CHARENTON-LE-PONT

charenton-le-pont, a town of northern france in the department of seine, situated on the right bank of the marne, at its confluence with the seine, 1 m. s.e. of the fortifications of paris, of which it is a suburb. pop. (1906) 18,034. it derives the distinctive part of its name from the stone bridge of ten arches which crosses the marne and unites the town with alfortville, well known for its veterinary school founded in 1766. it has always been regarded as a point of great importance for the defence of the capital, and has frequently been the scene of sanguinary conflicts. the fort of charenton on the left bank of the marne is one of the older forts of the paris defence. in the 16th and 17th centuries charenton was the scene of the ecclesiastical councils of the protestant party, which had its principal church in the town. at st maurice adjoining charenton is the famous hospice de charenton, a lunatic asylum, the foundation of which dates from 1641. till the time of the revolution it was used as a general hospital, and even as a prison, but from 1802 onwards it was specially appropriated to the treatment of lunacy. st maurice has two other national establishments, one for the victims of accidents in paris (_asile national vacassy_), the other for convalescent working-men (_asile national de vincennes_). charenton has a port on the canal de st maurice, beside the marne, and carries on boat-building and the manufacture of tiles and porcelain.