Vitry-le-François () is a commune in the Marne department in northeastern France. It is located on the river Marne and is the western terminus of the Marne–Rhine Canal. Vitry-le-François station has rail connections to Paris, Reims, Strasbourg, Metz, Dijon and several regional destinations.
History The present town is a relatively recent construction, having been built in 1545 at the behest of King Francis who wished to replace Vitry-en-Perthois on a new site 2.5 miles to the South-West, which had been entirely destroyed in 1544 by the forces of Holy Roman Emperor Charles V during the Italian War of 1542–46. The new Vitry was to be a modern city, constructed according to a plan produced by Girolamo Marini. The king's role in its creation resulted in Vitry-le-François receiving the king's name as part of its own name.
At the beginning of World War I in August 1914, Joseph Joffre established the Grand Quartier Général at the Place Royer-Collard.
In 1961, a terrorist attack took place on a train going between Strasbourg and Paris.
Demography
Features Its church of Notre-Dame is a 17th-century building with fine 18th-century monuments. A convent of the Récollets was later converted to contain the town hall, the court-house, a library and a small museum. There is a bronze statue of Pierre Paul Royer-Collard (1763–1845), the politician and philosopher, a native of the district.
Twin towns Vitry-le-François is twinned with:
Tauberbischofsheim, Germany, since 1961
Notable people René Gateaux (1889–1914), mathematician Guy Georges (born 1962), serial killer René Herbin (1911–1953), classical pianist Abraham de Moivre (1667–1754), mathematician Daniel Demoivre (fl. 1695-1731), musician Étienne-Gabriel Morelly (1717–1778), proto-communist philosopher Mary de Vitry, person executed for their gender identity Simhah ben Samuel of Vitry (fl. c. 1100), Talmudist
Climate
See also Communes of the Marne department Champagne Riots French wine 1961 Vitry-Le-François train bombing François I school complex
References
External links