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Maisons-Alfort

Maisons-Alfort
The church of Sainte-Agnès, in Maisons-Alfort
The church of Sainte-Agnès, in Maisons-Alfort
Coat of arms of Maisons-Alfort
Coat of arms
Paris and inner ring departments
Paris and inner ring departments
Coordinates: 48°48′21″N 2°26′16″E / 48.8058°N 2.4378°E / 48.8058; 2.4378Coordinates: 48°48′21″N 2°26′16″E / 48.8058°N 2.4378°E / 48.8058; 2.4378
Country France
Region Île-de-France
Department Val-de-Marne
Arrondissement Créteil
Canton 2 cantons
Government
 • Mayor Michel Herbillon
Area1 5.38 km2 (2.08 sq mi)
Population (2006)2 53,607
 • Density 10,000/km2 (26,000/sq mi)
Time zone CET (UTC+1)
 • Summer (DST) CEST (UTC+2)
INSEE/Postal code 94046 / 94700
Elevation 24–47 m (79–154 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.

Maisons-Alfort (French pronunciation: ​[mɛ.zɔ̃.al.fɔʁ]) is a commune in the southeastern suburbs of Paris, France. It is located 8.4 km (5.2 mi) from the center of Paris.

Maisons-Alfort is famous as the location of the National Veterinary School of Alfort. The Fort de Charenton, constructed between 1841 and 1845, has since 1959 housed the Commandement des Écoles de la Gendarmerie Nationale.

Originally, Maisons-Alfort was called simply Maisons. The name Maisons comes from Medieval Latin Mansiones, meaning "the houses".

At the creation of the commune during the French Revolution, the name of the hamlet of Alfort was joined with the name of Maisons. The name Alfort comes from the manor built there by Peter of Aigueblanche, Bishop of Hereford (England), in the middle of the 13th century. The name of this Manor of Hereford was corrupted into Harefort, then Hallefort, and eventually Alfort. The National Veterinary School of Alfort was settled several centuries later in the manor and its estate.

On 1 April 1885, 40% of the territory of Maisons-Alfort was detached and became the commune of Alfortville.

In 1905, Buffalo Bill stayed two months in Maisons-Alfort while his famous Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Show performed in Paris.


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