Toul

Toul (French pronunciation: [tul]) is a commune in the Meurthe-et-Moselle department in north-eastern France.

Toul
Toul Cathedral
Flag of Toul
Coat of arms of Toul
Location of Toul
Toul is located in France
Toul
Toul
Toul is located in Grand Est
Toul
Toul
Coordinates: 48°40′30″N 5°53′30″E
CountryFrance
RegionGrand Est
DepartmentMeurthe-et-Moselle
ArrondissementToul
CantonToul
IntercommunalityTerres Touloises
Government
  Mayor (20202026) Alde Harmand[1]
Area
1
30.59 km2 (11.81 sq mi)
Population
 (Jan. 2020)[2]
15,857
  Density520/km2 (1,300/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+01:00 (CET)
  Summer (DST)UTC+02:00 (CEST)
INSEE/Postal code
54528 /54200
Elevation200–400 m (660–1,310 ft)
1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km2 (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries.

It is a sub-prefecture of the department.

Geography

Toul is between Commercy and Nancy, and the river Moselle and Canal de la Marne au Rhin.

Climate

Toul has a oceanic climate (Köppen climate classification Cfb). The average annual temperature in Toul is 9.8 °C (49.6 °F). The average annual rainfall is 761.1 mm (29.96 in) with June as the wettest month. The temperatures are highest on average in July, at around 18.6 °C (65.5 °F), and lowest in January, at around 1.3 °C (34.3 °F). The highest temperature ever recorded in Toul was 37.9 °C (100.2 °F) on 11 August 1998; the coldest temperature ever recorded was −17.8 °C (0.0 °F) on 9 January 1985.

Climate data for Toul (1981−2010 normals, extremes 1968−1998)
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °C (°F) 15.2
(59.4)
20.2
(68.4)
24.3
(75.7)
27.2
(81.0)
29.4
(84.9)
33.4
(92.1)
36.8
(98.2)
37.9
(100.2)
30.9
(87.6)
26.5
(79.7)
19.4
(66.9)
17.2
(63.0)
37.9
(100.2)
Average high °C (°F) 3.8
(38.8)
5.4
(41.7)
10.2
(50.4)
13.6
(56.5)
18.2
(64.8)
21.1
(70.0)
24.4
(75.9)
24.2
(75.6)
19.5
(67.1)
14.2
(57.6)
7.9
(46.2)
4.9
(40.8)
14.0
(57.2)
Daily mean °C (°F) 1.3
(34.3)
2.0
(35.6)
6.1
(43.0)
8.8
(47.8)
13.1
(55.6)
16.1
(61.0)
18.8
(65.8)
18.6
(65.5)
14.7
(58.5)
10.4
(50.7)
5.1
(41.2)
2.6
(36.7)
9.8
(49.6)
Average low °C (°F) −1.2
(29.8)
−1.3
(29.7)
1.9
(35.4)
3.9
(39.0)
8.0
(46.4)
11.1
(52.0)
13.2
(55.8)
12.9
(55.2)
9.8
(49.6)
6.6
(43.9)
2.3
(36.1)
0.2
(32.4)
5.7
(42.3)
Record low °C (°F) −17.8
(0.0)
−16.3
(2.7)
−14.6
(5.7)
−5.6
(21.9)
−2.1
(28.2)
0.2
(32.4)
4.3
(39.7)
3.8
(38.8)
0.3
(32.5)
−4.9
(23.2)
−10.9
(12.4)
−17.6
(0.3)
−17.8
(0.0)
Average precipitation mm (inches) 63.2
(2.49)
51.2
(2.02)
55.5
(2.19)
52.1
(2.05)
73.2
(2.88)
77.2
(3.04)
58.9
(2.32)
54.4
(2.14)
65.2
(2.57)
73.7
(2.90)
62.7
(2.47)
73.8
(2.91)
761.1
(29.96)
Average precipitation days (≥ 1.0 mm) 12.1 10.2 11.6 10.1 11.7 11.5 8.6 7.7 8.8 11.7 10.7 11.5 126.2
Average snowy days 7.4 7.3 4.6 1.6 0.1 0 0 0 0 0 2.4 4.4 27.7
Source: Météo-France[3]

History

Toul was known to the Romans as Tullum Leucorum, and was the capital of the Gaulish tribe of the Leuci.

In 550, King Theudebald convoked a synod at Toul. In 612, King Theudebert II of Austrasia was defeated by King Theuderic II of Burgundy near Toul. By the Treaty of Meerssen of 870, Toul became part of East Francia, the later Holy Roman Empire. During the High Middle Ages, it became a Free Imperial City. Toul was annexed to France by King Henry II in 1552; this was recognized by the Holy Roman Empire in the Peace of Westphalia of 1648. It then was a part of the French province of the Three Bishoprics.

Toul was the seat of the bishops of Toul; the diocese was founded around 365 and existed until 1807.

During the siege of 1870 during the Franco-Prussian War, the last time that Toul's defenses were used as a classic fortress, 64 guns opened fire at 6:00 a.m. on 23 September, and the fortress surrendered at 3:00 p.m. after 2,433 shells had been fired.

The city was also the primary base of the Air Service, United States Army, a predecessor organization of the United States Air Force during World War I. As such, it was a base for many of the 45 wartime squadrons of the First Army Air Service, including the squadrons of the 1st Pursuit Group, First Army Observation Group and others. The Americans referred to the area around Toul as the Toul Sector. Two large operations were launched from this area: the St. Mihiel Offensive and the Meuse-Argonne Offensive, both in September 1918. During World War II, the American 358th Fighter Group used Toul-Croix De Metz Airfield (A-90) during the fall of 1944 and spring of 1945, and Toul-Rosières Air Base (BA 136) was an American NATO air base during the 1950s and 1960s.

Imperial City of Toul
Reichsstadt Tull (de)
Ville libre de Toul (fr)
? – 1648
StatusFree Imperial City
(State of the Holy Roman Empire)
CapitalToul
GovernmentRepublic
Historical eraMiddle Ages
 Gained Reichsfreiheit
Uncertain
1648
1648
Preceded by
Succeeded by
Bishopric of Toul
Early modern France

Population

Historical population
YearPop.±% p.a.
1793 8,015    
1800 6,940−2.04%
1806 6,973+0.08%
1821 7,535+0.52%
1831 7,507−0.04%
1836 7,333−0.47%
1841 7,037−0.82%
1846 7,158+0.34%
1851 7,271+0.31%
1856 8,191+2.41%
1861 7,687−1.26%
1872 6,930−0.94%
1876 10,085+9.83%
1881 10,012−0.15%
1886 10,459+0.88%
1891 12,138+3.02%
1896 12,201+0.10%
1901 12,287+0.14%
YearPop.±% p.a.
1906 13,663+2.15%
1911 15,884+3.06%
1921 12,363−2.47%
1926 11,951−0.68%
1931 12,656+1.15%
1936 13,267+0.95%
1946 9,389−3.40%
1954 12,134+3.26%
1962 14,155+1.94%
1968 14,780+0.72%
1975 16,454+1.54%
1982 17,406+0.81%
1990 17,281−0.09%
1999 16,945−0.22%
2007 16,230−0.54%
2012 16,271+0.05%
2017 15,832−0.55%
Source: EHESS[4] and INSEE (1968-2017)[5]

Sights

The most striking features are the impressive stone ramparts. Those that exist today are the work of Sébastien Le Prestre de Vauban, Louis XIV's military engineer. In 1698 he designed a new enclosure and work began in 1699-1700. Several of Vauban's fortifications in France are listed as a combined UNESCO World Heritage Site. Although the fortifications at Toul are not in that list they do follow the general defiladed fortification pattern for which Vauban is known.[6] There appears to have been a fortified town at this location since the earliest recorded history. Today, the ramparts encircle and define the old town. They are built of dressed white stone, and topped with grass, and in places are over five metres high.

There is a great deal of Roman archaeology in the area and allegedly some in the town. The Roman fortified town of Grand is some 30 km away, with its great amphitheatre and temple to the Cult of Apollo.

The old town's architecture is dominated by past glories in various states of decay, including a major Gothic cathedral, which is in a poor condition and is being slowly restored. Many of the houses were built as canonical residences in the Late Middle Ages and bear vestiges in the form of ornamental stonework. The gothic chapel of the Knights Templar Commandery of Libdeau is undergoing a major restoration.

There is no trace of the monastery, however its wine-cellars still exist, under the shops on the north side of the Rue Gambetta. (Access is possible via the Camera Shop).

Transportation

Toul is at the intersection of the river Moselle (which divides into the river proper and the Moselle Canalisée just outside the town) with the Canal de la Marne au Rhin, and was once, consequently, an important port. The barges known as péniches still navigate these watercourses commercially, typically carrying steel, though in the summer much more of the water traffic is for pleasure.

There is a main-line railway station at Toul, the last major station before the (once vast, and still very large) marshalling yards at Nancy. However, the Paris-Strasbourg TGV line, completed in 2016, passes about 20 km north of Toul, approximately midway between Metz and Nancy.

Economy

The surrounding countryside is a wine-growing region, in which the AOC Côtes de Toul vintage is produced. Particularly notable is the Gris de Toul.

Administration

Toul is the seat and part of the canton of Toul, and of the arrondissement of Toul.

Twin towns

Notable people

See also

  • Toul-Rosieres Air Base

References

  1. "Répertoire national des élus: les maires" (in French). data.gouv.fr, Plateforme ouverte des données publiques françaises. 13 September 2022.
  2. "Populations légales 2020". The National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies. 29 December 2022.
  3. "Fiche Climatologique Statistiques 1981-2010 et records" (PDF). Météo-France. Retrieved 23 August 2022.
  4. Des villages de Cassini aux communes d'aujourd'hui: Commune data sheet Toul, EHESS (in French).
  5. Population en historique depuis 1968, INSEE
  6. Griffith, Paddy (2006). The Vauban fortifications of France (1. publ. ed.). Oxford [u.a.]: Osprey. ISBN 1841768758.
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