Fontenay-aux-Roses

Fontenay-aux-Roses is in the southwestern suburbs of Paris and is one of the twin towns of Borehamwood and Elstree.  It is less than 6 miles from the centre of Paris.  Borehamwood is also near London and therefore, we are both located near our respective capitals.

For information about this years trip to Fontenay, please click here.

And for those of us slightly less bilingual here it is in English.

Les premières mentions de Fontenay remontent au XIe siècle. Alors petit hameau, il est rattaché à la paroisse de Bagneux, d'où son nom originel de Fontenay-lès-Bagneux ou encore Fontenay-sous-Bagneux.

Le village ne devient paroisse autonome sous le vocable de Saint-Pierre qu'au XVIIIe siècle. Trois communautés ecclésiastiques se partagent le territoire et y exercent leur droit seigneurial : l'abbaye de Sainte-Geneviève, du XIe siècle à 1588 ; l'abbaye de Saint-Germain-des-Prés du XIIe siècle à 1789, et le chapitre de Notre-Dame de l'an 805 à 1789. Des seigneurs laïques, comme les seigneurs de Châteaufort à partir du XIe siècle, possèdent aussi quelques terres et droits. Village prospère jusqu'au XIVe siècle, Fontenay est pratiquement décimé lors de la guerre de Cent Ans.

Au XVIe siècle les guerres de Religions et la Fronde sont terriblement meurtrières. En janvier 1657, on trouve pour la première fois mention de Fontenay-aux-Roses. Le village en effet, en plus de la culture de la vigne, cultive les roses. Culture des roses à usage médicinal pour les onguents, mais surtout des fameuses roses rouges de Provins qui font la gloire de la ville. Le Rosier de la Cour approvisionne la reine, la cour tout entière mais aussi les parlementaires tenus de porter des roses plusieurs fois l'an.

Fontenay est un endroit très prisé, où il fait bon se promener dans des allées fleuries. L'écrivain français Scarron (1610-1660) y établit sa résidence comme beaucoup d'autres personnages au cours des siècles : la famille Ledru à la Révolution, Marie Nodier, la belle égérie du monde des lettres, et sous le Second Empire, M. et Mme Boucicaut, fondateurs du magasin le ' Bon Marché '.

Le poète André de Chénier (1762-1794) compose des vers en hommage à la douceur de Fontenay. Le village est acquis aux idées révolutionnaires et démocratiques : en 1790, le maire statue sur la séparation d'un couple par consentement mutuel, deux ans avant le vote de la loi sur le divorce. En 1791, les habitants sont invités à voter pour fixer la date des vendanges. Au début du XIXe siècle, Fontenay est une paisible bourgade, à la démographie presque galopante pour l'époque ; de 696 habitants en 1801, elle passe à 3343 en 1896, malgré l'épreuve de l'occupation prussienne de 1870 qui a causé un grand nombre de victimes.

En 1854, les rosiers sont arrachés et remplacés par d'autres cultures plus rentables. En 1893, les travaux de modernisation de la ligne de chemin de fer de Sceaux, déplaçant la gare en contrebas de la ville, contribuent à un nouveau développement.

Fontenay qui a vu sa population presque décupler en un siècle, a été entrainé dans une importante restructuration urbaine, mais a su perpétuer l'image de son passé.

Fontenay-aux-Roses is in the southwestern suburbs of Paris and is twinned with Borehamwood and Elstree.  It is less than 6 miles from the centre of Paris.  Borehamwood is also near London and therefore, both are located close to their respective capitals.

For information about this year’s trip to Fontenay, please click here.

The first references to Fontenay-aux-Roses date back to the 11th century. Then a little hamlet, it was united to the parish of Bayeux, hence its original name of Fontenay-lès-Bagneux or Fontenay-sous-Bagneux.
The village only became an independent parish, dedicated to Saint-Pierre, in the 18th century. Three religious communities share the area between themselves and use their seigniorial right: the abbey of Sainte-Geneviève, from the 11th century to 1588, the abbey of Saint-Germain-des-Prés from the 12th century to 1789 and the  Chapter of Notre-Dame from 805 till 1789.
Some non religious lords, like The Lords of Châteaufort from the 11th century also have some land and some rights.

A flourishing village until the 14th century, Fontenay was practically laid waste by the Hundred Years’ War. Also in the 16th century, the Religious Wars and the War of the Fronde are particularly destructive.

In January 1657, Fontenay-aux-Roses is first mentioned. The village, actually in the centre of the wine growing area, also cultivates roses for use in ointments, above all growing the famous “Red Roses of Provins” which make the village famous. The Rosebush of the Court supply the Queen, the entire Court and also the parliamentaries who are required to wear roses several times a year.

Fontenay was highly appreciated by its famous residents who settled here and enjoyed leisurely walks along the avenues in bloom: The French writer Scarron (1610-1660), the family Ledru during the Revolution, Marie Nodier, the great oracle of the literary world and, under the “Second Empire”, Mr and Mrs Boucicaut, the founders of the department store “Le Bon Marché” (of which we have a fine example in Borehamwood). The poet André de Chénier (1762-1794) wrote verse, paying tribute to Fontenay’s gentle way of life.
The village rallied to revolutionary and democratic thoughts and in 1790, the “maire” give a ruling on the separation of a couple by mutual agreement, two years ahead of the vote of the law on divorce. In 1791, the inhabitants are invited to vote to set the dates of the grape harvest.
At the beginning of the 19th century, Fontenay is a peaceful small town, with an almost galloping population for its time: from 696 inhabitants in 1801, it grows to 3343 in 1896, despite the hardship of the Prussian Occupation of 1870 which caused a great number of casualties.
In 1854, the rose bushes were pulled up and replaced by more worthwhile farming. In 1893, the works of modernizing the railway of Sceaux, moving the station below the town, lead to a new expansion.
Fontenay, which has seen its population nearly increase tenfold in a century, has been led to a great urban restructuration but has managed to retain the image of its past.

Please visit the official Fontenay-aux-Roses website: