Isigny-sur-Mer

French commune
nomcommune=Isigny-sur-Mer
Vire River
région=Basse-Normandie
département=Calvados
arrondissement=Bayeux
canton=Isigny-sur-Mer
insee=14342
cp=14230
maire=
mandat=
intercomm=Isigny Grandcamp
longitude=-1.10083333333
latitude=49.3186111111
alt moy=30 m
alt mini=0
alt maxi=37 m
hectares=1744
km²=17.44
sans=2920
date-sans=1999
dens=167
date-dens=1999

Isigny-sur-Mer is a commune in the Calvados department in the Basse-Normandie region in northern France.

Geography

Positioned at the bottom of the baie des Veys, Isigny is an important milk production area, known for its AOC butter and cream, as well as its cheeses (Mimolette, Pont-l'Évêque, Camembert, Trésor d'Isigny, etc.) made by the Isigny Sainte Mère co-operative. Since the second half of the 20th century, oysters have been extensively cultivated nearby in the baie des Veys. A river, the Vire, passes through the commune.

History

The town is well positioned and owes its significance to its industrial history. The industrialisation of milk processing began at the start of the 19th century: many factories were built, especially by the Dupont d'Isigny family, which then diversified and created the famous Isigny caramels. More recently, the co-operative Isigny dairy has dominated. Meanwhile, the agricultural fairs and markets have also contributed to Isigny's reputation.

The port, often overlooked, was important in facilitating inshore navigation, allowing commercial and industrial activity to be developed and maintained (import of wood from the North; export coal from the mine at Littry and butter). Fishing was important until the end of the 1970s (mussel fishing and small vessels crewed by fishermen from the Hogues quarter). The famous "Caïeu d'Isigny" is a hymn to Isigny's sailors and fishermen, created in 1869 by Alfred Rossel.

Isigny was more than 60% destroyed by two bombardments on June 8 1944 and has since been almost entirely rebuilt. Isigny played it's part in the D-Day landings: twenty small Dutch coasters, Schuyts, were employed by the Americans to bring stores and equipment inland from the larger cargo ships that were moored off-shore. Charles de Gaulle paid its inhabitants visits on June 14 1944 and June 16 1946.

The Disney surname derives from the canton of Isigny. The earliest known ancestor of Walt Disney, with a similar name, was Jean-Christophe d'Isigny ("of Isigny"). "d'Isigny" was, over the generations, transformed into "Disney".

Administration

Isigny-sur-Mer is the seat of the canton of Isigny-sur-Mer, which includes 24 communes and has a population of 9,935 inhabitants.

The communauté de communes Isigny Grandcamp Intercom includes 21 communes (9,023 inhabitants) of the canton. Asnières-en-Bessin, La Folie and Sainte-Marguerite-d'Elle do not form part of it.

ee also

*Communes of the Calvados department

References

* [http://www.isigny-sur-mer.fr/Ostreiculture-E.asp L'Ostréiculture et la myticulture] (details of "Caïeu d'Isigny")