46-416: Gare Montparnasse ( French pronunciation: [ɡaʁ mɔ̃paʁnas] ; Montparnasse station), officially Paris Montparnasse , is one of the seven large Paris railway termini , and is located in the 14th and 15th arrondissements . The station opened in 1840, was rebuilt in 1852 and relocated in 1969 to a new station just south of the original location, where subsequently the prominent Montparnasse Tower
92-529: A cave beneath the extension to the north wall of Angoulême called Green Garden which caused the creation of the first abbey: the Abbey of Saint-Cybard, then created the first abbey for women: the Abbey of Saint-Ausone where the tomb of the first bishop of the city is located. In 848 Angoulême was sacked by the Viking chief Hastein . In 896 or 930 the city suffered another attack from invading Vikings but this time
138-666: A major north–south axis: the N10 Paris-Bayonne; and the east–west axis: the N14 route Central-Europe Atlantique Limoges-Saintes. Angoulême is also connected to Périgueux and Saint-Jean-d'Angely by the D939 and to Libourne by the D674. The Angoulême-Cognac International Airport is at Brie-Champniers. Old Angoulême is the old part between the ramparts and the town centre with winding streets and small squares. The city centre
184-513: A pension to look after her two children. The accident was caused by a faulty Westinghouse brake and the engine driver, who was trying to make up lost time. A conductor was given a 25- franc fine and the engine driver a 50-franc fine. Replicas of the train crash are recreated outside the Mundo a Vapor ("Steam World") museum chain buildings in Brazil, in the southernmost state, Rio Grande do Sul , in
230-465: A relative height of 25m. The old part of the city is built on the plateau - a rocky outcrop created by the valleys of the Anguienne and Charente at an altitude of 102 metres (335 feet) - while on the river bank the area subject to flooding is 27 metres (89 feet) high. Angoulême is characterized by the presence of ramparts on a cliff 80 metres (260 feet) high. The plateau of Ma Campagne , south of
276-586: Is a district composed of two former parishes outside the ramparts. At La Bussatte the Champ de Mars esplanade is now converted into a shopping mall, and adjoins Saint-Gelais . Today the city has fifteen districts: The Port-l'Houmeau , the old port on the Charente located in the district of l'Houmeau is in a flood zone and during floods the Besson Bey Boulevard is usually cut. Geologically
322-610: Is a list of railway stations in Paris, France, current and historical. These stations are the terminal stations of major lines (trains going beyond the Île-de-France region), and, except for Bercy, the suburban Transilien lines. Austerlitz, Saint-Lazare, Lyon and Nord are also stations on the RER network. All stations connect to stations of the Paris Métro . The stations of major lines (the preceding section) which are also stations of
368-424: Is a small city in the southwestern French department of Charente , of which it is the prefecture . Located on a plateau overlooking a meander of the river Charente , the city is nicknamed the "balcony of the southwest". The city proper's population is a little less than 42,000 but it is the centre of an urban area of 110,000 people extending more than fifteen kilometres (9.3 miles) from east to west. Formerly
414-469: Is also located on the plateau and was portrayed by Honoré de Balzac in "The Lost Illusions" as "the height of grandeur and power". There is a Castle, a town hall, a prefecture, and a cathedral with grand houses everywhere. Unlike Old Angoulême, however, the entire city centre was greatly rebuilt in the 19th century. Surrounding the city were five old faubourgs : l'Houmeau , Saint-Cybard, Saint-Martin, Saint-Ausone, and la Bussatte. The district of l'Houmeau
460-533: Is at the centre of an agglomeration, which is one of the most industrialised regions between Loire and Garonne (the paper industry was established in the 16th century, a foundry and electromechanical engineering developed more recently). It is also a commercial and administrative city with its own university of technology, and a vibrant cultural life. This life is dominated by the Angoulême International Comics Festival ,
506-465: Is the northwest extension of the Soyaux plateau. L'Houmeau, the station area, and that of Grand-Font are to the north of the plateau along the small Vimière valley, also a tributary of the Charente, but further north (towards Gond-Pontouvre and L'Isle-d'Espagnac ) than Anguienne is to the south. The highest point of the city of Angoulême is at an altitude of 133m near Peusec located to the south-east near
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#1732772562979552-511: Is under an oceanic influence and similar to that of the city of Cognac where the departmental weather station is located. Precipitations are modest all year long, with a slight drying tendency during summer. Since Antiquity and through the Middle Ages, the name of the town has been attested in many forms in Latin and Old French : The absence of any convincing explanation of the origin of
598-532: The RER are not included. These stations are used only by the RER lines designated. The Chemin de fer de Petite Ceinture is a line which circled Paris which is no longer in use. The majority of the stations on this line have been abandoned, though some have been reused. From the west clockwise, the stations are: Angoul%C3%AAme Angoulême ( French pronunciation: [ɑ̃ɡulɛːm] ; Poitevin-Saintongeais : Engoulaeme ; Occitan : Engoleime )
644-600: The Transilien Paris ;– Montparnasse routes. There is also a metro station . Gare Montparnasse is the only mainline terminus in Paris not directly connected to the RER system, though the Montparnasse main line is connected to the RER at Versailles-Chantiers and the LGV Atlantique at Massy Palaiseau . The station opened in 1840 as Gare de l'Ouest , later being renamed. A second station
690-476: The "leg of Clovis". During his stay in Angoulême, after putting the garrison to the sword, Clovis pulled down the old Visigothic cathedral dedicated to Saint-Saturnin to build a new one bearing the name of Saint-Pierre. All that remains of the original building are two carved marble capitals that frame the bay of the axis in the apse of the present cathedral. In the 7th century Saint Cybard stayed secluded in
736-639: The Constable of Aquitaine responsible for implementing the Treaty particularly in Angoumois, took possession of the city, its castles, and the "mostier" (monastery) of Saint-Pierre. He received oaths of allegiance to the King of England from the main personalities of the city. The English were, however, expelled in 1373 by the troops of Charles V who granted the town numerous privileges. The County of Angoulême
782-580: The FFA Angoulême Francophone Film Festival and the Musiques Métisses Festival that contribute substantially to the international renown of the city. Moreover, Angoulême hosts 40 animation and video game studios that produce half of France's animated production. Wes Anderson 's The French Dispatch was filmed in this city. Angoulême is called "Ville de l'Image" which means literally "City of
828-748: The Image". The commune has been awarded four flowers by the National Council of Towns and Villages in Bloom in the Competition of cities and villages in Bloom . Angoulême is an Acropolis city located on a hill overlooking a loop of the Charente limited in area upstream by the confluence of the Touvre and downstream by the Anguienne and Eaux Claires . Angoulême is located at the intersection of
874-487: The Place de Rennes 10 metres (33 ft) below, where it stood on its nose. Two of the 131 passengers sustained injuries, along with the fireman and two conductors. The only fatality was a woman on the street below, Marie-Augustine Aguilard, who was temporarily taking over her husband's work duty while he went out to get the newspapers. She was killed by falling masonry. The railway company later paid for her funeral and provided
920-530: The Vikings faced an effective resistance. Guillaume I , third Count of Angoulême, at the head of his troops made them surrender in a decisive battle. During this engagement, he split open to the waist Stonius, the Norman chief, with a massive blow together with his helmet and breastplate. It was this feat that earned him the name Taillefer , which was borne by all his descendants until Isabella of Angoulême who
966-526: The border with Puymoyen. The lowest point is 27 m, located along the Charente at Basseau. Since Roman times ramparts have surrounded the Plateau of Angoulême. Repeatedly destroyed and rebuilt, their reconstruction was finally stopped in the 19th century. The Ramparts are classified as historical monuments [REDACTED] and the Ramparts Tour is one of the main attractions of the city. Angoulême
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#17327725629791012-474: The capital of Angoumois in the Ancien Régime , Angoulême was a fortified town for a long time, and was highly coveted due to its position at the centre of many roads important to communication, so therefore it suffered many sieges. From its tumultuous past, the city, perched on a rocky spur, inherited a large historical, religious, and urban heritage which attracts a lot of tourists. Nowadays, Angoulême
1058-699: The caves of Rochecorail at Trois-Palis . He wrote some of his Institutes of the Christian Religion there which first edition was published in Latin in Basel in 1536. Angoulême was affected by the Revolt of the Pitauds peasant revolt: in 1541, the gabelle (salt tax) was imposed on Saintonge and Angoumois. These provinces did not pay the tax on salt. The revolt broke out around Angoulême and farmers from
1104-466: The city followed the Arian version of Christianity and was besieged for the first time by Clovis in 507 after Vouillé then taken in 508; "miraculously" according to Gregory of Tours and Ademar of Chabannes . During the battle, however, Clovis was seriously wounded in the leg - probably a fracture. The fact is reported by tradition and on a wall of a tower from the 2nd century a leg is carved called
1150-516: The city of Canela . From Paris Montparnasse train services depart to major French cities such as: Le Mans , Rennes , Saint-Brieuc , Brest , Saint-Malo , Vannes , Lorient , Quimper , Angers , Nantes , Saint-Nazaire , Tours , Poitiers , La Rochelle , Angoulême , Bordeaux , Toulouse , Bayonne and Granville . The station is also served by suburban trains heading to the west and south-west of Paris. Adjacent metro station: Nearby station: List of Paris railway stations Below
1196-578: The creation of the commune of Angoulême. The King "grants to residents of Angoulême to keep the freedoms and customs of their fair city and defend their possessions and rights". The city celebrated their 800th anniversary throughout 2004. In 1360 the city, like all of Angoumois, passed into the hands of the Plantagenet English with the Treaty of Brétigny . From 16 to 22 October 1361, John Chandos , Lieutenant of King Edward III of England and
1242-560: The crusade, was outraged about this brutality and criticized the clergy for not preventing it. From the 10th to the 13th centuries the counts of Angoulême, the Taillefer, then the Lusignan strengthened the defences of the city and widened it to encompass the district of Saint-Martial. In 1110, Bishop Girard II ordered the construction of the present cathedral. On 18 May 1204 a charter was signed by King John of England to make official
1288-521: The end of the Roman Empire . The rocky promontory overlooking the Charente 80 metres (260 feet) high and over the Anguienne 60 metres (200 feet) high formed a strategic position. It was raised to the rank of capital of civitas (at the end of the 3rd or 4th centuries) and the first fortress dates from the end of the Roman Empire. The rampart called Bas-Empire which surrounds 27 hectares of land
1334-483: The form of three or four floors of caves, some of which include antique grain silos. The valley of the Charente is made up of old and new alluvium which provides rich soil for farming and some sandpits. These alluvial deposits were deposited successively during the Quaternary period on the inside of two meanders of the river that are Basseau and Saint-Cybard. The oldest alluviums are on the plain of Basseau and reach
1380-583: The heights of Saint-Cybard, Sillac), at an average altitude of 50m. The city was established on the Plateau (altitude 100m) that dominates the loop of the River Charente, a Turonian (also called Angoumien ) formation which forms a dissected plateau of parallel valleys and a cuesta facing north that extends towards La Couronne to the west and Garat to the east. This limestone plateau contains natural cavities which have been refurbished by man in
1426-535: The name of the city has led to several attempts to fit etymological explanations unrelated to the well documented old forms and phonetically unlikely: Some hypotheses have been advanced with a stronger basis: At the time of the French Revolution the city was known by the transient name of Montagne-Charente . The history of the city is not very well known before the Roman period: it is simply known that
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1472-404: The old town, has almost the same features and peaks at 109 m in the woods of Saint-Martin. The plateau is elongated and separates the valleys of Eaux Claires, which is the southern boundary of the commune, from that of Anguienne, which is parallel. Both plateaux overlook the Charente valley and the outlying areas such as l'Houmeau, Basseau, and Sillac at their western ends. The plateau of Angoulême
1518-536: The plateau was occupied by an oppidum , traces of which were found during excavations in the Saint-Martial cemetery under the name Iculisma . Its currency was Lemovice . The town was not located on major roads and was considered by the poet Ausonius as a small town. No Roman monuments have been found but it benefited from the Pax Romana and from trade on the river. The town had a prosperous period at
1564-582: The possession of a branch of the family of Valois from which came François I, King of France from 1515 to 1547 who was born in Cognac in 1494. In 1524 the Italian navigator Giovanni da Verrazzano returned from the Indies. He told François I he had discovered a new territory that he named New Angoulême in his honour. This area later became New Amsterdam then New York . The duchy, now crown land, thereafter
1610-573: The title was passed to the Lusignan family , counts of Marche . On the death of Hugh XIII in 1302 without issue, the County of Angoulême passed his possessions to the crown of France. In 1236 Jewish communities in Anjou and Poitou , particularly Bordeaux and Angoulême were attacked by crusaders . 500 Jews chose conversion and over 3000 were massacred. Pope Gregory IX , who originally had called
1656-603: The town belongs to the Aquitaine Basin as does three-quarters of the western department of Charente . The commune is located on the same limestone from the Upper Cretaceous period which occupies the southern half of the department of Charente, not far from Jurassic formations beginning at Gond-Pontouvre . The earliest Cretaceous period - the Cenomanian - is in the relatively low areas (l'Houmeau,
1702-568: The various kingdoms of Aquitaine and the end of antiquity for the city was in 768, when Pepin the Short defeated Hunald II and linked it to the Frankish kingdom. In June 2019, archeologists discovered a prehistoric stone with an engraving of a horse and other animals near Angoulême station. The Palaeolithic stone plate is estimated to be about 12,000 years old. When held by the Visigoths ,
1748-399: Was also known as Isabelle Taillefer, the wife of King John of England . The title was withdrawn from the descendants on more than one occasion by Richard Coeur-de-Lion then the title passed to King John of England at the time of his marriage to Isabella of Angoulême, daughter of Count Aymer of Angoulême . After becoming a widow, Isabella subsequently married Hugh X of Lusignan in 1220, and
1794-655: Was built between 1848 and 1852. On 25 August 1944, the German military governor of Paris, General von Choltitz , surrendered his garrison to the French General Philippe Leclerc at the old station. (see Liberation of Paris ). During the 1960s, a newer station integrated into a complex of office buildings was built further down the track. In 1969, the old station was demolished and the Tour Montparnasse built on its site. An extension
1840-519: Was built in 1990 to host the TGV Atlantique . The Gare Montparnasse became famous for the derailment on 22 October 1895 of the Granville –Paris Express, which overran the buffer stop . The engine careened across almost 30 metres (100 ft) of the station concourse, crashed through a 60-centimetre (2 ft) thick wall, shot across a terrace and smashed out of the station, plummeting onto
1886-523: Was constructed. It is a central element to the Montparnasse area. The original station is noted for the Montparnasse derailment , where a steam train crashed through the station in 1895, an event captured in widely known photographs and reproduced in full scale in several locations. The station serves intercity TGV trains to the west and southwest of France including Tours , Bordeaux , Rennes and Nantes , and suburban and regional services on
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1932-496: Was described by Balzac as "based on trade and money" because this district lived on trade, boatmen, and their scows . The port of l'Houmeau was created in 1280 on the river bank. It marked the beginning of the navigable part from Angoulême to the sea. Saint-Cybard , on the bank of the Charente, was created around the Abbey of Saint-Cybard then became an industrial area with papermills , especially Le Nil . Saint-Martin - Saint-Ausone
1978-450: Was found under the courthouse which is usually related to water supply through an aqueduct. The first bishop of Angoulême was Saint Ausone of Angoulême in the 3rd century. The administrative importance of the city was strengthened by the implementation of a County in the 6th century with Turpion (or Turpin) (839–863), adviser to Charles the Bald . However, the town was always attached to
2024-405: Was given to Louis d'Orléans who was the brother of King Charles VI in 1394 and it then passed to his son Jean d'Orléans (1400–1467), the grandfather of Marguerite de Navarre and François I . The Good Count Jean of Angoulême greatly expanded the County castle after his return from English captivity in the middle of the 15th century. Angoulême, the seat of the County of Angoumois, came into
2070-431: Was maintained until the 13th century. The network of Roman roads were then reorganized to link the town with the surrounding cities of Bordeaux , Saintes , Poitiers , Limoges , and Périgueux. The city of Haut-Empire remained unknown for a long time. Recent excavations have provided details on the power of the Roman city. A well dug in an early era shows that the water table was very high. A large thermal spa complex
2116-414: Was passed on within the ruling house of France. One of its holders was Charles of Valois , the "natural" (illegitimate) son of Charles IX . The last duke of Angoulême was Louis-Antoine (died 1844), eldest son of Charles X of France . John Calvin , the promoter of Protestantism and friend of Jean du Tillet the archdeacon of Angoulême, was forced to flee Paris in 1533 and took refuge in Angoulême in
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