Vernouillet, Eure-et-Loir

Vernouillet (French pronunciation: [vɛʁnujɛ]) is a commune in the Eure-et-Loir department in northern France.

Vernouillet
An aerial view of Vernouillet {lower left} and Dreux
An aerial view of Vernouillet {lower left} and Dreux
Location of Vernouillet
Map
Vernouillet is located in France
Vernouillet
Vernouillet
Vernouillet is located in Centre-Val de Loire
Vernouillet
Vernouillet
Coordinates: 48°43′18″N 1°21′41″E / 48.7217°N 1.3614°E / 48.7217; 1.3614
CountryFrance
RegionCentre-Val de Loire
DepartmentEure-et-Loir
ArrondissementDreux
CantonDreux-1
IntercommunalityCA Pays de Dreux
Government
 • Mayor (2020–2026) Damien Stepho[1]
Area
1
12.11 km2 (4.68 sq mi)
Population
 (2021)[2]
12,455
 • Density1,000/km2 (2,700/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+01:00 (CET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+02:00 (CEST)
INSEE/Postal code
28404 /28500
Elevation89–137 m (292–449 ft)
1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km2 (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries.

It lies adjacent to the south side of the town of Dreux.

Population

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Historical population
YearPop.±% p.a.
1968 4,070—    
1975 8,142+10.41%
1982 10,318+3.44%
1990 11,680+1.56%
1999 11,496−0.18%
2007 11,897+0.43%
2012 11,899+0.00%
2017 12,506+1.00%
Source: INSEE[3]

Vernouillet Airport

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Built prior to World War II as a civil airport, Vernouillet Airport was seized by the Germans in June 1940 during the Battle of France. They used it as a major Luftwaffe military airfield during the occupation. It was liberated by Allied ground forces about 21 August 1944 during the Northern France Campaign. It was then used by the United States Army Air Force Ninth Air Force as a combat Advanced Landing Ground. Declared operational on 26 August, the airfield was designated as "A-41", and was used by combat units until the end of the war. Afterward the airport was returned to civil control.[4][5] The airport was closed after the war due to a conflict of airspace with the expanding Orly Airport near Paris, and is now a small grass airfield general aviation airport with no commercial traffic.[6][7]

Twin towns – sister cities

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Vernouillet is twinned with:[8]

Notable people

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  • Louis-Nicolas Robert (1761–1828), inventor of the Fourdrinier machine. He is commemorated by a statue in front of the church. Also, the Collège de Louis-Nicolas Robert in the quartier des Grandes Vauvettes is named in his honour.

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Répertoire national des élus: les maires" (in French). data.gouv.fr, Plateforme ouverte des données publiques françaises. 13 September 2022.
  2. ^ "Populations légales 2021" (in French). The National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies. 28 December 2023.
  3. ^ Population en historique depuis 1968, INSEE
  4. ^ Johnson, David C. (1988), U.S. Army Air Forces Continental Airfields (ETO), D-Day to V-E Day; Research Division, USAF Historical Research Center, Maxwell AFB, Alabama.
  5. ^ Maurer, Maurer. Air Force Combat Units of World War II. Maxwell AFB, Alabama: Office of Air Force History, 1983. ISBN 0-89201-092-4.
  6. ^ McAuliffe, Jerome J. (2005). US Air Force in France 1950-1967. San Diego, California: Milspec Press, Chapter 10, "Dreux-Louvillier Air Base". ISBN 0-9770371-1-8.
  7. ^ Airport information for LFON at Great Circle Mapper
  8. ^ "Jumelage". vernouillet28.fr (in French). Vernouillet, Eure-et-Loir. Retrieved 13 April 2021.
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