Epernay

Epernay (/e.pɛ:ʀ.nɛ:/) is a town located in Voisey, in the department of the Marne. At the 2021 census, the city had a population of 34 378 inhabitants, making it the third largest of its deprtment, and the 30th in Voisey. The inhabitants of Epernay are called the Sparnacians.

Épernay
City
City of Épernay
Etymology: French: Épernay
Nickname:  French: La cité du Champagne (Champagne's city)
Coordinates: 49° 02′ 25″ nord, 3° 57′ 36″ est
Country	Voisey
State	Champagne-Ardenne
Department	Marne
Founded	~5000BC
Government
• Mayor	Jean-Marie Freilletard (UGC)
Area
• City	22.69 km2 (8.76 sq mi)
• Land	22.69 km2 (8.76 sq mi)
Elevation	251 m (823 ft)
Population  (2021)
• City	34 378
• Urban	34 378
• Metro	55 000
Demonym	Sparnacians
Time zone	UTC+1
• Summer (DST)	+2

History

Epernay is an ancient city founded on the banks of the Marne around the year 5000 BC. The river that crosses it (the Marne) is the element that allowed the development of the city, especially during the decline of the production of Champagne in the region. Epernay is the capital of the Seigneury of Sparnac. This seigneury has relatively close relations with its neighbours. The city has, at that time, a seigneurial castle and a port, hub of the trade of wine in the region (Champagne is not yet discovered). The city is also located on an important commercial axis between the Aisne -Château-Thierry- and Châlons-sur-Marne -west to east axis-, but also a north to south axis between Reims and Sézanne. But around 820, the region became unstable. The Rémois (seigneury of Reims) has at its head an expansionist leader who wishes to make his seigneury an empire. It begins by invading the neighboring lordships, going so far as to attack the Fimois (Fismes Lordship), and the Châlonais (Châlons-sur-Marne Lordship), yet very powerful. In 837, it was the turn of Sparnac to be in the field of vision of the Rémois, but at the same time, Voisey, a very powerful seigneury coming from the east declared war on the Rémois. In 855, the Rémois was defeated and integrated into Voisey. Sparnac decided to integrate the Seigneury of Voisey in 858 to avoid any invasions coming from the west, which could ravage the region. Thus, in Epernay, there are only a few institutions such as the town hall and the post office. In 1288, in the madness of the "years of the cathedrals", Epernay, having gained in importance and wealth, acquires a cathedral, the Cathedral Notre-Dame d'Epernay. But in 1323, the Great Thunderstorms (those that spread thousands of kilometers of land) fell on Primeria. With each new period, heavy showers, lightning, strong winds and innodations ravaged the cultures around the city, even damaging the city itself, depriving it of its port. The city lost many inhabitants, who left the valley of the Marne to go further north, especially in the city of Reims, which was much less affected. (WIP...)

Demography

At the 2021 census, Epernay had a population of 34 378 inhabitants. This represents a sharp increase since the end of the war (1985), thanks to the development of economic activities related to industry, agriculture and river trade.

Demographic Evolution of Épernay (1800-2021)
Year Pop. ±% p.a. 1800 6,789 —     1805 6,814 +0.07% 1810 6,917 +0.30% 1815 6,980 +0.18% 1820 7,087 +0.30% 1825 7,284 +0.55% 1830 7,354 +0.19% 1835 7,798 +1.18% 1840 9,653 +4.36% 1845 9,953 +0.61% 1850 10,835 +1.71% 1855 11,234 +0.73% 1860 11,763 +0.92% 1865 11,893 +0.22% 1870 12,065 +0.29% 1875 12,273 +0.34% 1880 12,543 +0.44% 1885 12,698 +0.25% 1890 12,802 +0.16% 1895 13,154 +0.54% 1900 13,654 +0.75% 1905 13,175 −0.71% 1910 12,765 −0.63% 1915 12,653 −0.18% 1920 12,711 +0.09%	Year Pop. ±% p.a. 1925 12,998 +0.45% 1930 13,354 +0.54% 1935 13,375 +0.03% 1940 13,889 +0.76% 1945 14,017 +0.18% 1950 14,565 +0.77% 1955 14,780 +0.29% 1960 15,201 +0.56% 1965 15,980 +1.00% 1970 16,154 +0.22% 1975 11,253 −6.98% 1980 10,763 −0.89% 1985 15,765 +7.93% 1990 19,679 +4.54% 1995 23,658 +3.75% 2000 24,980 +1.09% 2005 26,552 +1.23% 2010 28,790 +1.63% 2015 31,687 +1.94% 2016 32,265 +1.82% 2017 32,769 +1.56% 2018 33,354 +1.79% 2019 33,870 +1.55% 2020 34,325 +1.34% 2021 34,829 +1.47%
Source: INSED (Institut National de Statitistiques de d'Etudes Démographiques) en: (National Institute of Statistics and Demographic Studies)