Planoise


Planoise is an urban area in the western part of Besançon, France, built in the 1960s between the hill of Planoise and the district of Hauts-de-Chazal. It is the most populous district of Besançon, with 21,000 inhabitants. Its inhabitants are called Planoisiens and Planoisiennes.
The area is constantly changing and developing. Despite difficult economic and social conditions, Planoise has become a commercial crossroads and a multicultural sector; the area is home to people from over 50 different cultural origins. It is a highly urbanized area with few monuments or sites of interest, but the area contains notable buildings like the Departmental archives of Doubs and the Statue of Diversity.

History

The first traces of life in Planoise date back to 3000 BCE, during the Middle Paleolithic era. Objects were found in the Epoisses area during archaeological excavations, including a flint point dating to the Middle Paleolithic, three bracelets dating to the end of the Iron Age, and an oil lamp dating to Hellenistic Greece The objects are conserved in the Musée des Beaux-Arts et d'archéologie de Besançon
During the 13th century the territory of Planoise officially became part of the Imperial city of Besançon, according to Jean de Chalon. In the 15th century the clergy of Besançon bought the territory and the hill of Planoise. The name "Planoise" first appears officially in records in 1435. The name comes from the Latin word "planesium", which means "plain." At that time, the sector consisted of a large wood and had few inhabitants, mostly farmers.
Between the Middle Ages and the modern era, the area continued to be almost uninhabited. It was an agricultural area, farming mainly potatoes. The prince of Liechtenstein wanted to take the city of Besançon in 1815. He sent an army, which was stopped at Planoise. They abandoned their plans to take the city.
At the beginning of the 20th century, many farms were built in the area. As the population grew, agriculture became a major sector of the economy. The First and Second World Wars did not have a big impact on Planoise, although an American soldier was killed there. At the end of the 1950s, Planoise become a new urban area of Besançon.
Construction began in 1962 on 13,000 new dwellings in Planoise, and continued until 1985. The first inhabitants settled in the new buildings in 1968.
At the beginning of the 1970s, the first shops were under construction, and the church of Planoise was built in 1972. Soon after, Diderot school was built and the Cassin sector expanded. This period is known as the "golden age" of Planoise. In 1977 the population was 12,000 inhabitants.
Like other areas of France at the time, Planoise came into economic and social difficulties. Since 1985 the area has been classed as a "sensitive urban zone" by the municipality, and 40% of the inhabitants aged 18–25 years are unemployed.
In 2005, during the 2005 civil unrest in France, the "Forum" building was burned. Salah Gaham died in the fire. A policeman was attacked in the Cassin sector in 2009 who was attempting to stop a riot, and there was a hold-up of a bus at the Planoise bus stop in 2008. This followed many strikes by the bus conductors of Besançon public transport.
To stop the civil unrest in Planoise, the municipality tried to react promptly by opening a commissionership in Cassin sector. However, it was burned in 2007. Police presence has been increased in the area. Since 2000, an area of the neighborhood was classed as a "zone franche urbaine", which has enabled the establishment of many new companies and businesses.

Geography

Planoise is located in the west of Besançon, in the Canton of Besançon-1. Planoise is bounded on the west by Franois and Grandfontaine; Pirey to the north; Saint-Ferjeux and the center of Besançon to the east; and Velotte and Avanne-Aveney to the south. The area is located in a plain measuring 300 hectares, between the hill of Planoise and the hill of Rosemont. Doubs river is one kilometre away. Two large woods surround the neighborhood: the wood "Monsieur" and the wood of Pirey.
The principal road is Dole street, which is also the principal road of Besançon. The west boulevard joins the area at Velotte. In the center of Planoisen the principal roads are Île-de-France avenue, Bourgonge road, and Franche-Comté street.

Environment

Wildlife in Planoise consists of rats, hedgehogs, and some snakes. Common birds are pigeons and ravens. Many cats and dogs are at large. Livestock, including horses and goats, are kept in the Malcombe area.
Planoise, while urban, has a rich environmental heritage and a lot of wooded space, and urban trees, particularly beeches, firs, Aesculus, and birches, are present on all streets. The urban park of Planoise is a wooded park with playgrounds, and is located in Cassin sector. The municipality plans to build a new playground.
The wood of Planoise has a large diversity of animals and flora. Foxes, boars, squirrels, and birds are present. Vegetation includes beeches, firs, aesculus, oaks, ferns, and Platanus. A network of trails allows an easy access to the Fort of Planoise in the wood. The only new infrastructure is the Water tower of Planoise.

Sectors

Planoise is divided into seven sectors:

Shops and services

Planoise has a lot of shops and services, and three malls: the mall of Epoisses, the mall of Île-de-France, and the mall of Cassin. The shops are complemented by the commercial zone of Châteaufarine, which has a large mall and 80 other shops. All sectors of Planoiseare served by the essential shops such as hairdressers and bakeries, and Cassin sector has other shops like restaurants and dress shops. Planoise has six hotels, located in Cassin and Epoisses sectors. An itinerant kebab seller visits Epoisses and Île-de-France sectors daily, and two or three times a week a fair takes place in Île-de-France, Epoisses, and Cassin sectors.
The sector has two post offices, two medical centers, an ANPE agency, a CAF agency, one Treasury, and other services. The wood boiler is the only industrial infrastructure in the sector.

Employment

At the last census, Planoise had 8,530 workers, 40% of the population of the area. Most of the workers are in the Tertiary sector of the economy. The unemployment rate was 25% for the total population and 40% for those aged 18–24 years in 1999.

Demographics

The area had 20,700 inhabitants at the last census in 1999. If Planoise became a city, it would be the third largest of the département and fourth of the region, after Besançon, Belfort, and Montbéliard. The population peaked in 1989 at 21,300 inhabitants.
Planoise was a partially uninhabited rural zone for many years; the population boom of the 1960s changed the sector. Today, Planoise is the largest sector of Besançon, ahead of Chaprais and the center of Besançon. The area continues its demographic expansion.

Transport

The area is 20 minutes from the center of Besançon, and served by the urban public transport of Besançon, with seven urban routes and two special routes. The Tramway of Besançon, planned for 2012, will go through the area. The municipality of Besançon has raised the possibility of construction of a train station in the area, perhaps in 2020.

Architecture

Planoise has little architectural heritage compared to that of the center of Besançon. However, four beautiful statues decorate the area, two in the Cassin sector and two in the Ile-de-France sector. The "Statue of Diversity", located in a roundabout of Ile-de-France sector, is a veritable symbol of this area. The others are the statue of Diderot school, in stone, the "Statue of the World" and the statue of Tristan Bernard school, also located in Cassin sector. Epoisses fountain dates to 1874, and has on its face the blazon of Besançon. An old laundry, located in the margins of the new area, was built in 1812 and renovated in 1996.

Places of worship

There are 12 kindergartens, five elementary schools, two colleges, and two high schools in Planoise.
Kindergartens
Elementary schools
Middle Schools
High schools
Other

Events

Festivals are popular; music parties have been organised by residents of the Epoisses sector. Many sporting events take place in Malcombe sector over the course of the year, but the most important competitions take place from June to August, during an event called "Vital'été". This event, popular among teenagers of the area, encompasses many sports, including football, volleyball, climbing, and roller hockey.
The exposition park of Micropolis hosts many concerts and other events. The "Foire comtoise" is the major amusement park of the region; the Micronora show is a microtechnology exposition. Other events such as fireworks, "fete des voisins", and garage sales, take place year round.

Sports