Rambouillet (Municipality, Yvelines, France)

Last modified: 2005-03-05 by ivan sache
Keywords: yvelines | rambouillet | fleurs de lys: 3 (yellow) | deer (red) | sheep (white) | tree (green) | crown: mural (white) |
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by Arnaud Leroy

• Presentation of Rambouillet
  • History of Rambouillet
  • The forest of Rambouillet
  • The national sheepfarm of Rambouillet
• Municipal flag of Rambouillet
• Coat of arms of Rambouillet

See also:

• France
• Yvelines (Department, France)

Presentation of Rambouillet

The city of Rambouillet (25,000 inhabitants; Rambolitains) is a sous-préfecture of the department of Yvelines. Rambouillet developed around a castle located on the limit between the forest of Rambouillet and the grain-producing plain of Beauce. The castle of Rambouillet is an official residence of the President of the Republic since the end of the XIXth century and has welcomed several international celebrities invited to private or official meetings.

History of Rambouillet

A chart dated 768 mentions a place named Rumbelitum. Another act, dated 1153, described the village of Ranbolitum built near a castle. A church is known there since 1052-1053. In June 1230, clearings were organized in the old forest of Yveline, which extended all over the south of Paris. Most of the inhabitants of the early parish of Rambouillet lived from the forest: they were woodcutters, firewood gatherers or clog-makers.
The name of Rambouillet might come from a brook named Rambe, located in the neighbouring village of Goussay. The Rambe was fed by the Rambeuil fountain, and Rambouillet might have meant the place located near the brook Rambe.

In 1368, Jehan Bernier bought a small manor from Girard Tournebou, Prevost of Paris. Bernier was appointed souverain informateur des forêts et eaux du royaume by King Charles V. Bernier built the first modern castle of Rambouillet in 1375. In 1384, Regnault d'Angennes exchanged his domain for Rambouillet with Bernier. The Angennes family included regular members of the Royal court, whose celebrities often stayed in the castle of Rambouillet. On 31 March 1547, King François I passed away in the big tower of the castle, nicknamed since then François I's tower. Aged 52, the king felt death coming and moved from castle to castle near Paris. On his way back to Saint-Germain, he decided to stay in the castle owned by the Captain of his guard, Jacques d'Angennes.
The Angennes revamped the castle in Renaissance style. Among the famous members of the family was Nicolas d'Angennes, appointed Vice-Roy of Poland and responsible of Henri III's crowning in Cracovia.

In the XVIIth century, the parish of Rambouillet had 800-900 inhabitants. In 1612, the domain became a