Nanterre facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Nanterre
Prefecture and commune
Place Gabriel Péri
Coat of arms
Location (in red) within Paris inner suburbs
Nanterre Location in France Show map of France Nanterre Location in Île-de-France (region) Show map of Île-de-France (region)
Country	France
Region	Île-de-France
Department	Hauts-de-Seine
Arrondissement	Nanterre
Canton	Nanterre-1 and 2
Intercommunality	Grand Paris
Area 1	12.19 km2 (4.71 sq mi)
Population  (2021)	97,351
• Density	7,986/km2 (20,684/sq mi)
Demonym(s)	Nanterriens
Time zone	UTC+01:00 (CET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+02:00 (CEST)
INSEE/Postal code	92050 /92000
Elevation	22–127 m (72–417 ft) (avg. 30 m or 98 ft)
1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km2 (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries.

Nanterre is a city in France, located in the western suburbs of Paris. It's about 11 kilometers (7 miles) northwest of the center of Paris. Nanterre is the "prefecture" of the Hauts-de-Seine area, which means it's an important administrative center. In 2018, about 96,807 people lived there.

Part of Nanterre is home to La Défense, a big business district near Paris. You can see some of the tallest buildings in the Paris area here! Many large companies have their main offices in La Défense. This means the court in Nanterre often handles important legal cases. Nanterre also has a large university called Paris West University Nanterre La Défense.

Understanding the Name of Nanterre

The name Nanterre comes from a very old language called Celtic. The Romans wrote it down as Nemetodorum. This name combines two Celtic words:

• Nemeto means "shrine" or "sacred place."
• Duron means "hard" or "enduring."

People believe the "sacred place" was a famous shrine that existed in ancient times. People who live in Nanterre are called "Nanterriens" or "Nanterriennes."

A Look Back at Nanterre's History

For a long time, people thought the ancient sacred shrine was on Mont-Valérien. But between 1994 and 2005, archaeologists found something amazing! They discovered an ancient burial ground from the third century BC near the Seine River in Nanterre. This discovery made experts wonder about the exact location of the ancient capital of the Parisii people and where the Roman city of Lutetia (which became Paris) first began.

Julius Caesar, a famous Roman general, mentioned Lutetia in 50 BCE. He wrote about a meeting there in 53 BC with local Gallic leaders. While some thought Lutetia was on an island in Paris, the river in Nanterre also flows around an island. In 52 BC, the Parisii people fought with the Gallic leader Vercingetorix against the Romans. Caesar wrote that the Parisii destroyed bridges and burned Lutetia before the Romans arrived. The archaeological digs in Nanterre have found signs of ancient buildings covering a large area. These findings suggest that Nanterre might have been the main settlement before the Romans arrived.

A very important person, Sainte Genevieve, who is the patron saint of Paris, was born in Nanterre around 419–422 AD.

How Nanterre is Governed

Nanterre is divided into two areas called cantons:

• Canton of Nanterre-1
• Canton of Nanterre-2

Getting Around Nanterre: Transport

You can travel in and out of Nanterre using the RER A train line. There are three stations:

• Nanterre-Préfecture
• Nanterre-Université
• Nanterre-Ville

The Nanterre-Université station also connects to the Transilien Paris-Saint-Lazare suburban train line.

Nanterre's Economy and Businesses

Many big companies have their headquarters in Nanterre:

• Société Générale: This is a large bank. Their main offices are in the Tours Société Générale in La Défense and Nanterre. They moved there in 1995.
• Faurecia: This company is one of the biggest suppliers of car parts in the world. Their main office is in Nanterre.
• Groupe du Louvre and Louvre Hôtels: These companies are involved in hotels. Their main office is also in La Défense and Nanterre.

Learning in Nanterre: Education

Nanterre has several senior high schools:

• Lycée Joliot-Curie de Nanterre
• Lycée professionnel Louise-Michel
• Lycée professionnel Paul-Langevin
• Lycée professionnel Claude-Chappe

Sports and Fun in Nanterre

Nanterre is home to some exciting sports teams:

• The basketball team Nanterre 92 plays at the Palais des Sports Maurice Thorez.
• The rugby union team Racing 92 plays at the Paris La Défense Arena. This huge arena opened in October 2017. It can hold 32,000 people for rugby games and 40,000 for concerts!

Population of Nanterre

Nanterre has grown a lot over the years. Here's a look at how its population has changed:

People from Different Places

Nanterre is a diverse city, with people from many different backgrounds. In 1999, about 75.7% of the people living in Nanterre were born in mainland France. The other 24.3% came from other places, including French overseas territories, other European Union countries, and countries outside the EU.

Nanterre's International Friends

Nanterre's twin towns sign

Nanterre is "twinned" with several cities around the world. This means they have special friendly relationships and often share culture and ideas.

See also

In Spanish: Nanterre para niños