La Courneuve, France

La Courneuve is a charming commune located in Seine-Saint-Denis, France, just 8.3 km (5.2 mi) away from the center of Paris. It has a rich history dating back to pre-Roman times, when it was a small village that eventually became a fashionable country destination for the gentry residing in Paris. With improved farming methods and large population growth towards the end of Napoleons reign, La Courneuve became a major legume producer for the Paris regional. In 1863, the first major industrial enterprise was introduced, transforming the area into a strange mix of factories and farmland. During the 1960s, La Courneuve, like many other suburbs of Paris, was designated as one of the zones à urbaniser en priorité (areas to be urbanized quickly) and was built up at a very rapid pace, with the construction of large council estates and tower blocks and other HLM developments. Between 1962 and 1968 the population nearly doubled. La Courneuve is served by La Courneuve – 8 Mai 1945 station on Paris Métro Line 7 and by La Courneuve – Aubervilliers station on Paris RER line B. In terms of education, it has a number of preschools, primary schools, high schools, junior high schools, and sixth-form colleges/senior high schools. Notable people from La Courneuve include Algerian footballer Haris Belkebla, French resistance fighter Suzanne Masson, and French rapper Dinos.