Falaise, Calvados

French commune
nomcommune=Falaise


caption=
région=Basse-Normandie
département=Calvados
arrondissement=Caen
canton=Chief town of 2 cantons
Falaise-Nord
Falaise-Sud
insee=14258
cp=14700
maire=Eric Macé
mandat=
intercomm=Pays de Falaise
longitude=-0.191944444444
latitude=48.8927777778
alt moy=132 m
alt mini=89 m
alt maxi=188 m
hectares=1,184
km²=11.84
sans=8434
date-sans=1999
dens=712
date-dens=1999

Falaise is a commune in the Calvados "département" in the Basse-Normandie region in Normandy, northwestern France. Population (1982) 8,820; (1990) 8,387; (1999) 8,797.

Geography

Falaise lies on the Ante River, about 20 miles (32 kilometres) southeast of Caen.

History

The town was the birthplace of William I the Conqueror, first of the Norman kings of England. The castle (12th-13th century), which overlooks the town from a high crag, was formerly the seat of the dukes of Normandy.

The town is known for the battle of the "Falaise pocket" during the Allied reconquest of France in August 1944 in which two German armies were encircled and destroyed by the British 2nd Army. Some 10,000 German troops were killed and 50,000 taken prisoner. Two-thirds of Falaise was destroyed by Allied bombing before the town was taken by Canadian and Polish troops. Falaise was largely restored after the war.

Activities

Exhibits at the Museum of the Battle of the Falaise Pocket include several military vehicles, pieces of artillery, and other weapons. The weekly market takes place on Saturdays.

External links

* [http://www.chateau-guillaume-leconquerant.fr/index_uk.php Castle William-the-Conqueror in Falaise, France.] (Official website in English)
* [http://www.normandieweb.org/14/falaise/falaise Normandieweb on Falaise] (in French)