The start of 2025 marked a turning point for eight French municipalities, which adopted new names. This phenomenon is not new, since since 1943, no less than 1,387 municipalities have changed their name for various reasons.
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Reasons for changing names vary, from wanting to avoid confusion with other places with similar names to a desire to return to historical spellings. For example, Grigny in the Rhône became Grigny-sur-Rhône to distinguish itself from a town of the same name in Essonne. This change aims to strengthen the unique identity of each municipality and avoid any ambiguity, particularly for postal services and emergencies.
Details of the new names
Here are the new names which were made official on January 1, 2025:
- Faux en Dordogne becomes Faux-en-Périgord.
- Saint-Christophe-sur-Dolaison in Haute-Loire is now Saint-Christophe-sur-Dolaizon.
- Roche dans la Loire was renamed Roche-en-Forez.
- Rousset in the Hautes-Alpes takes the name of Rousset-Serre-Ponçon.
- La Cheix sur Morge in Puy-de-Dôme becomes La Cheix-sur-Morge.
- Le Vigan in the Lot is renamed Le Vigan-en-Quercy.
- Montcourt-Fromonville in Seine-et-Marne is corrected to Moncourt-Fromonville.
The process of change
Name changes don't happen overnight. They are generally adopted during municipal councils and must then be approved and published in the Official Journal before becoming effective. This process ensures that each change is well thought out and corresponds to the needs and history of the municipality. In the case of Faux, the municipal council undertook to change the name from Faux en Dordogne to “Faux-en-Périgord”; a deliberation was taken to this effect in May 2023, validated in October 2023 by the Dordogne departmental council, in order to distinguish Faux other homonymous municipalities.
Practical implications
These name changes have significant practical implications for residents and administrations. They require adjustments in signage, correspondence and computer systems. However, they also contribute to preserving cultural heritage and clarifying the geographical identification of municipalities.
A broader phenomenon
This practice of changing names is part of a broader context where many municipalities seek to optimize their resources by merging. As of January 1, 2025, 24 new municipalities were created, resulting from mergers between several municipalities. These mergers aim to pool financial, material and human resources for more efficient management.
This article explores the reasons and implications of the name changes of eight French communes in early 2025, highlighting the continuing trend of territorial reform in France and its impact on local administration and community identity.
Source : https://www.francebleu.fr/infos/insolite/dordogne-la-commune-de-faux-va-changer-de-nom-9432635
