Elbeuf

Sister cities

• Lingen

History

The first written record of the town was in the 10th century, on a map of Richard I of Normandy, under the name "Wellebou". It passed into the hands of the houses of Rieux and Lorraine, and was raised to the rank of a duchy in the peerage of France by Henry III in favour of Charles de Lorraine. The last duke of Elbeuf was Charles Eugène of Lorraine. The population in 1841 was 14,646 inhabitants.

Geography

A light industrial town situated by the banks of the Seine some south of Rouen at the junction of the D7, D321 and the D313 roads. The commune's territory is largely residential to the north but the southern section is covered by thick woodland. Its position by a meander of the Seine leaves the town susceptible to flooding.