Pontoise () is a commune north of

Paris Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, largest city of France. With an estimated population of 2,048,472 residents in January 2025 in an area of more than , Paris is the List of ci ...

France France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...

. It is located from the centre of Paris, in the "

new town New or NEW may refer to: Music * New, singer of K-pop group The Boyz (South Korean band), The Boyz * New (album), ''New'' (album), by Paul McCartney, 2013 ** New (Paul McCartney song), "New" (Paul McCartney song), 2013 * New (EP), ''New'' (EP), ...

" of Cergy-Pontoise.

Administration

Pontoise is the official (capital) of the

Val-d'Oise Val-d'Oise (, "Vale of the Oise") is a department in the Île-de-France region, Northern France. It was created in 1968 following the split of the Seine-et-Oise department. In 2019, Val-d'Oise had a population of 1,249,674.< ...

'' département'', although in reality the ''préfecture'' building and administration, as well as the department council (''conseil général''), are located in the neighboring commune of Cergy, which is regarded as the ''de facto'' capital of Val-d'Oise. Pontoise is also the seat of the Arrondissement of Pontoise. The ''

sous-préfecture A subprefecture is an administrative division of a country that is below prefecture or province. Albania There are twelve Albanian counties or prefectures, each of which is divided into several districts, sometimes translated as subprefectures ...

'' building and administration, unlike the ''préfecture'', are located inside the commune of Pontoise.

Sister cities

The city of Pontoise has three sister city relationships with: * Böblingen, Germany since 1956 * Sevenoaks, United Kingdom since 1964 * Geleen, Netherlands since 1962

Security

Known for being a violent city in the late 20th century, with a criminal rate of 137.62 incidents per 1000 inhabitants, Cergy-Pontoise has enjoyed a significant decrease in violence in the first decade of the 21st century. By 2008, the rate had declined to 99.87, although this is still considered high. That rate has continued to decline in the second decade.

History

Pontoise is the historical capital of the

Vexin Vexin () is a historical county of northern France. It covers a verdant plateau on the right bank (north) of the Seine running roughly east to west between Pontoise and Romilly-sur-Andelle (about 20 km from Rouen), and north to south betw ...

français. Its foundation dates from Roman times (''Pontisara''). At that time, the rock peak overhanging the river

Oise Oise ( ; ; ) is a department in the north of France. It is named after the river Oise. Inhabitants of the department are called ''Oisiens'' () or ''Isariens'', after the Latin name for the river, Isara. It had a population of 829,419 in 2019.< ...

supported the defense of the fort which was on the

Roman road Roman roads ( ; singular: ; meaning "Roman way") were physical infrastructure vital to the maintenance and development of the Roman state, built from about 300 BC through the expansion and consolidation of the Roman Republic and the Roman Em ...

, the Chaussée Jules César, between ''

Lutetia Lutetia, ( , ; ) also known as and ( ; ; ), was a Gallo-Roman culture, Gallo–Roman town and the predecessor of modern-day Paris. Traces of an earlier Neolithic settlement () have been found nearby, and a larger settlement was established ...

'' (

) and ''Rotomagus'' (

Rouen Rouen (, ; or ) is a city on the River Seine, in northwestern France. It is in the prefecture of Regions of France, region of Normandy (administrative region), Normandy and the Departments of France, department of Seine-Maritime. Formerly one ...

). The road still exists and is now part of the N14 from Paris to Rouen. It is also known to many people as the birthplace of the alchemist Nicholas Flamel. With an over 2,000 year legacy, Pontoise still has vestiges of the past, such as medieval lanes, convents, churches and museums, and was awarded the "City of Art and History Label" in 2006. The impressionist painter Camille Pissarro made it famous through many paintings which are present nowadays in the most famous art galleries in the world.

Climate

Pontoise has an

oceanic climate An oceanic climate, also known as a marine climate or maritime climate, is the temperate climate sub-type in Köppen climate classification, Köppen classification represented as ''Cfb'', typical of west coasts in higher middle latitudes of co ...

(

Köppen climate classification The Köppen climate classification divides Earth climates into five main climate groups, with each group being divided based on patterns of seasonal precipitation and temperature. The five main groups are ''A'' (tropical), ''B'' (arid), ''C'' (te ...

''Cfb''). The average annual temperature in Pontoise is . The average annual rainfall is with December as the wettest month. The temperatures are highest on average in July, at around , and lowest in January, at around . The highest temperature ever recorded in Pontoise was on 1 July 2015; the coldest temperature ever recorded was on 1 January 1997.

Demographics

Immigration

Transport

Pontoise is served by Pontoise station, a terminus on Paris RER line C and an intermediate terminus for suburban trains originating from Gare Saint-Lazare as well as a terminus for suburban trains from Gare du Nord. Some trains originating at Gare Saint-Lazare continue onto

Gisors Gisors () is a Communes of France, commune in the Departments of France, French department of Eure, Normandy (administrative region), Normandy, France. It is located northwest from the Kilometre Zero, centre of Paris. Gisors, together with the ...

. For bus services, Stivo (formerly Services des Transports de l'Agglomération Nouvelle) operates within the

of Cergy-Pontoise, and in and around Pontoise, with transport interchanges situated Place Charles de Gaulle and Parking Canrobert. Pontoise – Cormeilles Aerodrome is the area airport.

Education

Public preschool through elementary schools include:Les établissements scolaires
" Pontoise. Retrieved on6 September 2016. *Seven preschools (maternelles''): des Cordeliers, Eugène-Ducher, de l'Hermitage, Laris, Ludovic-Piette, Jean-Moulin, Parc-aux-Charettes *Two primary schools: École primaire Gustave-Loiseau and École primaire des Maradas *Seven elementary schools (''élémentaires''): Paul-Cézanne, Eugène-Ducher, de l'Hermitage, des Larris, Jean-Moulin, Ludovic-Piette, Parc-aux-Charrettes Public senior high schools/sixth-form colleges: * Lycée Camille Pissarro Pontoise * Lycée Alfred Kastler de Cergy-Pontoise, in Pontoise, also serves CergyCollèges et lycées
" Cergy. Retrieved 6 September 2016. "Lycée polyvalent A. Kastler ..6 avenue de la Palette, sur la commune de Pontoise " There are also six private schools: École Saint-Martin-de-France (up to senior high school), École "Ella", École Saint-Louis, Établissement Vauban, Notre-Dame-de-la-Compassion (junior and senior high school)

Culture

Pontoise is one of the capitals of the impressionist movement. Many painters took as a starting point the city and its area for the creation of landscapes. Camille Pissarro lived there for seventeen years. Other artists lived or worked in the area such as

Vincent van Gogh Vincent Willem van Gogh (; 30 March 185329 July 1890) was a Dutch Post-Impressionist painter who is among the most famous and influential figures in the history of Western art. In just over a decade, he created approximately 2,100 artworks ...

(

Auvers-sur-Oise Auvers-sur-Oise (, "Auvers-on-Oise (river), Oise") is a Communes of France, commune in the Departments of France, department of Val-d'Oise, on the northwestern outskirts of Paris, France. It is located from the Kilometre zero, centre of Paris. I ...

Paul Cézanne Paul Cézanne ( , , ; ; ; 19 January 1839 – 22 October 1906) was a French Post-Impressionism, Post-Impressionist painter whose work introduced new modes of representation, influenced avant-garde artistic movements of the early 20th century a ...

, Paul Gauguin,

Charles-François Daubigny Charles-François Daubigny ( , , ; 15 February 181719 February 1878) was a French painter, one of the members of the Barbizon school, and is considered an important precursor of impressionism. He was also a prolific printmaker, mostly in etching ...

, Gustave Caillebotte, Gustave Loiseau, etc.

Main sights

* Cathédrale Saint-Maclou de Pontoise. It was built in the 12th century and reconstructed and enlarged in the 15th and 16th centuries. The tower, as well as the central portal, is in flamboyant style. The central body is flanked by

Renaissance The Renaissance ( , ) is a Periodization, period of history and a European cultural movement covering the 15th and 16th centuries. It marked the transition from the Middle Ages to modernity and was characterized by an effort to revive and sur ...

additions. The remaining 12th century part of the cathedral is to the back. To the North of the building is a

portal. * Musée de Pontoise (Musée Tavet-Delacour). The museum houses sculptures from the

Middle Ages In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the 5th to the late 15th centuries, similarly to the post-classical period of global history. It began with the fall of the Western Roman Empire and ...

, manuscripts from the seventeenth century and paintings from the twentieth century * Musée Pissarro ( Impressionist collections) and garden of the five senses. The Museum is situated in a

bourgeois The bourgeoisie ( , ) are a class of business owners, merchants and wealthy people, in general, which emerged in the Late Middle Ages, originally as a "middle class" between the peasantry and Aristocracy (class), aristocracy. They are tradition ...

house at the entrance of the old castle.

Parks and recreation

Parks: *Le Jardin de la Ville *Le Parc des Larris *Le jardin partagé de Marcouville *Le Jardin des Cinq Sens *Le Parc du Château de Marcouville *Les jardins et la terrasse basse du Dôme *Le Jardin des Lavandières *Plaines de jeux

Notable people

* Rabbi Moses ben Abraham of Pontoise, 12th-century disciple of

Rabbeinu Tam Jacob ben Meir (1100 – 9 June 1171 (4 Tammuz)), best known as Rabbeinu Tam (), was one of the most renowned Ashkenazi Jewish rabbis and leading French Tosafists, a leading '' halakhic'' authority in his generation, and a grandson of Rashi. K ...

and mentioned in several

Tosafot The Tosafot, Tosafos or Tosfot () are Middle Ages, medieval commentaries on the Talmud. They take the form of critical and explanatory glosses, printed, in almost all Talmud editions, on the outer margin and opposite Rashi's notes. The authors o ...

. * Sébastien Carole (b. 1982), footballer * Yarouba Cissako, footballer * Koumba Cisse, handball player * Moussa Dembélé, footballer * Nicolas Flamel (c. 1340-1418), reputed alchemist, probably born here * Pierre Fontaine (1762-1853), French neoclassical architect * Amine Harit, Moroccan footballer *

Jérémy Labor Jérémy Labor (born 19 March 1992) is a French professional footballer. Traditionally a centre-back, he can also be utilized on the side. He is a former France youth international, having represented his nation at under-18 and under-19 lev ...

(b. 1992), footballer * Christophe Lebon (b. 1982), swimmer * Luc Loubaki, basketball player * Blessed Marie de l'Incarnation (1566-1618), foundress of the Reformed Carmelites in France. * Édouard-Alfred Martel (1859-1938), Father of modern speleology * Guiday Mendy (b. 1986), basketball player * Aly Ndom, footballer * Camille Pissarro, painter * Yoann Rapinier, athlete * Yacine Qasmi, Moroccan footballer * Liza del Sierra, pornographic actress. * Raymond Turpin (1895–1988), paediatrician who identified trisomy-21 * Jacques Vallée, author, ufologist and former astronomer * Jean-Éric Vergne, former Formula One driver currently competing in Formula E * St William of Pontoise, hermit

References

External links

Pontoise official websiteTourism in Pontoise
{{Authority control Communes of Val-d'Oise Subprefectures in France Cergy-Pontoise Val-d'Oise communes articles needing translation from French Wikipedia