# Authon-la-Plaine

> commune in Essonne, France

**Wikidata**: [Q773307](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q773307)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Authon-la-Plaine)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/authon-la-plaine

## Summary

Authon-la-Plaine is a commune located in the Essonne department in the Île-de-France region of northern France, situated approximately 48 kilometers southwest of Paris. As a commune of France—the smallest administrative division in the French Republic—it operates as a local municipality within the arrondissement of Étampes. The commune is positioned at coordinates 48.4506° N latitude and 1.9567° E longitude.

## Key Facts

- **Official Name**: Authon-la-Plaine
- **Type**: Commune of France (municipal division)
- **Country**: France
- **Department**: Essonne (inception: January 1, 1968)
- **Former Department**: Seine-et-Oise (1790–1968)
- **Arrondissement**: Étampes (inception: June 4, 1966)
- **Region**: Île-de-France
- **Coordinates**: 48.450555555556° N, 1.9566666666667° E
- **Website**: http://www.authonlaplaine.org
- **Wikipedia Title**: Authon-la-Plaine
- **Wikidata Description**: commune in Essonne, France
- **Population**: 365, 372, 381, 373, 372, 374, 373, 372, 371, 368 (series of recorded figures)
- **Sitelink Count**: 41

## FAQs

**What type of administrative area is Authon-la-Plaine?**

Authon-la-Plaine is a commune, which is the lowest-level territorial administrative division in France. Communes are analogous to municipalities or townships in other countries and serve as the fundamental unit of local government in the French Republic.

**Which department and region is Authon-la-Plaine located in?**

Authon-la-Plaine is located in the Essonne department in the Île-de-France region. The department was created on January 1, 1968, when it was separated from the former Seine-et-Oise department. The commune falls within the arrondissement of Étampes, which was established on June 4, 1966.

**What is the geographic location of Authon-la-Plaine?**

The commune is situated at coordinates 48.450555555556° north latitude and 1.9566666666667° east longitude, placing it approximately 48 kilometers southwest of Paris in the southern part of the Île-de-France region.

**What is the history of Authon-la-Plaine's administrative region?**

The area was originally part of Seine-et-Oise, a department created in 1790 during the French Revolution. On January 1, 1968, as part of administrative reorganization in the Paris region, Seine-et-Oise was dissolved and split into several new departments, including Essonne, which is now Authon-la-Plaine's home department.

## Why It Matters

Authon-la-Plaine represents the fundamental building block of French local government. As a commune, it serves as the primary level of democratic organization and public service delivery for its residents. The commune system in France, which traces its origins to 1789 during the French Revolution, ensures that even small rural communities have formal political representation and administrative autonomy.

The commune's location in Essonne places it within one of France's most economically dynamic departments, part of the greater Paris metropolitan area. While Authon-la-Plaine itself is a small rural commune, it participates in the broader social, economic, and cultural life of the Île-de-France region, which is home to over 12 million people and serves as the economic and political heart of France.

The administrative history of Authon-la-Plaine also illustrates France's ongoing approach to territorial organization. The reorganization that created Essonne in 1968 was designed to better manage the rapid urbanization and population growth in the Paris region during the mid-20th century, demonstrating how French administrative divisions evolve to meet changing societal needs.

## Notable For

- **Historical Administrative Status**: Part of the former Seine-et-Oise department (1790–1968), which was one of the original departments created during the French Revolution
- **Modern Departmental Affiliation**: Located in Essonne, one of the five new departments created in 1968 from the division of Seine-et-Oise
- **Paris Metropolitan Area**: Situated within the Île-de-France region, the Paris metropolitan area, enabling participation in one of Europe's largest urban agglomerations
- **Arrondissement Membership**: Part of the arrondissement of Étampes, a sub-administrative division serving southern Essonne

## Body

### Administrative Structure and Classification

Authon-la-Plaine is classified as a commune of France, which represents the basic territorial unit for municipal organization in the French Republic. The commune system in France dates back to 1789, when the National Constituent Assembly established communes as replacements for the earlier parochial and municipal divisions. Today, France comprises over 34,000 communes, ranging from major cities like Paris to small rural communities like Authon-la-Plaine.

As a commune, Authon-la-Plaine operates under the general legal framework governing French municipalities while maintaining local autonomy for matters of local concern. The commune is headed by a mayor and a municipal council, who are responsible for local governance, public services, and urban planning within the commune's territory.

### Geographic and Regional Context

The commune is located in the Essonne department, which is situated in the southern portion of the Île-de-France region. The department was officially established on January 1, 1968, following the dissolution of the larger Seine-et-Oise department. This administrative reorganization was part of a broader effort to create more efficient regional governance structures in the Paris metropolitan area.

Authon-la-Plaine falls within the arrondissement of Étampes, an administrative division that was created on June 4, 1966. The arrondissement serves as an intermediate level of administration between the department and the commune, primarily handling administrative functions such as census data collection and coordination of state services.

The geographic coordinates of 48.450555555556° north latitude and 1.9566666666667° east longitude place the commune in the southern part of the Île-de-France region, approximately 48 kilometers from Paris. This location positions Authon-la-Plaine within the rural belt surrounding the Paris metropolitan area, characterized by agricultural land and small villages.

### Historical Background

The territory of Authon-la-Plaine has been part of French administrative divisions since the establishment of the modern departmental system during the French Revolution. The commune was originally located within the department of Seine-et-Oise, which was created on March 4, 1790. Seine-et-Oise was one of the original 83 departments established in 1790 and encompassed a large territory in the Paris region.

On January 1, 1968, Seine-et-Oise was dissolved as part of a major administrative reorganization. The department was divided to create Essonne, Val-d'Oise, and Yvelines departments. This division was motivated by the rapid population growth and urbanization in the Paris region during the post-war period, which necessitated more localized administrative structures to manage regional development effectively.

### Population and Demographics

The commune has maintained a modest population, with recorded figures showing numbers ranging from 365 to 381 residents across a series of population counts. These population figures reflect the commune's character as a small rural community within the Île-de-France region. While the population is relatively small, the commune benefits from its proximity to larger towns and cities in Essonne, providing residents with access to broader economic opportunities and services while maintaining a rural quality of life.

### Administrative Relationships and Connections

Authon-la-Plaine is connected to several higher-level administrative entities that structure French governance:

**Departmental Level**: Essonne — The department serves as the primary administrative division above the commune, responsible for regional planning, social services, and departmental infrastructure. Essonne was created on January 1, 1968.

**Regional Level**: Île-de-France — The commune is part of this region, which encompasses Paris and its surrounding departments and serves as the primary economic and demographic center of France.

**Arrondissement Level**: Étampes — The arrondissement provides administrative coordination at an intermediate level, with its own sub-prefecture located in the town of Étampes.

**Historical Predecessor**: Seine-et-Oise — The former department that existed from 1790 to 1968, encompassing the territory before the creation of Essonne.

### Local Infrastructure and Services

As a commune, Authon-la-Plaine provides local public services to its residents, including municipal administration, local infrastructure maintenance, and coordination of public services. The commune maintains a website at http://www.authonlaplaine.org, providing information to residents and the public about local government, services, and community matters.

### Position in French Administrative Hierarchy

The commune system represents the foundation of French territorial organization. Communes like Authon-la-Plaine exercise powers in areas such as urban planning, local taxation, civil status registration, and local infrastructure. While small in scale, these communes collectively form the administrative backbone of France, ensuring that local governance reaches even the smallest communities.

The multi-level structure—commune, arrondissement, department, region—demonstrates the hierarchical yet decentralized nature of French administration. This system allows for both local autonomy and regional coordination, enabling the French state to manage a highly centralized national territory while still accommodating local needs and identities.

## References

1. French National Directory of Representatives
2. Virtual International Authority File
3. BnF authorities
4. dataset of postal codes in France. 2018
5. INSEE code
6. [Code officiel géographique](https://www.insee.fr/fr/information/4316069)
7. répertoire géographique des communes
8. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013
9. Annuaire de service-public.fr
10. Recensement de la population 2015. National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies. 2017
11. Populations légales 2016
12. Populations légales 2017
13. Populations légales 2018
14. Populations légales 2019
15. Populations légales 2020
16. Populations légales 2021
17. Populations de référence 2022
18. Populations de référence 2023
19. [Code officiel géographique](https://www.insee.fr/fr/information/3363419)
20. National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies
21. GeoNames
22. [répertoire géographique des communes. 2015](https://wxs-telechargement.ign.fr/83edtfdyqte031y0ra49d2e3/telechargement/inspire/RGC-2015-01$RGC2015/file/RGC2015.7z)
23. [2016](https://data.geopf.fr/telechargement/download/GEOFLA/GEOFLA_2-2_COMMUNE_SHP_LAMB93_FXX_2016-06-28/GEOFLA_2-2_COMMUNE_SHP_LAMB93_FXX_2016-06-28.7z)
24. [Code officiel géographique. 2017](https://www.insee.fr/fr/information/2560698)