Sens
Sens
Location within Burgundy region  Sens
Administration
Country	France
Region	Burgundy
Department	Yonne
Arrondissement	Sens
Mayor	Daniel Paris (2008–2014)
Statistics
Land area1	27.86 km2 (10.76 sq mi)
Population2	26,646  (2006)
- Density	956 /km2 (2,480 /sq mi)
INSEE/Postal code	89387/ 89100
1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km² (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries.
2 Population without double counting: residents of multiple communes (e.g., students and military personnel) only counted once.

Coordinates: 48°11′51″N 3°17′16″E / 48.1975°N 3.2877°E / 48.1975; 3.2877

Inside the cathedral of Sens, Jean-Baptiste Camille Corot, c. 1874.

Sens (French pronunciation: [sɑ̃s]) is a commune in the Yonne department in Burgundy in north-central France, 120 km from Paris.

Sens is a sub-prefecture and the second city of the department, the sixth in the region. It is crossed by the Yonne and the Vanne, which empties into the Yonne here.

History[link]

The city is supposed to have been one of the oppida of the Senones, one of the oldest Celtic tribes living in Gaul. It is mentioned as Agedincum by Julius Caesar^[1] several times in his Commentarii de Bello Gallico. The Roman city was built during the first century BC and surrounded by walls during the third. It still retains today the skeleton of its Roman street plan.^[2] The site was referred to by Ammianus Marcellinus as Senones (oppidum Senonas) but it did not become an administrative center until after the reorganization of the Roman Empire in 375, when it was the chief town of Lugdunensis Quarta.

During the Middle Ages, its archbishops^[3] held the prestigious role of primates of Gaul and Germany. The Hôtel de Sens in Paris was their official residence in that city. The Archdiocese of Sens ruled over the dioceses of Chartres, Auxerre, Meaux, Paris, Orléans, Nevers and Troyes.

Starting from 1135, the cathedral of Sens, dedicated to Saint Stephen, was rebuilt as one of the first Gothic cathedrals. There, in 1234, Louis IX of France celebrated his wedding to Marguerite of Provence. Sens witnessed the trial of Peter Abelard. Pope Alexander III sojourned for some time in the city, and there also Thomas Becket spent part of his exile between 1162 and 1165. The Archdiocese of Sens hosted a number of church councils.

Sens lived troublesome times during the Wars of Religion.

The city declined after Paris was elevated to archdiocese in 1622.

Main sights[link]

This section requires expansion.

• The Cathedral, one of the first Gothic edifices in France.
• Archbishops' Palace.
• Church of St. Maurice.
• House of Abraham.
• Museum.
• Serres municipales de Sens, municipal greenhouses

Sports[link]

Sens is one of a few French towns with a youth baseball team. It was originally started by a local English teacher, Laurent Carpentier, as a way to increase student motivation for learning English and to introduce students to American culture. Since the team's beginning, baseball in general has grown in popularity in the town. ^[4][5][6]

Notable people[link]

• Samo, Frankish merchant and later king (rex) of the 7th century Slavic state known as Samo's Empire (Sens is one of two presumed birthplaces, the other being Soignies)
• Thomas Becket, Archbishop of Canterbury, in 1164 he took refuge in Sens where Pope Alexander III was sheltered.
• Louis Jacques Thénard, French chemist, managed to have himself educated at the academy of Sens.
• Victor Scipion Charles Auguste de La Garde de Chambonas, mayor of Sens, brigadier general, and French foreign minister, at the beginning of the French Revolution.
• It is the presumed birthplace of the 12th-century architect William of Sens.
• Édouard Charton, an eminent French literary figure.
• Saturnin Fabre, a French film actor.
• Chris Malonga, footballer.
• Bacary Sagna, footballer.
• Clément Chantôme, footballer.

Twin towns[link]

• Chester, United Kingdom
• Lörrach, Germany
• Senigallia, Italy
• Vyshhorod, Ukraine

See also[link]

• Senones
• St. Columba of Sens
• Archdiocese of Sens
• Communes of the Yonne department
• St. Wulfram of Sens

References[link]

• INSEE

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Sens

• Official website (French)
•  This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Herbermann, Charles, ed. (1913). Catholic Encyclopedia. Robert Appleton Company.  archdiocese & Councils City council website (in French)
• Richard Stillwell, ed. Princeton Encyclopedia of Classical Sites, 1976: "Agedincum (Sens), Yonne, France"
• Pictures of Sens Cathedral: [1], [2], [3]

v t e Communes of the Yonne department Accolay Aigremont Aillant-sur-Tholon Aisy-sur-Armançon Ancy-le-Franc Ancy-le-Libre Andryes Angely Annay-la-Côte Annay-sur-Serein Annéot Annoux Appoigny Arces-Dilo Arcy-sur-Cure Argentenay Argenteuil-sur-Armançon Armeau Arthonnay Asnières-sous-Bois Asquins Athie Augy Auxerre Avallon Bagneaux Baon Bassou Bazarnes Beaumont Beauvilliers Beauvoir Beine Bellechaume La Belliole Béon Bernouil Béru Bessy-sur-Cure Beugnon Bierry-les-Belles-Fontaines Blacy Blannay Bleigny-le-Carreau Bléneau Bœurs-en-Othe Bois-d'Arcy Bonnard Les Bordes Branches Brannay Brienon-sur-Armançon Brion Brosses Bussières Bussy-en-Othe Bussy-le-Repos Butteaux Carisey La Celle-Saint-Cyr Censy Cérilly Cerisiers Cézy Chablis Chailley Chambeugle Chamoux Champcevrais Champignelles Champigny Champlay Champlost Champs-sur-Yonne Champvallon Chamvres La Chapelle-sur-Oreuse La Chapelle-Vaupelteigne Charbuy Charentenay Charmoy Charny Chassignelles Chassy Chastellux-sur-Cure Châtel-Censoir Châtel-Gérard Chaumont Chaumot Chemilly-sur-Serein Chemilly-sur-Yonne Chêne-Arnoult Cheney Cheny Chéroy Chéu Chevannes Chevillon Chichée Chichery Chigy Chitry Cisery Les Clérimois Collan Collemiers Compigny Cornant Coulangeron Coulanges-la-Vineuse Coulanges-sur-Yonne Coulours Courgenay Courgis Courlon-sur-Yonne Courson-les-Carrières Courtoin Courtois-sur-Yonne Coutarnoux Crain Cravant Cruzy-le-Châtel Cry Cudot Cussy-les-Forges Cuy Dannemoine Dicy Diges Dissangis Dixmont Dollot Domats Domecy-sur-Cure Domecy-sur-le-Vault Dracy Druyes-les-Belles-Fontaines Dyé Égleny Égriselles-le-Bocage Épineau-les-Voves Épineuil Escamps Escolives-Sainte-Camille Esnon Étais-la-Sauvin Étaule Étigny Étivey Évry La Ferté-Loupière Festigny Flacy Fleury-la-Vallée Fleys Flogny-la-Chapelle Foissy-lès-Vézelay Foissy-sur-Vanne Fontaine-la-Gaillarde Fontaines Fontenailles Fontenay-près-Chablis Fontenay-près-Vézelay Fontenay-sous-Fouronnes Fontenouilles Fontenoy Fouchères Fournaudin Fouronnes Fresnes Fulvy Germigny Gigny Girolles Gisy-les-Nobles Givry Gland Grandchamp Grimault Gron Guerchy Guillon Gurgy Gy-l'Évêque Hauterive Héry Irancy Island L'Isle-sur-Serein Jaulges Joigny Jouancy Joux-la-Ville Jouy Jully Junay Jussy Laduz Lailly Lain Lainsecq Lalande Laroche-Saint-Cydroine Lasson Lavau Leugny Levis Lézinnes Lichères-près-Aigremont Lichères-sur-Yonne Lignorelles Ligny-le-Châtel Lindry Lixy Looze Lucy-le-Bois Lucy-sur-Cure Lucy-sur-Yonne Magny Maillot Mailly-la-Ville Mailly-le-Château Malay-le-Grand Malay-le-Petit Malicorne Maligny Marchais-Beton Marmeaux Marsangy Massangis Mélisey Menades Mercy Méré Merry-la-Vallée Merry-Sec Merry-sur-Yonne Mézilles Michery Migé Migennes Môlay Molesmes Molinons Molosmes Monéteau Montacher-Villegardin Montigny-la-Resle Montillot Montréal Mont-Saint-Sulpice Mouffy Moulins-en-Tonnerrois Moulins-sur-Ouanne Moutiers-en-Puisaye Nailly Neuilly Neuvy-Sautour Nitry Noé Noyers Nuits Les Ormes Ormoy Ouanne Pacy-sur-Armançon Pailly Parly Paron Paroy-en-Othe Paroy-sur-Tholon Pasilly Passy Perceneige Percey Perreux Perrigny Perrigny-sur-Armançon Pierre-Perthuis Piffonds Pimelles Pisy Plessis-Saint-Jean Poilly-sur-Serein Poilly-sur-Tholon Pontaubert Pontigny Pont-sur-Vanne Pont-sur-Yonne La Postolle Pourrain Précy-le-Sec Précy-sur-Vrin Prégilbert Préhy Provency Prunoy Quarré-les-Tombes Quenne Quincerot Ravières Roffey Rogny-les-Sept-Écluses Ronchères Rousson Rouvray Rugny Sacy Sainpuits Saint-Agnan Saint-André-en-Terre-Plaine Saint-Aubin-Château-Neuf Saint-Aubin-sur-Yonne Saint-Brancher Saint-Bris-le-Vineux Saint-Clément Saint-Cyr-les-Colons Saint-Denis Saint-Denis-sur-Ouanne Sainte-Colombe Sainte-Colombe-sur-Loing Sainte-Magnance Sainte-Pallaye Sainte-Vertu Saint-Fargeau Saint-Florentin Saint-Georges-sur-Baulche Saint-Germain-des-Champs Saint-Julien-du-Sault Saint-Léger-Vauban Saint-Loup-d'Ordon Saint-Martin-des-Champs Saint-Martin-d'Ordon Saint-Martin-du-Tertre Saint-Martin-sur-Armançon Saint-Martin-sur-Ocre Saint-Martin-sur-Ouanne Saint-Maurice-aux-Riches-Hommes Saint-Maurice-le-Vieil Saint-Maurice-Thizouaille Saint-Moré Saint-Père Saint-Privé Saint-Romain-le-Preux Saints Saint-Sauveur-en-Puisaye Saint-Sérotin Saint-Valérien Saligny Sambourg Santigny Sarry Sauvigny-le-Beuréal Sauvigny-le-Bois Savigny-en-Terre-Plaine Savigny-sur-Clairis Sceaux Seignelay Sementron Senan Sennevoy-le-Bas Sennevoy-le-Haut Sens Sépeaux Serbonnes Sergines Sermizelles Serrigny Sery Les Sièges Sommecaise Sormery Soucy Sougères-en-Puisaye Soumaintrain Stigny Subligny Taingy Talcy Tanlay Tannerre-en-Puisaye Tharoiseau Tharot Theil-sur-Vanne Thizy Thorey Thorigny-sur-Oreuse Thory Thury Tissey Tonnerre Toucy Treigny Trévilly Trichey Tronchoy Trucy-sur-Yonne Turny Val-de-Mercy Vallan Vallery Vareilles Varennes Vassy Vaudeurs Vault-de-Lugny Vaumort Venizy Venouse Venoy Vergigny Verlin Vermenton Vernoy Véron Vézannes Vézelay Vézinnes Vignes Villeblevin Villebougis Villechétive Villecien Villefargeau Villefranche Villemanoche Villemer Villenavotte Villeneuve-la-Dondagre Villeneuve-la-Guyard Villeneuve-l'Archevêque Villeneuve-les-Genêts Villeneuve-Saint-Salves Villeneuve-sur-Yonne Villeperrot Villeroy Villethierry Villevallier Villiers-les-Hauts Villiers-Louis Villiers-Saint-Benoît Villiers-sur-Tholon Villiers-Vineux Villon Villy Vincelles Vincelottes Vinneuf Vireaux Viviers Voisines Volgré Voutenay-sur-Cure Yrouerre