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Colombes (Municipality, Hauts-de-Seine, France)

Presentation of Colombes
Former flag of Colombes

See also:

Presentation of Colombes

Colombes (91,053 inhabitants, 781 ha) is a commune in the northwestern suburbs of Paris, in the Hauts-de-Seine department.

The origin of the name "Colombes" is uncertain. The most common explanation links the name (derived from the Old French Coulombe, meaning "column") to a column that stood at the intersection of Rue Saint-Denis and Boulevard de Valmy until August 4, 1789. This structure may have been a sacred stone or a megalithic monument. Several authors maintain that a Gallo-Roman settlement and atrium existed as early as the 6th century. The earliest record attesting to the existence of Colombes dates back to 1160. Under the jurisdiction of the Abbey of Saint-Denis from the 12th century onwards, the town developed around the main road leading to the abbey. Large estates were established around the town during the construction of the Neuilly Bridge in the early 17th century. Queen Henrietta Maria, daughter of Henry IV and wife of King Charles I of England, resided at the Château de Colombes from 1657 until her death on September 10, 1669. Her nephew, Louis XIV, would come to consult her on matters concerning England.

The château was demolished in 1793, following the Revolution.
In the 19th century, the construction of bridges over the Seine (the Bezons bridge in 1811 and the Argenteuil bridge in 1832), which flows below the town, along with the building of two railway stations linked to the Gare Saint-Lazare (Colombes station in 1854 and Bois-Colombes station in 1857), enabled the commune to expand and attract more visitors
The boating harbor at Le Petit Gennevilliers attracted Impressionists such as Monet, Caillebotte, and Sisley. Jean-Baptiste Clément drew inspiration from the many cherry trees in Colombes to compose "Le Temps des cerises" (a song strongly associated with the Paris Commune), recalling the time he lived in the town

The municipality ceded land to Bois-Colombes in 1896 and to La Garenne-Colombes in 1910.
In 1907, France's first major stadium—the Stade Olympique Yves-du-Manoir—was built on the site of a former racecourse dating back to 1885; it went on to host the 1924 Summer Olympics. The stadium hosted major national rugby and football matches (including the 1938 Football World Cup) until the Parc des Princes was renovated in 1970. Major industrial workshops began setting up within the municipality's boundaries in the early 20th century. To house the necessary workforce, large-scale housing developments—affordable yet well-built—were constructed during the interwar period. Although it is the largest area of detached houses in the inner Paris suburbs, the town remains a diverse area.

Olivier Touzeau, 24 September 2026

Former flag of Colombes

Former flag of Colombes - Image by Olivier Touzeau, 24 September 2026

A new logo, based on the coat of arms, was adopted in 2026 after the municipal elections, which saw a change of majority.
The former logo, adopted in 2021, showng a dove and the name of the town, could be seen on a white flag: however, the flag was observed primarily on a private apartment-hotel located along the A86, rather than in an official context: photo.

Olivier Touzeau, 24 September 2026