Drancy is a commune in the northeastern suburbs of Paris in the Seine-Saint-Denis department in northern France. It is located 10.8 km (6.7 mi) from the center of Paris.
| Country | France |
|---|---|
| Region | Île-de-France |
| Department | Seine-Saint-Denis |
| Government | |
| Mayor (2020–2026) | Aude Lagarde |
| Area1 | 7.76 km2 (3.00 sq mi) |
| Population (2017-01-01) | 71,318 |
| Density | 9,200/km2 (24,000/sq mi) |
| Time zone | UTC+01:00 (CET) |
| Summer (DST) | UTC+02:00 (CEST) |
History
Toponomy
The name Drancy comes from Medieval Latin Derenciacum, and before that Terentiacum, meaning “estate of Terentius”, a Gallo-Roman landowner.
Origins to 20th century
In the 17th century, Drancy was divided into two distinct villages: Drancy le Grand and le Petit Drancy. The quarter “Village Parisien” is built on the old location of the hamlet of Groslay which was surrounded by the forest of Bondy—hence the name of rue des Bois de Groslay.
The end of nineteenth century was marked by the industrialisation and by the development of rail transports.
20th and 21st centuries
During World War II, Drancy was the site of the Drancy internment camp where Jews, Gypsies, and others were held before being shipped to the Nazi concentration camps. In 1976, the Memorial to the Deportation at Drancy was created by sculptor Shlomo Selinger to commemorate the French Jews imprisoned in the camp.
Geography and cityscape
Architecture
Drancy’s buildings are too diverse to be characterised by any particular architectural style. Some of them with a style Art Nouveau are typical of the 19th and 20th centuries. There are housing estates and a garden city.
Park and Castle of Ladoucette
The parc de Ladoucette is the only park of Drancy. It contains a pond, a small educational farm and the castle of Ladoucette.
In the 19th century, the castle was the property of the senator Charles-Loetitia de Ladoucette. In 1874 his wife, la Baronne de Ladoucette, died and her body was placed in the Mausoleum de la Baronne de Ladoucette. Today she is buried in the Parisian cemetery.
Transport
Railways and buses
The city is served by Le Bourget station and by Drancy station on Paris RER line B.
Drancy is also served by the Paris Tramway Line 1 with five stops and by twelve buses.
Education
Schools:
- 17 public preschools (écoles maternelles)
- 19 public elementary schools
- Six public junior high schools (collèges): Paul Bert, Anatole France, Jorissen, Paul Langevin, Liberte, Pierre Samard
- One private junior high school, Collège Saint-Germain
- Two public senior high schools/sixth-form colleges: Lycée Eugène Delacroix and Lycée Paul le Rolland
