Gentilly, Val-de-Marne Département, Île-de-France Region, France

🇫🇷 Gentilly is a commune in the southern suburbs of Paris, France. It is the closest commune to Paris, located 4.1 km (2.5 mi) from the city center.

Name The name Gentilly was recorded for the first time in the 6th century as Gentilly, a royal estate of some importance where coinage was minted. The etymology of the name seems to be "estate of Gentilius", a Gallo-Roman landowner. However, some other researchers think that the name is connected with Latin gentilis (meaning "gentile", "pagan", "foreigner") in reference to foreign goldsmiths who may have settled in Gentilly in the Early Middle Ages.

History On 1 January 1860, the city of Paris was enlarged by annexing neighboring communes. On that occasion, about half of the commune of Gentilly was annexed to Paris, and forms now the neighborhoods of Maison-Blanche and Glacière, in the 13th arrondissement of Paris.

On 13 December 1896, about half of the remaining territory of Gentilly was detached and became the commune of Le Kremlin-Bicêtre, leaving Gentilly with about a quarter of its pre-1860 area.

Culture The photographer Robert Doisneau was born in Gentilly (14 April 1912). There is a Maison de la photographie Robert Doisneau an international cultural centre for humanist photography.

Education Gentilly is served by: • Four preschools: Jean Lurcat, Lamartine, Henri Barbusse, Victor Hugo, and Marie et Pierre Curie • Four elementary schools: Lamartine, Henri Barbusse, Victor Hugo, and Gustave Courbet • One junior high school: Collège Rosa Parks • Two senior high schools:

◦ Lycée professionnel du Val-de-Bièvre

◦ Lycée intercommunal Darius Milhaud which is in Le Kremlin-Bicêtre.

Transport Gentilly is served by Gentilly station on Paris RER line B.