The village of Venables

Origin of the Name

From the Protohistoric period onward, the territory of the village of Venables formed part of the broader Celto-Gaulish sphere with the settlement of the Aulerci Eburovices, as attested by ancient sources. Repeatedly engaged in conflicts against Rome, they occupied the region for a long time before its incorporation into Gallia Lugdunensis following the conquest.

The local Celto-Gaulish society appears to have been structured around small rural units (vici), based on a warrior aristocracy, a prosperous agricultural economy, and a strong religious symbolism closely linked to nature, in which the yew tree held a privileged place.

Etymology of the Aulerci Eburovices

Aulerci: “Those who are far from their tracks.” The term Aulerci expresses the idea of separation or distance from a people who settled far from their original homeland.

Eburo: According to botanical specialists, this etymological meaning refers to a tree—the yew. It is one of the principal symbols of Celto-Gaulish nature-based beliefs. The word is often associated with the wild boar.

Vice: This term has been linked to the Latin vincere (“to conquer”), vincō (“to fight”), and venari (“to hunt”). This etymology conveys symbolism related both to hunting and warfare.

Thus, the name and identity of Venables appear as the product of a long historical continuity in which prehistoric heritage, Celto-Gaulish traditions, and Latin reinterpretations overlap, illustrating the deep temporal roots of the local cultural landscape. A name that has endured throughout history and across the world.

Geographical location

 

A peaceful rural village located in Normandy, Venables became part of the Commune Nouvelle des Trois Lacs in 2017. The village covers an area of 1,486 hectares, with its highest point reaching 124 meters above sea level. Its population was 814 inhabitants (2014 census).

The village lies at the center of a triangle formed by the towns of Les Andelys (7 km), Gaillon (9 km), and Louviers (14 km). Nearby major urban centers include Paris to the east (100 km), Rouen to the northwest (42 km), and Évreux to the south (25 km).

The village’s natural setting features two distinct landscape types. The first is a chalk plateau (formerly the Pagus Madriacensis), where the main village center and the hamlets of Fontaine la Verte, Val d’Ailly, and Moulin à Vent are located.

The second is the structuring axis of the Seine Valley, along which the hamlets of La Mare sous Venables, La Rive, and L’Ormais developed.

Delegated Commune of Venables

Since January 1, 2017, the historic communes of Bernières-sur-Seine, Tosny, and Venables have merged to form a new municipality: Les Trois Lacs.

Website: https://les-trois-lacs.fr/

Since September 1, 2019, the Commune Nouvelle Les Trois Lacs has been part of the Seine-Eure Agglomeration Community (CASE).

Website: https://www.agglo-seine-eure.fr/