but the commun runs, which will be converted later into arts center. The following day the commune is released by the first elements of the 79e division of infantry of the American army.

After the war starts the industrialization of the valley of the Seine which sees to be established large industrial plants all around Épône, but not in the commune which refuses them: Refinery of oil with Gargenville, Thermo plant (EDF) with Porcheville, factory Renault between Aubergenville and the Flins-on-Seine. The Renault control builds in Épône several buildings to place its employees. The population of the commune increases quickly, passing from: 1181 inhabitants in 1946 with: 3239 in 1962 and: 6706 in 1990.

The Infrastructure S of transport are restored and strongly developed: deviation of the trunk road 13 which circumvents Épône and the Wall-on-Seine by north, new bridges of Rangiport in 1964, electrification of the line of fine Paris-Saint-Lazare 1965, Autoroute of Normandy in 1966…

At the time of the events of May 68, scuffles between demonstrators and police force following the evacuation of the Factory Renault de Flins, occurred with Élisabethville and three barricades were even set up at the entry of Épône on the trunk road.

In 1969, the mayor, Albert Maurice makes adopt a creation project of a Reach development concerted (ZAC) on the plate between the borough and Vélannes (which envisages the construction of approximately: 1800 residences) and of an industrial park enters the road and the railway. It meets a strong opposition which blocks the project (only the industrial park will be carried out) and causes its resignation in 1970. At that time settle in Épône of many immigrant originating in the Iberian peninsula and the the Maghreb, come to work at Renault.

The realization of the park of activity of the Crown of the meadows in 1975 makes it possible the commune of accommodate many companies with the passing of years, even if the beginnings were rather hard.

In the Years 1970 - 1980, Épône knows a strong primarily suburban urbanization. A series of allotments are arranged of which most important are “the Dolmens” with Élisabethville, the “Residence of the castle” in the borough and the “Windmill” with Vélannes.

In 2007, a real estate transaction of 99 residences in apartment buildings, “Épône-Village”, is launched on a ground yielded by the municipality to the center of the borough.

By controlling its urbanization, Épône succeeded in keeping its character of semi-rural Village, while attracting sufficient activities to ensure a balanced management of the commune.

Economy

Activities

Although it occupies approximately 60% of the communal territory, the Agriculture became a marginal activity representing less than 1% of employment (12 employment with the census of 1999). It is present with cereal field crops and arboriculture on the plate and of the Maraîchage in the valley of the Seine. There remains seven farms (242 ha of arable lands) against fifteen in 1988 (agricultural census of 2000).

The commune has several zones of activities which accommodate various companies, in particular warehouses. It is about the industrial park of the Crown of the meadows located between the secondary road 113 and the railways, and of the zone of activity of Beurrons, with the locality the Post of Épône, which is quasi-exclusivement a retail park. Some companies are established in the past in the district of the station.

Épône accommodates a house of the Compagnons of the Duty, installed since 1969 in the mill Saint-Christophe (secondary road 113), which trains apprentices in various manual trades. At side a company of industrial body of heavy trucks is, the “Workshops Holy-Catherine”. Become ASCA Carriage-builder Manufacturer, under the statute of SCOP, it is the first company of Épône with 200 paid.

The Commerce of proximity is still present in the commune, but strongly declined during the last decades because of the development of large distribution (four hypermarkets in a radius of twelve kilometers). The borough however offers the essential trade of proximity such as bakeries, grocer, pharmacies, bar, newspapers, hairdressing salons, banking agency, supplemented by two supermarkets (including one on Mézières in limit of commune, in the district of the station).

There exists also a small tourist activity: five restaurants, four hotels (in particular near the highway exchanger), a campsite to the locality “Canada” in the south of the commune.

The residential function of the commune is undoubtedly most important with the economic plan. Although few new housings are built, the period of the great allotments seeming completed, the real estate market is very active and the prices increase regularly. That is explained by the relative proximity of Paris and the presence of good communications with the capital, as by the framework of life preserved. Thus the average costs of a house evolved/moved in 2005 between 250  000 and 300  000 euros.

Employment

In 1999, the commune counted 1985 employment mainly in the tertiary sector (trade 18,5%, except trade 50,2%), however only a minority of Épônois, 414 employment for 2855 credits (that is to say 14,5%), worked in the commune. This figure decreased by 28% between 1990 and 1999. Unemployment rate amounted to 8,8% in 1999 (that is to say 277 people), figure lower than the national average: 12,9% in 1999). The average revenue by household rose with approximately 21.155 € per annum (national average: 15.027 € per annum).

The structure of the Active population of Épône approaches the regional average for the intermediate occupations and the employees (respectively 26,4 and 28,1% with Épône compared with 25,6 and 29,5 in area) but account more workmen (23,3 against 16,5%) and less executives (18,6 against 22,8%), however than the national average which is of 13,1%).

The proportion of Épônois having followed intermediate studies (BEPC, CAPE) is higher than the national average (respectively 7,8 and 24,6% with Épône against 6,5 and 20,5% on average national) while those having the baccalaureat or of the higher diplomas account for 25,7% compared with 30% at the national level.

Demography

Sources: Cassini and INSEE

Demographic trends

The first census carried out in the years 1620 conduit with an estimate of the population of Épône with approximately 1200 inhabitants (on the basis of 210 fire)).

Population pyramid

The population pyramid of the commune in 1999 fact of appearing a distribution rather in conformity with the average of the Ile-de-France, with however two peaks marked for sections 15-20 years and 45-55 years while sections 0-5 years, 20-40 years and 70 years and more are in withdrawal.

One notes an ageing of the population between 1990 and 1990, less than 30 years losing on average five points while the 60 years and more gain five points, the share of the 30-60 years remaining appreciably equal.

The young adults (15-24 years), stable compared to the census of 1990, are represented better, especially at the men (24,1%), that in the whole of the Ile-de-France. On the other hand young people (0 to 14 years) are in reduction of five points compared to 1990.

Administration

The Municipal council is composed of the mayor and twenty-seven advisers of which seven are associated with the mayor, proportionally to the number of inhabitants. A city hall annex is installed in Élisabethville.

Épône belongs to the Canton of Guerville. The canton belongs to the Ninth district of Yvelines, district with dominant rural (except for the commune of Mureaux). The commune belongs to the urban surface of Paris. The commune accommodates some public services on its territory: an office of station, an agency of the Treasury, a national police station, and have of an help center of firemen and a Municipal police. Épône is one of the pilot cities in Ile-de-France for the deployment, as from 2007, of the system WiMax making it possible to connect itself to Internet high banc in the districts moved away by hertzian way.

Épône belongs to the jurisdiction of Mantes-the-Pretty authority of , and great authority as well as trade of Versailles.

Budget and taxation

For the exercise 2006, the operating expenses of the commune rose to 6,57 million euros, including 72% of loads of management, including staff costs, leaving a surplus of 1% deferred in 2007. The capital expenditures rose to 3,45 million euros. The self-financing accounts for 25% and the equipments and subsidies 33%. Rates of the four local taxes decrees for 2007 of 7,69% for the Tax of dwelling, 10,22% for the Real estate tax built, 43,96% for the real estate tax not built, and 12,56% for the Professional tax. These rates are lower than the departmental average (11,0%, 13,0% and 49,6% respectively) for the three first and superior for the fourth (7,5%) (values 2001).

The local direct taxation is very moderate, the rates are unchanged since nearly thirty years (in fact since the first mandate of Pierre Amouroux). This situation is explained by the firm will of the municipality to exert a careful management, without resorting to an excessive debt. The interests of the loans represented 116.000 euros in 2006, that is to say 2% of the expenditure of the administrative account.

Intercommunality

The commune does not belong to any Communauté of communes. It is, as well as the communes bordering on the Wall-on-Seine, the Cliff and Gargenville, isolated between the Communauté from agglomeration from Mantes-in-Yvelines and the Communauté from communes the Seine-Mauldre.

It takes part in various common operations with its two neighbors, the Wall-on-Seine and the Cliff within the framework of the LORD (intercommunity association of the area of Épône). This trade union, created in 1979, manages in particular the “Benjamin-Franklin” college, the house of early childhood “the Yews” and the purification plant located at the Wall-on-Seine.

The common one also takes part in various intercommunity associations whose perimeter is variable according to their object: cleansing, household refuse, school transport, management of the basin of Mauldre, college of Aubergenville, etc In addition to the LORD mentioned above, one can quote the Smirtom of Vexin for the waste processing, the SITS (school transport), the SIEABM for the lower management of the basin of Mauldre… Épône is included in the perimeter of the Opération of national interest Seine-Aval, launched in 2006, which aims at starting again the development of the valley of the Seine between Poissy and the Bonnières-on-Seine which suffers from a relative desindutrialisation and certain social imbalances.

List mayors

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Elections

The voters of Épône vote regularly on the right, with the image of the average of Yvelines.

Thus at the time of the second turn of the presidential election of the May 6th 2007, with 96,92% voters out of 4235 registered voters, Nicolas Sarkozy (UMP) obtains 57,53% of the votes (53,06% with the national plan) and Ségolène Royal (PS), 42,47% (46,94%). And at the time of the legislative elections of the June 10th 2007, Henri Cuq (UMP), elected with the first turn in the Ninth district of Yvelines, obtains 50,23% with Épône.

With the referendum on the constitutional treaty for Europe of the May 29th 2005, Épônois were divided almost with equality, voter “not” with 50,64% compared with 49,36% of “yes” with a rate of abstention from 26,58% (whole France: “not” to 54,67%; “yes” to 45,33%).

Culture

Personalities related to the commune

  • Herault de Séchelles (1759-1794), former lord of Épône, deputy of Seine-et-Oise to the national Convention, guillotine in 1794; one owes him in particular a proclamation entitled “ Théorie of the ambition, political codicil practices of a young inhabitant of Épône ”;
  • Alphonse Durand (1814-1882), architect of the historic buildings, raises of Purple-the-Duke, who in particular restored the Collégiale Notre-Dame of Mantes-the-Pretty, is deceased in Épône on August 4th, 1882.
  • Emile Sergeant (1867-1943), professor of medicine, was president of the Academy of medicine and directed the Boucicaut hospital to Paris during the Second world war;
  • Dominique Russet-red (1935-1977), writer, journalist and editor, worked with the castle of Épône property of his/her father-in-law, max Brusset of Yvelines of 2004 to 2007.

Inheritance

architectural Heritage

The church Saint-Happy: located at the center of the village, this church of Romance style is equipped with a Clocher - octagonal turn, surmounted of a stone arrow. Internally, the nave is Lambris sée in the shape of reversed hull. The church would have been dedicated to Béat saint in the year 982 and is mentioned in a donation made in the chapter of Notre-Dame de Paris in 984. It was strongly restored between 1865 and 1871, partly rebuilt, in particular the arrow deposited stone with stone and increase. The interior was restored in 2003-2004. The door under the porch and the bell-tower were classified in 1909 and the church in 1988.

In the bell-tower, three bronze bells are, including “Happy the” on the spot molten one in 1597. Two other bells, “Adolphine Emma Alphonsine” and “Alphonsine Adolphine Emma.

The temple of David: this small house, of modest proportions but classified historic building by decree of August 28th, 1947, which throne at the bottom of the lawn in the park of the castle, is one of these “manufactures S” as it was of use to populate the parks at the time romantic of them. It completion date of the XVIIIe century. The plan would have been established by it by the painter Louis David.

The Saint-Aubin cross, located at the edge of the MINOR ROAD 130 close to Villeneuve, cross discoïdale monolith which carried a Christ naive coarsely carved, erased these last years in consequence of vandalism, could be an old christianized menhir.

archaeological Inheritance

The shady walk of Justice: this monument megalithic which one can see which occurred Foch with Élisabethville, is a covered Allée, sometimes called, wrongly, Dolmen, which was used as collective burial. Discovered in 1793, it was excavated in 1881, then in 1954, and classify historic building in 1887. One discovered there an about sixty bodies buried and various objects prehistoric.

Natural heritage

The Biotope of the End of the World is a Natural reserve which occupies an old gravel pit given up in the north of the commune, close to the Seine. This site is managed by the department of Yvelines. The Biodiversité in this zone is remarkable; one counts there 226 Espèce S of Plante S, 163 species of Oiseau X, from which 110 are protected, as well as many species of Poisson S and Batracien S. This reserve, managed by the general advice of the Yvelines, is not opened with the public in order to preserve the population of birds nicheurs. It was classified in ZNIEFF (natural Zone of interests ecological faunistic and floristic).

Three species of protected plants were indexed in the commune: the purple Broomrape ( Broomrape purpurea   Jacq.), the Polystic with pivots ( Polystichum aculeatum   (L.)   Roth) and the Zannichellie of the marshes ( Zannichellia palustris   L.).

Twinning

  • Sponsorship of Doïna-Girov.
This Parrainage is organized by an association, “the Friends of Doïna Girov” which organizes each year a lotto to bring a humanitarian aid to this village of Romania.

Sociocultural equipment

  • House of early childhood “Yews” (crib),
  • Arts center “Dominique the Russet-red one”,
  • Municipal halls: room Jean Monnet, room of the Village, room of the End of the World,
  • Residence for elderly “Laburnums”.
  • Research center archaeological of the area mantaise (CRARM), association created in 1969 per Daniel Bricon and devoted to the local resources archaeological.

Teaching

The common changing of the academy of Versailles.

  • Schools:

    • three nursery schools: Periwinkles, Lavenders and the Snowdrops (Élisabethville),
    • three elementary schools: Jean of the Fountain, Blaise Pascal and Louis Pasteur (Élisabethville).
    • the Collège “Benjamin Franklin” was open on January 8th, 1982. It accommodates approximately 600 pupils of the three communes of Épône, the Wall-on-Seine and Cliff. It is managed by the LORD. Its name recalls that Benjamin Franklin stopped in Épône whereas he was ambassador in France of the young American republic.

From the second, the pupils generally attend the college Vincent Van Gogh d' Aubergenville.

  • Training center of apprentices of the workers' association of the Companions of the duty. This center forms with the following trades: roofer, mason, tapestry maker, saddler, mason stone, mechanical maintenance.

  • the arts center ensures the teaching of the music, the dance, the theater and graphic arts.

Sport

Épône counts eighteen sporting associations and clubs.

The commune has various sporting installations: football stadiums and of Rugby, courts of tennis, gymnasium…

See too

Related articles

  • Common of Yvelines
  • Canton of Guerville
  • Road of forty pennies
  • Tram of Épône to Mareil-on-Mauldre
  • Élisabethville
  • List of the monuments megalithic of Yvelines
  • List of war memorials French surmounted by a cock
  • Images of Épône

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