Saint-Dizier

Located approximately east of Paris, halfway to Strasbourg, it is five miles from Western Europe's largest man-made lake, Lake Der-Chantecoq. Climate The climate in Saint-Dizier is oceanic according to the Köppen climate classification (Cfb code). However, far from any ocean or sea, Saint-Dizier experiences continental climate characteristics resulting in cold winters with freezing nights and cool days with temperatures staying in the single digits and warm to hot summers with frequent thunderstorms. ==History==

Named after an unknown saint (possibly Desiderius of Fontenelle), the town originated as a fortified settlement around a thirteenth-century château, eventually becoming a royal fortress to guard the French kingdom's eastern approaches. The town was besieged and captured by Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor, in the summer of 1544. A fire in 1775 destroyed two-thirds of the town center. The château was owned by the Orléans family until the French Revolution, was a base for German troops during World War II, and currently houses the Municipal Museum. ==Population==

Saint-Dizier is the birthplace of • Baroque-era musicologist André Pirro • Organist André Isoir • Conductor Jean-Paul Penin • Physicist and materials scientist Christian Janot • Former world middleweight boxing champion Marcel Thil. A street is named in his honor • Judoka and Olympic gold medalist Axel Clerget ==See also==