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Thiverval-Grignon (Municipality, Yvelines, France)

Flag of Thiverval-Grignon - Image by Pascal Vagnat, 15 December 2002

Presentation of Thiverval-Grignon
Municipal flag of Thiverval-Grignon
Former flag of Thiverval-Grignon

See also:

Presentation of Thiverval-Grignon

The municipality of Thiverval-Grignon (1,014 inhabitants in 2006; 1,117 ha) is located 20 km west of Versailles. The municipality is made of the two villages of Thiverval and Grignon. Originally named Thiverval, the municipality was renamed Thiverval-Grignon by the Decree of 18 October 1952.

Thiverval was granted a parish status in the 11th century. A charter signed by King of France Philip I in 1061 mentions Tyverval and Greygnon as dependencies of the Chapter of Poissy. The building of the parish church began in the 12th century. A legend says that an early church was built in Thiverval by Clovis, who threw away three feathers and built three churches on their landing point. In the 13th century, the parish of Thiverval and the fief of Grignon bleonged to the Seigniory of Poissy. The two villages were incorporated to the County of Montfort in 1484 by King Charles VIII.
Thiverval and Grignon nearly disappeared in the 15th century because of the English invasions and the black plague epidemics.

In 1537, King Francis I bought Grignon and offered it to his mistress Diane de Poitiers. The domain was purchased in 1582 by Pomponne I de Bellièvre, Superintendant General of the Finances of the Kingdom of France. Pomponne built the castle (in style Louis XIII) as we know it today and a 6 km wall still surrounding the domain. In 1651, Grignon became a Marquisate for Pomponne I's grand-son, Pomponne II, who was First President of the Parliament of Paris. The domain of Grignon was increased in 1674, causing the suppression of a few houses and the transfer of the village of Thiverval more to the west.

In the 18th century, the parish of Thiverval had 400 inhabitants living in 84 homesteads, 14 of them being in Grignon and 24 in the Petits-Prés, a hamlet incorporated into the municipality of Plaisir in 1819. Most of the inhabitants were farmers or winegrowers.

The last Marquionness of Grignon, Madame de Brassac, sold the castle to Mr Auguie, whose daughter married in 1802 Marshal Ney, Duke of Elchingen and Prince of Moskwa (1769-1815). The domain was later bought by Marshal Bessières, Duke of Istria (1768-1813), whose widow sold it in 1826. King Charles X bought the domain and created there the Royal Agronomical Institute, later renamed Imperial Agriculture School (1852), National Agriculture School (1870), National Higher Agriculture School, National Agronomical Institute (1971), and, eventually, AgroParisTech.

Ivan Sache, 15 December 2002

Flag of Thiverval-Grignon

The flag of Thiverval-Grignon, hoisted at the entrance of the village, is white with a thin green border, the municipal logo placed near the hoist and the municipal coat of arms placed near the fly.

The municipal logo is a vegetal stylization of the letters "T" and "G", all in green. The leaves attached to the vertical arm of the "T" are probably an oak leaf, standing for the forest of the domain of Grignon, and a grapevine leaf, standing for the old wine-growing tradition in the village. The horizontal arm of the "G" and its roots might symbolize a wheat seedling, small grain cereals being the most common crops in the area.

The feather placed below the cross in chief of the coat of arms probably refers to the legendary origin of the church of Thiverval .

Ivan Sache, 13 September 2004

Former flag of Thiverval-Grignon

Former flag of Thiverval-Grignon - Image by Ivan Sache, 13 September 2004

The flag of Thiverval-Grignon used until mid 2004 is made of the municipal logo placed on a white field, with THIVERVAL-GRIGNON written in black beneath the logotype.

Ivan Sache, 13 September 2004