Perhaps the name La Frette-sur-Seine comes from the Latin “Fractam”. It means breach or passage. Or maybe it is linked to its role as a port city. It welcomed freight from boats. Either way La Frette-sur-Seine has always been a place of welcome and passage.
La Frette-sur-Seine sits between the Seine and the sky. It has a rich history. It has been a vital port. It has been a wine-producing village. Later it became famous for lilac cultivation.
No prehistoric site has been found in La Frette. But the region’s occupation is undoubtedly ancient. Two Neolithic hatchets were found here. Also some remains of Gallo-Roman pottery. Our Gaulish ancestors the Parisii lived in this part of the Parisian Basin. They gave their name to the Parisis and later to Paris.
In the 8th century the Abbey of Saint-Denis received land. It surrounded Cormeilles. The village of La Frette-sur-Seine was established on it. By the 17th century the village was part of the royal hunting grounds. These were created under Louis XIV. A wall kept ferocious beasts from leaving the forest. It stopped them crossing the Seine. Gates limited the movements of the Frettois during hunts.
The oldest map of La Frette dates from 1744. It was created by Abbé Delagrive. It shows a village by the water. A plateau covered in vineyards dominates the town. In 1781 about sixty houses stood along the towpath. They were connected to the plateau by a path and two roads.
In 1790 the Frettois obtained an autonomous commune. This was during the Revolution. In 1791 the boundaries of the territory were defined. It was taken from Cormeilles and Montigny. This was not easy. But the town’s current borders have never been questioned.
In 1844 the parish gained the status of a subsidiary. This happened under Louis Philippe 1er. From 1851 it could have its own priest. For over 800 years La Frette-sur-Seine has been a port. It has vineyards. It has plaster quarries. And it cultivates lilacs. These have been the lifeblood of its inhabitants.
La Frette-sur-Seine sits at the heart of a vineyard. It produces what is now called “vin de France”. This famous wine was enjoyed at the court of the Kings of France. Viticulture became the main resource. Most trades in the town depended on it. But the people did not forget port work or fishing.
The river port has been active since Gallo-Roman times. A road led from Taverny to the port of La Frette. It seems that in the 9th century plaster stone was loaded at La Frette. But La Frette-sur-Seine is cited in many documents only in the 13th century. The limestone forms the hillsides. It was exploited very early on. The most practical way to ship production was the Seine. Imagine boats stopping at La Frette-sur-Seine. They loaded plaster and wine.
In 1370 the port and the plaster field paid 40 pounds. This helped to pay the ransom of King Jean II le bon. That is about 693 euros. There were not one but three embarkation ports on the Frettois banks. The first stood where Square Marcel Deshayes is now. The second was at the Base des Sports Nautiques. It operated until 1920. The third between the church and the Côte à Boivin was for wine shipments.
The small church watches over everything. It was built between the 12th and 13th centuries. It is dedicated to Saint-Nicolas. He is the patron saint of children, schoolchildren and sailors. He ensures the protection of seafarers.
In the 19th century wine growing was abandoned. Lilac cultivation appeared. This became a new source of income for the Frettois. During flowering all work stopped. The community united. At dawn they made bouquets. These were taken to the Halles de Paris in the evening. A good year could bring in 20000 francs to the pickers. Imagine these hillsides. They are adorned with blue, white and violet. These colours meet the blue of the Seine. They enchant painters and writers. They come to relax on the banks of our town.
The train arrived in 1892. A station was built in 1894. It made it easier for Parisians to visit. They enjoyed the many hotels and restaurants by the water. La Frette-sur-Seine knows how to welcome guests. In a century the population rose from 420 inhabitants in 1899 to 4738 in 2021. La Frette-sur-Seine the Pearl of the Val d’Oise welcomes you.