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Falaise, Calvados

Coordinates: 48°53′50″N 00°11′51″W / 48.89722°N 0.19750°W / 48.89722; -0.19750
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Falaise
The chateau and town centre of Falaise
The chateau and town centre of Falaise
Coat of arms of Falaise
Location of Falaise
Map
Falaise is located in France
Falaise
Falaise
Falaise is located in Normandy
Falaise
Falaise
Coordinates: 48°53′50″N 00°11′51″W / 48.89722°N 0.19750°W / 48.89722; -0.19750
CountryFrance
RegionNormandy
DepartmentCalvados
ArrondissementCaen
CantonFalaise
IntercommunalityPays de Falaise
Government
 • Mayor (2020–2026) Hervé Maunoury[1]
Area
1
11.84 km2 (4.57 sq mi)
Population
 (2021)[2]
7,782
 • Density660/km2 (1,700/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+01:00 (CET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+02:00 (CEST)
INSEE/Postal code
14258 /14700
Elevation89–188 m (292–617 ft)
(avg. 132 m or 433 ft)
1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km2 (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries.

Falaise (French pronunciation: [falɛz] ) is a commune in the Calvados department in the Normandy region in northwestern France.

Geography

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Flowing through Falaise are the river Ante and the river Trainefeuille, both tributaries of the river Dives.[3][4][5]

Falaise borders the area known as Suisse Normande, on its eastern side.[6]

History

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The area around Falaise has been inhabited from prehistoric times, but it was only at the end of the prehistoric period and the beginning of the Gallo-Roman era that the area, Falaise in particular, was regularly inhabited. Evidence of settlement from the time has been found at Vaston, an agricultural area just north-east of the modern town.[8]

The Château de Falaise on its rocky crag

Falaise, as it is sited today, probably came into being around the castle.[citation needed]

The town was the birthplace of William the Conqueror, first of the Norman kings of England. He was frequently referred to as William the Bastard, on account of his being born out of wedlock to Herleva from Falaise, reputedly a tanner's daughter.[9]

The Château de Falaise (12th–13th century), which overlooks the town from a high crag (French: falaise), was formerly the seat of the Dukes of Normandy. Also, the Treaty of Falaise was signed at the castle in December 1174 between the captive William I, King of Scots, and the Plantagenet king of England, Henry II.[10]

The town was also the place that Rabbi Yom Tov of Falaise, grandchild of Rashi, held his rabbinical court.[citation needed]

On 26 October 1851, a statue of William the Conqueror was inaugurated here (at his place of birth).[11]

World War II

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After the Liberation of Falaise by the 2nd Canadian Infantry Division on 17 August 1944, U.S. troops pose with a captured German flag by a knocked-out tank.

In modern times, it is known for the battle of the Falaise Pocket during the Allied reconquest of France (called Operation Overlord) in August 1944 in which two German armies were encircled and destroyed by the allied armies. Some 10,000 German troops were killed and 50,000 taken prisoner.[12]

Two-thirds of Falaise was destroyed by allied bombing before the town was taken by a combined force of Canadian and Polish troops. Falaise was largely restored after the war.[13]

Population

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Historical population
YearPop.±% p.a.
1968 7,180—    
1975 8,368+2.21%
1982 8,597+0.39%
1990 8,119−0.71%
1999 8,434+0.42%
2007 8,456+0.03%
2012 8,413−0.10%
2017 8,186−0.55%
Source: INSEE[14]

Points of Interest

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Château de Falaise

[edit]

The main attraction for the town is the Château de Falaise, which was used by Norman royalty as the seat of the Dukes of Normandy, until the 13th century, when it was captured by King Philip II of France. It is commonly known as Château Guillaume le Conquérant or William the Conqueror's Castle as he was born here.[15] In 1840 it was declared a monument historique in 1840, and today is open to the public.[16]

National heritage sites

[edit]

In addition to the castle Falaise has another 23 buildings and areas listed as a monument historique.[17] Three of these listed buildings, the old courthouse and two houses, are no longer remaining as were destroyed during World War II.[17][18][19][20] Another three listed buildings are town houses from the sixteenth, seventeenth and eighteenth centuries.[21][22][23] The remaining 17 listed sites are below:

  • Château de la Fresnaye – a seventeenth-century chateau, home of Nicolas Vauquelin, that was listed as a monument in 1945.[24] Since 1986 it has been owned by the city and is now used for hosting exhibitions.[25][26]
  • Statue of William the Conqueror – a nineteenth-century statue, showing William the Conqueror, mounted on a horse, and carrying the Gonfalon which had been handed over to him by Pope Alexander II.[27] The statue was created by Louis Rochet, and was listed as a monument in 2024.[27]
  • Place Guillaume-le-Conquérant – The cobblestone floor surrounding the statue and leading to the castle was listed as a monument in 1935.[28]
  • Old City walls – Remains of the 13th century and 17th century city walls, which were first listed as a monument in 1927.[29]
  • Covered market – Built in 1953 to replace the old grain hall which was destroyed during the war, the building was listed as a monument in 2010.[30]
  • Mesnil-Besnard Manor – a 16th-century manor house listed as a monument in 1987.[31]
  • Hôtel-Dieu – a thirteenth century place for the sick and elderly to receive care.[32] In 1764 it was converted to a chapel, which it remained as such until World War 2, when it was almost completely destroyed.[32] During the 1960s and 1970s it was completely restored and is now the Cities Library.[32] It was registered as a monument in 1927.[33]
  • La Romaine Inn – Former seventeenth century hostel, that was listed as a monument in 1946.[34]
  • Inn sign – a 17th-century carved stone sign for a Inn, listed as a monument in 1946.[35]
  • Guibray fair lodges – Former 18th century lodge house, registered as a monument in 1975.[36]
  • Hotel Saint-Léonard – an 18th-century hotel that was listed as a monument in 1968.[37]
  • Les Rives Hotel – a former hotel built in the 18th century, that was recently discovered to be on top of medieval remains.[38] The building was listed as a monument in 1967.[39]
  • Louis Liard Lycée – This secondary school for boys was built in the third quarter of the 20th century after the original school was destroyed in World War 2.[40] The building was listed in 2010.[40]
  • Church of Our Lady of Guibray – a 12th-century Romanesque church listed as a monument in 1961.[41][42]
  • Church of Saint-Gervais-Saint-Protais – a twelfth-century church that's construction probably began shortly after the conquest of England in 1066, at the instigation of William the Conqueror.[43] It was listed as a monument in 1862.[44]
  • Church of St. Lawrence – a 12th-century church, built with donations from Matilda of Flanders.[45] It was listed as a monument in 1927.[46]
  • Holy Trinity Church – First built in 840 but it was destroyed during the siege of Philippe Auguste then rebuilt in 1204.[47] It was listed in 1889.[48]

Museums

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  • Musée des Automates – Established in 1994, the museum is dedicated to Automatons, mainly ones between 1920 and 1960, with over 300 on display.[49]
  • André Lemaître Museum – established in 2000 is dedicated to the work of artist André Lemaître.[50] in December 2022 the museum added Micro-Folie de Falaise – Espace André Lemaitre, which allows visitors to access digitally on giant screens 2,500 art works from 12 major French museums.[51]
  • Memorial des Civils dans La Guerre histoire – inaugurated in 2016, the museum is dedicated to the daily life of the people at the heart of the Second World War and pays tribute to the 20,000 civilians killed at the Battle of Normandy.[52][53]

Notable people and animals

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Twin towns – sister cities

[edit]
Falaise
Watercolour by
Émile Appay (1876–1935)

Falaise is twinned with:

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "Répertoire national des élus: les maires" (in French). data.gouv.fr, Plateforme ouverte des données publiques françaises. 13 September 2022.
  2. ^ "Populations légales 2021" (in French). The National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies. 28 December 2023.
  3. ^ Sandre. "Fiche cours d'eau - La Dives (I1--0200)".
  4. ^ Sandre. "Fiche cours d'eau - L'Ante (I1210600)".
  5. ^ Sandre. "Fiche cours d'eau - Le Trainefeuille (I1180600)".
  6. ^ "Map of Suisse Normande" (PDF).
  7. ^ "Falaise · 14700, France". Falaise · 14700, France.
  8. ^ "Histoire". Mairie de Falaise.
  9. ^ "William I 'The Conqueror' (r. 1066–1087) | The Royal Family". The Royal Family.
  10. ^ "Falaise Castle | Norman Connections | Discover Norman History". www.normanconnections.com.
  11. ^ Putnam, George Palmer (3 April 2018). "The World's Progress: A Dictionary of Dates, with Tabular Views of General History and a Historical Chart". G. P. Putnam and Company. Archived from the original on 6 May 2022. Retrieved 3 April 2018 – via Google Books.
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  13. ^ "Normandy – Falaise Pocket | Chemins de mémoire". www.cheminsdememoire.gouv.fr.
  14. ^ Population en historique depuis 1968, INSEE
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  17. ^ a b "Les Monuments Historiques en Calvados – 14 – Monumentum". monumentum.fr.
  18. ^ "Ancien Palais de Justice à Falaise – PA00111327 – Monumentum". monumentum.fr.
  19. ^ "Maison Chapot à Falaise – PA00111323 – Monumentum". monumentum.fr.
  20. ^ "Maison à pans de bois à Falaise – PA00111324 – Monumentum". monumentum.fr.
  21. ^ "Immeuble à Falaise – PA00111320 – Monumentum". monumentum.fr.
  22. ^ "Immeuble à Falaise – PA00111321 – Monumentum". monumentum.fr.
  23. ^ "Maison du 16e siècle à Falaise – PA00111325 – Monumentum". monumentum.fr.
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