Le Chesnay

Le Chesnay (French pronunciation: [lə ʃɛnɛ] ) is a former commune in the Yvelines department in the Île-de-France region in north-central France. On 1 January 2019, it was merged into the new commune Le Chesnay-Rocquencourt. It is located in the western suburbs of Paris, 16.7 km (10.4 mi) from the center of Paris.

History

On 1 July 1815, Napoleon's Grande Armée fought its last battle in Rocquencourt and Le Chesnay. After the defeat of Waterloo on 18 June 1815, Grouchy's army withdrew to Paris via Namur and Dinant, reaching Paris on 29 June, a few days before the Prussians, who camped at Versailles.

While negotiating the final armistice, Exelmans was ordered to attack the Prussians at Versailles on 1 July 1815. Under attack the Prussians retreated from Versailles and headed east, but were blocked by the French at Vélizy. They failed to re-enter Versailles and headed for Saint-Germain-en-Laye. Their first squadron came under fire at the entrance of Rocquencourt and attempted to escape through the fields. They were forced into a small, narrow street in Le Chesnay and killed or captured. However, the main body of the Prussian army succeeded in reaching Saint-Germain. (From Presentation of Rocquencourt)

Transport

Le Chesnay is not served by any station of the Paris Métro, RER, or suburban rail network. The closest station to Le Chesnay is Versailles – Rive Droite station on the Transilien Paris – Saint-Lazare suburban rail line. This station is located in the neighboring city of Versailles, 2 km (1.2 mi) from the town center of Le Chesnay.

Notable residents

• Laura Georges (1984), footballer
• Nicolas Godin (1969), member of music group Air
• Cyrille Eldin (1973), journalist
• Thomas Lombard (1975), rugby union player
• Nicolas Anelka (1979), footballer
• Tristan Gommendy (1979), racing driver
• Kevin Staut (1980), equestrian
• Sébastien Rouault (1986), swimmer
• Victor Wembanyama (2004), basketball player

Hospital

• André Mignot Hospital

Education

Public preschools:

• Maryse Bastié
• Hélène Boucher
• Jean-Louis Forain
• Jean de La Fontaine
• Mozart
• Charles Perrault

Public elementary schools:

• Guynemer
• Langevin
• Le Nôtre
• Molière

Public secondary schools:

• Collège Charles Péguy - Junior high school
• Lycée Jean Moulin - Senior high school/sixth form college

The commune is also served by senior high schools/sixth form colleges in Versailles: Lycée La Bruyère, Lycée Hoche, Lycée Marie-Curie, Lycée Jules-Ferry, and Lycée Jacques-Prévert.

There is one private school, Blanche de Castille, with a preschool and elementary school campus, and a junior high school and senior high school campus.

Universities:

• Versailles Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines University

There is also a municipal library, la Bibliothèque du Chesnay.

See also

• Communes of the Yvelines department

References

External links

• Official website (in French)