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'Évreux' is a town and commune of Normandy, northwestern France, in the Eure ''département'', of which it is the ''préfecture'' (capital).
Its inhabitants are called the ''Ébroïcienne(s)'' (fem.) and ''Ébroïciens'' (mas.).

Contents

Geography

History

Ecclesiastical history

Sites of interest

Administration

Transport

See also

External link and references

Geography

The city is near the Iton river.

History

In classical times, the town was named ''Mediolanum Aulercorum''.
The modern city name originates from the gallic tribe of Eburovices (lit. ''Those which overcome by the yew?'') (from Gaulish ''-)
The first family of the counts of Évreux which is known was descended from an illegitimate son of Richard I, duke of Normandy, and became extinct in the male line with the death of Count William in 1118.
Supposedly, a ghost named "Gobelin" haunted Évreux in the 12th century. This gave way to the formation of the modern English word "Goblin" (for which the French is "Gobelin"). [1]
The countship passed in right of Agnes, William's sister, wife of Simon de Montfort-l'Amaury (d. 1087) to the house of the lords of Montfort-l'Amaury. Amaury III of Montfort ceded it in 1200 to King Philip Augustus. Philip the Fair presented it (1307) to his brother Louis d'Évreux, for whose benefit Philip the Long raised the countship of Évreux into a peerage of France (1317).
Philip d'Évreux, son of Louis, became king of Navarre by his marriage with Jeanne, daughter of Louis the Headstrong, and their son Charles the Bad and their grandson Charles the Noble were also kings of Navarre. The latter ceded his countships of Évreux, Champagne and Brie to King Charles VI of France in 1404.
In 1427 the countship of Évreux was bestowed by King Charles VII on Sir John Stuart of Darnley (c. 1365-1429), the commander of his Scottish bodyguard, who in 1423 had received the seigniory of Aubigny and in February 1427/8 was granted the right to quarter the royal arms of France for his victories over the English.
On Stuart's death (before Orléans during an attack on an English convoy) the countship reverted to the crown. It was again temporarily alienated (1569-1584) as an appanage for François, Duke of Anjou, and in 1651 was finally handed over to Frédéric Maurice de La Tour d'Auvergne, duc de Bouillon, in exchange for the principality of Sedan.
The city was annexed to France on the extinction of the La Tour d'Auvergne family in 1802. It was heavily damaged during the Second World War, and most of its center was rebuilt. The nearby Évreux-Fauville Air Base was used US Air Force until 1967, and then by the French Air Force.

Ecclesiastical history

Main articles: Diocese of Évreux

Évreux Cathedral has been the seat of the bishops of Évreux since the xth century. The earliest parts of the present building, which is mostly Gothic, date from the 11th century. The west facade and its two towers are mostly from the late Renaissance; the octagonal central tower dates from the late 15th century. Of especial note are the Lady chapel and its stained glass, the rose windows in the transepts and the carved wooden screens of the side chapels.
The church of the former abbey of St-Taurin is in part Romanesque. It has a choir of the 14th century and other portions of later date, and contains the 13th century shrine of Saint Taurin.
The episcopal palace, a building of the 15th century, adjoins the south side of the cathedral.
The belfry facing the town hall also dates from the 15th century.

Sites of interest

Situated in the pleasant valley of the Iton, arms of which traverse it, the town, on the south, slopes up toward the public gardens and the railway station. It is the seat of a bishop, and its cathedral is one of the largest and finest in France.
At Le Vieil-Évreux (lit. ''old Évreux''), the Roman Gisacum, 3½ miles southeast of the town, the remains of a Roman theatre, a palace, baths and an aqueduct have been discovered, as well as various relics, notably the bronze of ''Jupiter Stator'', which are now deposited in the museum of Évreux.

★ Évreux Cathedral

★ Hôtel de ville [2]

★ Église Saint-Taurin [3]

Administration

★ The communauté d'agglomération d'Évreux has 37 communes.

★ The canton of Évreux-Est includes a part of Évreux and the communes of: Fauville, Fontaine-sous-Jouy, Gauciel, Huest, Jouy-sur-Eure, Miserey, Saint-Vigor, Sassey, La Trinité, Le Val-David and Le Vieil-Évreux (pop: 20,045);

★ The canton of Évreux-Nord includes a part of Évreux and the communes of: Aviron, Bacquepuis, Bernienville, Le Boulay-Morin, Brosville, La Chapelle-du-Bois-des-Faulx, Dardez, Émalleville, Gauville-la-Campagne, Graveron-Sémerville, Gravigny, Irreville, Le Mesnil-Fuguet, Normanville, Parville, Quittebeuf, Reuilly, Sacquenville, Sainte-Colombe-la-Commanderie, Saint-Germain-des-Angles, Saint-Martin-la-Campagne, Le Tilleul-Lambert, Tournedos-Bois-Hubert and Tourneville (pop: 25,014);

★ The canton of Évreux-Ouest includes a part of Évreux and the communes of: Arnières-sur-Iton, Aulnay-sur-Iton, Caugé, Claville and Saint-Sébastien-de-Morsent (pop: 18,123);

★ The canton of Évreux-Sud includes a part of Évreux and the communes of: Angerville-la-Campagne, Les Baux-Sainte-Croix, Guichainville, Le Plessis-Grohan, Saint-Luc and Les Ventes (pop:21,424).

Transport

The train station Évreux-Embranchement is on the railway line from ''Gare Saint-Lazare'' to Cherbourg, it is served by regular Intercity and regional rail services to both Paris and ''Basse-Normandie''.
There used to be two stations in Évreux, only one of which remains open to this day. The second station (Évreux-Nord) served the line from Évreux to Rouen.

See also

★ Norman language

External link and references

★ City council website (in French)

★

★ Photos of the Cathedral of Evreux