Bry-sur-Marne (French pronunciation: [bʁi syʁ maʁn] , literally Bry on Marne) is a commune in the Val-de-Marne department in the eastern suburbs of Paris, France. It is located 12.6 km (7.8 mi) from the center of Paris.

Bry-sur-Marne
The town hall of Bry-sur-Marne
The town hall of Bry-sur-Marne
Coat of arms of Bry-sur-Marne
Location (in red) within Paris inner suburbs
Location (in red) within Paris inner suburbs
Location of Bry-sur-Marne
Map
Bry-sur-Marne is located in France
Bry-sur-Marne
Bry-sur-Marne
Bry-sur-Marne is located in Île-de-France (region)
Bry-sur-Marne
Bry-sur-Marne
Coordinates: 48°50′28″N 2°31′20″E / 48.8411°N 2.5222°E / 48.8411; 2.5222
CountryFrance
RegionÎle-de-France
DepartmentVal-de-Marne
ArrondissementNogent-sur-Marne
CantonVilliers-sur-Marne
IntercommunalityGrand Paris
Government
 • Mayor (2020–2026) Charles Aslangul[1]
Area
1
3.35 km2 (1.29 sq mi)
Population
 (2021)[2]
17,400
 • Density5,200/km2 (13,000/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+01:00 (CET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+02:00 (CEST)
INSEE/Postal code
94015 /94360
Elevation36–100 m (118–328 ft)
1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km2 (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries.

The commune of Bry-sur-Marne is one city of Marne-la-Vallée and part of the Métropole du Grand Paris.

History

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Prehistory and early history

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Bry's name comes from the Celtic word Briw, which means a bridge or a river crossing. The area has been inhabited since Neolithic times.[3] The town's motto, which features on its coat of arms, is "Moult viel que Paris" - old French for "Much older than Paris".[4]

In 1903, archeologist Adrien Mentienne uncovered the bones of a large bovine which died 15,000 years ago. In 1982, the skeleton of a woman who died in the 5th century BC was uncovered beneath the playground of a school in Bry. It is now housed in the town's museum.

From that century onwards, there was a permanent human presence where Bry now stands. In 1886, a necropolis was found which contained pottery, Gaul and Frankish weaponry, silver and gold jewelry, and coins, dating from the Gaul era to the Merovingian. The first known written mention of the town named Bry was in a charter signed by King Charles the Bald in 861.

The first church was built in 1130.

From the feudal era to modern times

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In 1404, Robert de Châtillon, cousin of King Charles VI, was Bry's feudal lord. His castle no longer stands, and its exact location is uncertain. Bry's current château was built in the 1690s. It became the town hall in 1866. It was rebuilt after the Franco-Prussian War of 1870.

The railway came to Bry in 1926, followed by the motorway (1970) and the RER (1977). The town's hospital was built in 1936.[5]

Population

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Historical population
YearPop.±% p.a.
1793 425—    
1800 417−0.27%
1806 414−0.12%
1821 358−0.96%
1831 379+0.57%
1836 378−0.05%
1841 362−0.86%
1846 387+1.34%
1851 412+1.26%
1856 411−0.05%
1861 703+11.33%
1866 845+3.75%
1872 917+1.37%
1876 972+1.47%
1881 1,050+1.56%
1886 1,330+4.84%
1891 1,437+1.56%
1896 1,699+3.41%
YearPop.±% p.a.
1901 2,125+4.58%
1906 2,733+5.16%
1911 2,949+1.53%
1921 3,468+1.63%
1926 4,417+4.96%
1931 5,166+3.18%
1936 5,182+0.06%
1946 5,100−0.16%
1954 6,660+3.39%
1962 9,046+3.90%
1968 11,672+4.34%
1975 12,270+0.72%
1982 12,168−0.12%
1990 13,826+1.61%
1999 15,000+0.91%
2007 15,183+0.15%
2012 16,319+1.45%
2017 16,624+0.37%
Source: EHESS[6] and INSEE (1968-2017)[7]

Education

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The commune has one public preschool, Maternelle Jules Ferry; three combined public preschools and elementary schools, La Pépinière, Paul Barilliet, and Louis Daguerre; as well as one public elementary school, Henri Cahn.[8] The commune has a public junior high school, Collège Henri Cahn.[9]

The commune also has a private elementary through junior high school, Institut Saint Thomas de Villeneuve.[10]

There are multiple public senior high schools in surrounding communes:

Personalities

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Daguerre's diorama

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Bry's most treasured artwork is a diorama painted by Louis Daguerre.[17][18] The painting changes as each day wears on, mimicking daylight and night-time; the painted candlesticks light up at night. It is kept in the local church.

 
Monument to Louis Daguerre

Transport

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Bry-sur-Marne is served by Bry-sur-Marne station on Paris RER line A.

International relations

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The town has been twinned with Sawbridgeworth in Hertfordshire, England and Moosburg an der Isar in Germany since 1973.

Organisations

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The Institut national de l'audiovisuel has its headquarters in the commune.[19]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Répertoire national des élus: les maires". data.gouv.fr, Plateforme ouverte des données publiques françaises (in French). 2 December 2020.
  2. ^ "Populations légales 2021" (in French). The National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies. 28 December 2023.
  3. ^ (in French) Official town web page on the town's history
  4. ^ (in French) Official town web page on the coat of arms
  5. ^ see reference note n°1
  6. ^ Des villages de Cassini aux communes d'aujourd'hui: Commune data sheet Bry-sur-Marne, EHESS (in French).
  7. ^ Population en historique depuis 1968, INSEE
  8. ^ "Les écoles." Bry-sur-Marne. Retrieved on September 3, 2016.
  9. ^ "Collège Henri Cahn." Bry-sur-Marne. Retrieved on September 3, 2016.
  10. ^ "Institut Saint Thomas de Villeneuve." Bry-sur-Marne. Retrieved on September 3, 2016.
  11. ^ "Lycée Louis ARMAND." Bry-sur-Marne. Retrieved on September 3, 2016. The "Hôtel de Ville" is not the school address, but the address of the Bry-sur-Marne town hall.
  12. ^ "Lycée Hector Berlioz." Bry-sur-Marne. Retrieved on September 3, 2016. The "Hôtel de Ville" is not the school address, but the address of the Bry-sur-Marne town hall.
  13. ^ "Lycée Edouard Branly." Bry-sur-Marne. Retrieved on September 3, 2016.
  14. ^ "Lycée Paul Doumer." Bry-sur-Marne. Retrieved on September 3, 2016.
  15. ^ "Lycée Évarist Galois" [sic]. Bry-sur-Marne. Retrieved on September 3, 2016.
  16. ^ "Lycée Pablo Picasso" [sic]. Bry-sur-Marne. Retrieved on September 3, 2016.
  17. ^ (in French) All about Daguerre's diorama
  18. ^ (in French) About the diorama on the town's website[permanent dead link]
  19. ^ "Mentions légales Archived 2011-05-01 at the Wayback Machine." Institut national de l'audiovisuel. Retrieved on 5 May 2011. "Siège social et adresse postale : 4 avenue de l'Europe - 94366 Bry-sur-Marne cedex "
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