Villers-Cotterêts
Villers -Cotterets is a commune with 10,411 inhabitants (as of January 1, 2011 ) in the department of Aisne in the Picardie region. It belongs to the district of Soissons, is the capital of the Canton of Villers -Cotterets and seat of the municipal association Villers -Cotterets - Retz.
Geography
The city lies at the source of the river Automne, in the midst of the Forêt de Retz, with 13,000 hectares of one of the great forests of northern France, about 20 kilometers southwest of Soissons, 80 km north-east of Paris city center.
History
Signed in 1539, the French king Francis I in Villers -Cotterets the Edict of Villers -Cotterets, with whom he raised the French for exclusive charters and administrative language.
Demographics
Policy
In the local elections in 2014 succeeded Franck Briffaut to be for the right Front National (FN ) was chosen as mayor.
Attractions
In Villers -Cotterets there are several listed buildings ( monuments historiques ), so among other things:
- The castle of Villers -Cotterets, built in 1532, possible place of the signing of the Edict of Villers -Cotterets,
- Noüe the castle from the 16th century, museum and birthplace of Alexandre Dumas the Elder. ,
- The church of Saint- Nicolas,
- The city hall (hotel de ville).
Castle Noüe
Church of Saint -Nicolas
Alexandre Dumas Statue
Personalities
- General Thomas Alexandre Dumas (1762-1806), father of the writer
- Alexandre Dumas (* 1802 in Villers -Cotterets ), writer
- Yves Herbet (* 1945 in Villers -Cotterets ), football player and coach