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Villeneuve-d'Ascq

Villeneuve-d'Ascq
Château de Flers
Coat of arms of Villeneuve-d'Ascq
Coat of arms
Villeneuve-d'Ascq is located in France
Villeneuve-d'Ascq
Villeneuve-d'Ascq
Coordinates: 50°37′24″N 3°08′42″E / 50.6233°N 3.145°E / 50.6233; 3.145Coordinates: 50°37′24″N 3°08′42″E / 50.6233°N 3.145°E / 50.6233; 3.145
Country France
Region Hauts-de-France
Department Nord
Arrondissement Lille
Canton Villeneuve-d'Ascq
Intercommunality Lille Métropole
Government
 • Mayor (2008–14) Gérard Caudron
Area1 22.66 km2 (8.75 sq mi)
Population (2010)2 63,572
 • Density 2,800/km2 (7,300/sq mi)
Time zone CET (UTC+1)
 • Summer (DST) CEST (UTC+2)
INSEE/Postal code 59009 / 59491, 59493, 59650
Elevation 19–46 m (62–151 ft)

1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km² (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries.

2Population without double counting: residents of multiple communes (e.g., students and military personnel) only counted once.

1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km² (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries.

Villeneuve-d'Ascq (pronounced: [vil.nœv.dask]) is a commune in the Nord department in northern France. With more than 60,000 inhabitants and 50,000 students, it is one of the main cities of the Urban Community of Lille Métropole and the largest in area (27.46 km2) after Lille; it is also one of the main cities of the Hauts-de-France region.

Built up owing to the merger between Ascq, Annappes and Flers-lez-Lille communes, the new town is the cradle of the first automatic metro system of the world (VAL).

Villeneuve-d'Ascq is nicknamed the 'green technopole' thanks to the implantation of many researchers - the campus of Lille University of Science and Technology, Charles de Gaulle University – Lille III and many graduate engineering school - and companies in a pleasant living environment. Owing to its activity centres, its Haute Borne European scientific park and two shopping malls, Villeneuve-d'Ascq is one of the main economic spots of the Hauts-de-France region; multinational corporations such as Bonduelle, Cofidis and Decathlon have their head office there.


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