Where are the cities that were populated like Bourges and Vierzon in 1968? [graphiques]

Cities between 70,000 and 80,000 inhabitants. In 1968, ten other towns than Bourges numbered between 70,000 and 80,000 inhabitants: Vitry-sur-Seine (77,846), Saint-Maur-des-Fossés (77,251), Troyes (74,898), Calais (74,624), Pau (74,005), Aubervilliers (73.695), La Rochelle (73.347), Neuilly-sur-Seine (70.995), Poitiers (70.681) and Champigny-sur-Marne (70.419). Almost fifty years later, Vitry-sur-Seine (+14.685), Poitiers (+17.237) and Aubervilliers (+10.087) have gained more than 10,000 inhabitants. A small group of municipalities has remained almost stable (-2.083 in Saint-Maur; +1.337 in Calais; +2.057 in La Rochelle and +3.210 in Pau). Bourges lost just under 5,000 (-4,743). Bleeding, on the other hand, near Neuilly-sur-Seine (-10.085) and Troyes (-13.970).

Cities between 30,000 and 35,000 inhabitants. In 1968, around thirty towns had a population of between 30 and 35,000. They then weigh a little less than a million inhabitants (984,377). 47 years later, they represent 1,128,135 inhabitants. Nine of them (including Vierzon -6.858) have lost inhabitants. An evolution which ranges from an insignificant decrease (- 209 in Mâcon; -961 in Agen) to significant bloodletting (-12,215 in Creusot; -8,438 in Vichy; -6,930 in Orly). Others, on the other hand, exploded, winning for some more than 20,000 inhabitants, such as Hyères (+21.603), Chelles (+ 20.552), Grasse (+20.030) and Meaux (+ 23.553).

Graphics Antoine Busnel

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