Fresnes () is a commune in the Val-de-Marne department in the southern suburbs of Paris, France. It is located from the center of Paris, next to Antony, Sceaux and Rungis. It is drained by the River Bièvre.
The Fresnes Prison, where Jean Genet was held for a time, is located there. It was, between 1978 and 1981, the only place for executions in France, although no sentence of death was executed in that period. The guillotine maintained for the purpose remains in storage at the prison.
Name The name Fresnes was recorded for the first time in a papal bull of 1152 as Fraxinum. This name comes from Medieval Latin fraxinus (modern French: frêne), meaning "ash tree", after the ash trees covering the territory of Fresnes in ancient times.
Population
Transport Fresnes is served by no station of the Paris Métro, RER, or suburban rail network. The closest station to Fresnes are Antony or La Croix de Berny station on Paris RER line B and Chemin d'Antony station on RER line C. These stations are located in the neighboring commune of Antony, from the town center of Fresnes.
History
The Hôtel de Ville was completed in 1887.
Culture In the MJC Louise Michel you can find a cinema, a theatre and a concert hall.
Education In Fresnes there are a lot of schools, four kindergartens, five elementary schools. There are three junior high schools and one senior high school/sixth-form college. Preschools: Barbara, Les Blancs Bouleaux, Les Capucines, Les Coquelicots, Les Marguerites, Les Tulipes"Les écoles." Fresnes. Retrieved on September 7, 2016. Elementary schools: Barbara, des Frères Lumière, Robert Doisneau, Théodore Monod, Jean Monnet, Louis Pasteur, Emilie Roux Junior high schools: Collège Jean Charcot, Collège Francine Fromond, Collège Antoine de Saint-Exupéry"Collèges." Fresnes. Retrieved on September 7, 2016. Senior high/sixth-form: Lycée intercommunal Frédéric Mistral"Lycée." Fresnes. Retrieved on September 7, 2016.
The commune is also home to a municipal library, Bibliothèque municipale de Fresnes.Home. Bibliothèque municipale de Fresnes. Retrieved on September 7, 2016.
Sports The AAS Fresnes is the football club of the city, they play at Parc des Sports.
Shopping Centre In Fresnes there is a mall called la Cerisaie.
See also Communes of the Val-de-Marne department
References
External links Official website