Last modified: 2025-11-15 by olivier touzeau
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Saint-Denis (148,907 inhabitants, 1,577 ha) is a commune and the most populated suburb of Paris. It is a subprefecture of the department of Seine-Saint-Denis. The commune borders the 18th arrondissement of Paris to the south. As of 1 January 2025, Saint-Denis merged with the neighbouring commune of Pierrefitte‑sur‑Seine (33,670 inhabitants, 341 ha).
Saint-Denis is home to the royal necropolis of the Basilica of
Saint-Denis and was also the location of the associated abbey. The
basilica became a place of pilgrimage and a necropolis containing the
tombs of the kings of France, including nearly every king from the
10th century to Louis XVIII in the 19th century. Henry IV of France
came to Saint-Denis formally to renounce his Protestant faith and
become a Catholic. The queens of France were crowned at Saint-Denis,
and the regalia, including the sword used for crowning the kings and
the royal sceptre, were kept at Saint-Denis between coronations.
The commune is also home to France's national association and rugby
football stadium, Stade de France, which was built for the 1998 FIFA
World Cup.
The town's name comes from the martyr Denis (3rd century), who was the
first bishop of Paris. His tomb is located in the town, on the site of
the basilica that bears his name, the first building of which dates
from the 5th century.
From the municipal website:
A burial site dating back to the Early Neolithic period (5000 BC) and
an ancient site discovered within the boundaries of the Cité
Meissonnier have been unearthed.
The first chapel was built in the 5th century, and the Basilica was
subsequently enlarged and modified over the centuries. Dagobert I was
the first sovereign to be buried there in 639, unlike his predecessors
who were laid to rest in the Abbey of Saint-Germain-des-Prés. The
sanctuary was granted numerous privileges that fostered the
development of an abbey. The convent buildings were established to the
south of the Basilica, on the site of the current Maison d'éducation
de la Légion-d'honneur (Legion of Honor School).
To the north, a vast necropolis developed, bordered by churches and
funerary galleries. Christians were buried in plaster sarcophagi,
sometimes accompanied by their weapons and personal adornments.
With the aqueduct abandoned, a vast undertaking began to divert the
Croult River from Dugny to supply water to the abbey.
In 869, Charles
the Bald had a wall built to protect Saint-Denis from Viking
invasions. Around the year 1000, dwellings multiplied and clustered
around the abbey, sheltered by the circular wall. According to written
sources, Saint-Denis had 10,000 inhabitants in 1328. Archaeological
discoveries offer a glimpse into the daily life of this population,
which included many artisans.
From the 12th century onward, the monastic town became a city with its squares, streets, and buildings, first of wood and then of stone. Urban expansion was met with resistance from the Carolingian wall, which gradually disappeared. Suburbs developed to the north and west. North of the Basilica, the cluster of churches expanded rapidly to accommodate new parishes. To protect the city from English incursions during what would become known as the Hundred Years' War, it was decided in 1356 to fortify it. The population retreated within the new walls, the perimeter of which coincided with the present-day boulevards.
At the end of the 16th century, during the Wars of
Religion, Saint-Denis served as a stronghold for the siege of Paris.
During the first half of the 18th century, the medieval abbey, which
had become too dilapidated, was rebuilt according to the plans of the
architect Robert de Cotte.
Between 1724 and 1740, the major urban development was the opening of
the Rue d'Enghien, now the Rue Gabriel-Péri. On the eve of the
Revolution, the town had a stable population of 4,700 inhabitants.
During the Revolution, the town was renamed Franciade. Between 1790
and 1792, the abbey, convents, and parish churches were closed.
The 19th century was marked by a major housing development campaign.
However, it was on the outskirts of the town that large-scale projects
were undertaken: as early as 1821, the Saint-Denis Canal connected the
port to the Bassin de la Villette. In the mid-19th century, the
railway arrived. Large chemical plants and several metallurgical
factories were established, attracting a significant workforce. The
Plaine and Pleyel districts formed one of the most important
industrial zones in Europe.
The presence of so many industries also gave rise to an important
socialist movement. In 1892, Saint-Denis elected its first socialist
administration, and by the 1920s, the city had acquired the nickname
of la ville rouge, the red city. Until Jacques Doriot in 1934, all
mayors of Saint-Denis were members of the Communist Party.
All mayors from 1944 to 2020 wera also members of the Communist Party.
Economic and demographic development (the city had nearly 100,000
inhabitants in 1968) also relied on the construction of a large number
of social housing units, particularly to eliminate the shantytowns
located in certain neighborhoods. Between 1948 and 1973, more than
10,000 social housing units were built in Saint-Denis. The economic
crisis of the 1970s and 1980s hit the city, which was strongly
dependent on its heavy industry.
During the 1990s, however, the city started to grow again.
Olivier Touzeau, 07 November 2025
![[Flag]](../images/f/fr-93-sd.gif)
![[Flag]](../images/f/fr-93-sp.gif)
Banners in Saint-Denis - Images by Olivier Touzeau, 07 November 2025
On May 30, 2024, the cities of Saint-Denis and Pierrefitte-sur-Seine chose to join forces to form a new municipality, effective January 1, 2025. The new municipality unveiled its new visual identity on Wednesday, October 9, 2024, created by the Royalties agency, which notably designed the logo for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. Source: municipal website.
"Cities are often represented by coats of arms, landscapes, or letters. Saint-Denis is the first city in France embodied by its inhabitants. Beyond the symbol, a truly inclusive and diverse visual system, based on the profiles of the real people who shape the territory, has been conceived to represent the cultural richness of Saint-Denis and Pierrefitte-sur-Seine. The logo also establishes a strong link with the Republic by giving a pop art touch to the French red, white, and blue, as if to remind us that it is in Saint-Denis that the France of tomorrow is being invented. It is accompanied by a specially created typeface to be accessible to everyone."
White vertical banners with the logo, available in two variants with the names of Saint-Denis and of Pierrefitte-sur-Seine, commune déléguée (delegated municipality), could be observed for the unveiling of the new logo.
Olivier Touzeau, 07 November 2025
![[Flag]](../images/f/fr-93@js.gif)
"Let's leave our mark on the Games" flag in Saint-Denis - Image by Olivier Touzeau, 07 November 2025
Between 2022 and 2025, white flags bearing the logo "Marquons les Jeux
de notre empreinte" were seen alongside the national flag in the
wedding room of Saint-Denis City Hall: photo (2022), photo (2022), photo (2023), photo (2024)
In 2021, for the launching of this program, the city of Saint-Denis
explained to be "focusing on legacies that will improve the daily
lives of its residents by highlighting the new facilities the city
will benefit from, the expansion of the Pleyel district and the new
Plaine Saulnier district, as well as the Grand Paris Express stations
it will host." The slogan adopted by the city for the event is "let's
leave our mark on the Games." Funded by an operating budget, this
initiative was part of the preparations for hosting the Olympic and
Paralympic Games 2024.
Olivier Touzeau, 07 November 2025