Courbevoie () is a commune located in the Hauts-de-Seine Department of the Île-de-France region of France. It is in the suburbs of the city of Paris, from the center of Paris. The centre of Courbevoie is situated from the city limits of Paris. La Défense, a business district hosting the tallest buildings in the Paris metropolitan area, spreads over the southern part of Courbevoie (as well as parts of Puteaux and Nanterre). Name The name Courbevoie comes from Latin Curva Via and means "curved highway", allegedly in reference to a Roman road from Paris to Normandy that made a sharp turn to climb the hill over which Courbevoie was built. Administration Courbevoie is divided into two cantons: Canton of Courbevoie-1 and Canton of Courbevoie-2. History A wooden bridge was built crossing the Seine at Courbevoie by order of King Henry IV when in 1606 his royal coach fell into the river while being transported by ferry. Rebuilt in stone during the eighteenth century, this was replaced by a metal bridge in 1946. The Convent of the Penitents founded in 1658 by Jean-Baptiste Forne was located in Courbevoie until the Revolution of 1789. Also located in the town was the barracks of the Swiss Guard of the monarchy. Transport Courbevoie is served by two stations on the Transilien Paris – Saint-Lazare suburban rail line: Courbevoie and Bécon-les-Bruyères. Courbevoie is also served by Esplanade de La Défense station on Paris Métro Line 1, in the business district of La Défense. There are also a large number of city buses that come through the bustling La Défense station. When it comes to air transportation, Courbevoie can be served by Paris's Charles de Gaulle Airport as well as Paris-Orly to the south and Beauvais Airport to the north. Education Courbevoie has multiple preschools and elementary schools. Junior high schools include: Collège Alfred de Vigny Collège Georges Pompidou Collège Georges Seurat Collège Les Bruyères Collège Les Renardières Collège Sainte Geneviève Senior high schools include: École européenne Paris La Défense Lycée Paul Lapie de Courbevoie Lycée Paul Painlevé Courbevoie Collège Les renardières et Lycée Lucie Aubrac Groupe scolaire Montalembert Notable people Georges Lamothe (1842–1894), composer, pianist and organist Henri Letocart (1866–1945), organist and composer Hélène Krzyżanowska (1867–1937), pianist and composer Albert Gleizes (1881–1953), cubist artist, painter, theorist Louis-Ferdinand Céline (1894–1961), writer Jacques Henri Lartigue (1894–1986), photographer and painter Arletty (1898–1992), actress and singer Roy Benson (1914–1977),