Frenelles-en-Vexin

Frenelles-en-Vexin is a commune in the Eure department of Normandy, France, part of the Les Andelys arrondissement. It was created on 1 January 2019 through the merger of three former communes — Boisemont, Corny and Fresne-l'Archevêque — with Boisemont serving as the administrative seat.

Where does the name come from?

The name "Frenelles" is borrowed from a small hamlet located within the former commune of Corny. It has Roman-era roots, derived from the Latin word for ash tree, marking a spot once covered in ash groves. The second part of the name, "Vexin," refers to the historic region stretching between Pontoise and Romilly-sur-Andelle, straddling the border of Normandy and Île-de-France.

How was the modern commune formed?

Frenelles-en-Vexin is a "commune nouvelle," a merged municipality in which the three original communes retain the status of delegated communes. Its INSEE code is 27070, and its territory is covered by two postal codes, 27150 and 27700. The commune belongs to the Seine Normandie Agglomération intercommunal body, and since the 2020-2026 term it has been led by mayor Aline Bertou.

What defines each of the three former communes?

Boisemont

Boisemont, now the seat of the merged commune, actually comprises three settlements: Boisemont itself, Saint-Jean-de-Frenelles, and Léomesnil. Records already mention the place in 1156 under the form "Bosemont," and again in the 13th century as "Beusemont" — a name built from a Germanic personal name plus the suffix "-mont," meaning hill. Over time it was mistakenly linked to the French word "bois" (woods) purely because of the phonetic similarity. Its main religious landmark is the parish church of Saint-Martin, while Léomesnil and Saint-Jean-de-Frenelles still have manor houses with their own private chapels.

Corny

The smallest of the three former communes, Corny covers just 5.26 square kilometres. In the Middle Ages it was held as a fief by the Count of Pembroke, and after Normandy's reunification with the French crown, King Philip the Fair transferred it to the Priory of Saint-Louis in Poissy. From the 13th century, the Archbishop of Rouen held ecclesiastical patronage over the local parish, and in 1350 part of the village's fief was acquired by Jean de Marigny, then Archbishop of Rouen himself.

Fresne-l'Archevêque

This settlement's name also traces back to the Latin word for ash tree, with "Archevêque" (archbishop) added because the land belonged to the Archbishops of Rouen from before the 11th century onward. In 1256, Archbishop Eudes Rigaud handed over the management of Fresne to private administrators. The local Saint-Martin church was listed as a historic monument in 1927. A Bronze Age axe found here in 1896 points to settlement going back to prehistoric times.

What does the landscape look like?

Frenelles-en-Vexin spans 29.06 square kilometres, with elevation ranging from 62 to 156 metres. It is a rural commune with scattered, dispersed settlement typical of the Vexin normand — farmsteads, orchards and fields interspersed with small copses rather than a compact village core. The climate is temperate oceanic, with the mild swings typical of areas close to the English Channel coast.

How many people live in Frenelles-en-Vexin?

As of 2023, the commune had 1,686 residents, giving a population density of about 58 people per square kilometre. Numbers have stayed broadly stable, though a slight decline of 0.18% was recorded since 2017. Before the merger, Boisemont was the most populous of the three (750 residents), ahead of Fresne-l'Archevêque (562) and Corny (376).

Frequently asked questions

When was Frenelles-en-Vexin created? On 1 January 2019, through the merger of Boisemont, Corny and Fresne-l'Archevêque.

Where does the commune's name come from? From the hamlet of Frenelles in the former commune of Corny, a Roman-era name referring to ash trees, combined with "Vexin," the historic region between Pontoise and Romilly-sur-Andelle.

How many people live there? About 1,686 residents according to 2023 figures.

What historic sites are there to see? The Saint-Martin church in Fresne-l'Archevêque, listed as a historic monument since 1927, the parish church of Saint-Martin in Boisemont, and manor houses with private chapels in Léomesnil and Saint-Jean-de-Frenelles.

Which of the three former communes is the administrative seat? Boisemont, home to the current mayor, Aline Bertou.