Écully

Écully is a commune of France in the Metropolis of Lyon in Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region.

Geography
Écully is at 6 km of Lyon downtown. It offers a privileged lifestyle in the countryside just a few minutes from the downtown of the second largest metropolitan area in France.

Transport
The city is served by the Transports en commun lyonnais (TCL).

Name
Écully was originally covered with a forest of oaks "Aesculus" in Latin, the name changed over the millennia into Esculiacus, Excolliacus, Escullieu, Escully, Ecuilly, and finally, Écully.

History
The circumstances and date of foundation of the city are lost in the mists of time. The site has been settled by humans since the Stone Age, burial pits as well as several polished stone axes, pottery debris, and a hollowed out stone in the form of a basin or mortar were found in 1860 during excavations.

In the early days of the Roman Empire the development of the Roman colony and capital of Gaul Lugdunum (which later became the city of Lyon) required the construction of major roads leading to other cities in Gaul. Built by Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa (son-in-law, and lieutenant to the first Roman emperor Augustus) two of these roads pass through Écully. The Roman colony also needed a massive water supply. The aqueducts that brought it from the Mont d'Or and the Brevenne river, crossed Écully.

The name of the town appears for the first time in 980 AD in a document of a cartulary of the Savigny Abbey.

Écully benefited from the economic development of Lyon. Rich merchants, aldermen, and notables bought the land and built beautiful houses, attracted in particular by a favorable tax system, obtained in 1485 and confirmed by Henri IV in 1594: the exemption from the taille direct land tax. Some of the city's oldest remaining families settled in the city during this time.

Administration
The municipal council is composed of 33 members elected for a six-year term. The mayor are elected by the councilors.

Leading institutions of higher education
It is the location of the Paul Bocuse Institute, which is partially situated inside the Château du Vivier. It is also the location of many higher education institutions, including EMLYON Business School, École centrale de Lyon and French National Forensic Institute.

Health
Écully has two clinics: the Val d'Ouest and Mon repos.

Sports
The city has a municipal swimming pool, several gyms, a bowling alley, a multipurpose room, a tennis court, a football and a rugby field.

Businesses
The city is the seat of the Groupe SEB (the world leader in small appliance).

People
The botanist Antoine Cariot (1820–1883) was born in Écully.