Villers-Cotterêts

Villers-Cotterêts is a commune of the Aisne département in the Picardie (Picardy) région in northern France. 

 Population: 10,123
 Density: 242.7/km²
 Postal code: 02600
 Name of inhabitants: Cotterezien sing, -s pl.

 Geography 
 Area: 41.71 km²
 Altitude: 120 m 

It is located 80 km NE of Paris via the RN2 facing Laon. Its nickname Petite villa sur la côte de Retz means Little villa by the coast of Retz, as the town is situated next to the Retz forest which covers 130 km² of land.

 History 
Villers-Cotterêts is famous because of the Ordinance of Villers-Cotterêts 1539 signed by king Francis I of France ('François Ier') which made French the official language in the kingdom instead of Latin.

 Sight 
The Château, known as Chateau de Noüe, built in the 16th century for François Ier, later got 18th century régénce decoration by Gilles-Marie Oppenord.

 Aliwa-liwa 
Iti ing lugal keaitan nang Alexandre Dumas, père (1802-1870), novelist.

 Penibatan at suglung palwal 
 Tourist office website  (in French)
 Historic society of Villers-Cotterêts  (in French)
 Catholic encyclopaedia Gilles-Marie Oppenordt

Category:Ding Commune ning Aisne