Valognes

Valognes is a municipality with 7057 inhabitants (as of January 1, 2011 ) in France. It is located in the department of Manche in Basse-Normandie region 20 km south of Cherbourg on the river Merderet in the center of the Cotentin Peninsula. Valognes is the capital of Canton Valognes.

Toponymy

Valognes is derived from the Latin vallis (German Valley ), with the Latin toponymic suffix- onia, from. Alauna derives from the Gallic from, and probably means the amount ( the environment is uncertain, cf les Moitiers - d'Allonne also on the Cotentin Peninsula).

History

The city is located in the Gallo-Roman city Alauna or Alaunia. She was heavily fortified during the Middle Ages, but was still sacked by Edward III of England during the Hundred Years War. The castle was completely destroyed by Louis XIV. The peak in the 17th and 18th centuries, tell of the still numerous city palace, the city took the name " Versailles of Normandy " one. Today Valognes carries despite considerable destruction during Operation Overlord after the American landing in 1944, the official title of " Culture and History ". The church of Notre Dame from the 14th century, which housed the only Gothic dome of 1612 in France, was destroyed in the course of the battle between the Germans and the Allies.

When the then 19 -year-old Duke Wilhelm was staying in Valognes in 1047, he was warned of a conspiracy of the Knights of West Normandy, who refused to recognize his rule. He fled to the southeast and crossed in the night, the Baie des Veys. For fear of being recognized, he avoided the cities. He arrived in the neighborhood of Bayeux, where he was received by a faithful knight and run by his sons until after Falaise. He asked the French King Henry I. for help. Together with the French army, he won in Val- ès -Dunes.

Economy and Transport

Valognes is an ancient center of agricultural markets and fairs as well as of trade and crafts. In addition to the milk processing establishments in the industry today can be found Carpenter, the clothing industry and the building trade.

Valognes is located at the junction of seven roads. Two come from Brittany and the Paris Basin and five others lead radiate to the 200 km long coast of the Cotentin peninsula.

Valognes is approached from the department Manche operated bus Maneo No. 1 ( Bus Saint-Lô - Carentan - Cherbourg - Valognes ). The trains of the railway line between Paris and Cherbourg keep in Valognes.

Valognes has a high school ( Lycée ), two Collèges and seven kindergartens and primary schools.

Of great importance is the Valognes with nearby reprocessing plant at La Hague, as there is here a loading station for nuclear waste container as an interface between rail and road transport. Namely Valognes is served by the railway line Paris - Cherbourg.

Attractions

• The church of Saint -Malo, which was built in the 14th century.
• The old royal Benedictine abbey, which was founded in 1625 and in 1803 transformed into a hospital.
• The Cider Museum in the " Maison du Grand Quartier " houses the only museum in France dedicated to the cider.
• The brandy and leather museum is housed in the " Hôtel de Thieuville ".

Twinning

• Wimborne Minster (Dorset) United Kingdom
• Stolberg in North Rhine -Westphalia (since 1990 /91)

Personalities

• Jules Barbey d' Aurevilly (1808-1889), writer, he lived in the city at the Hôtel de Grandval - Caligny where playing some of his stories
• Prudence Boissiere (1806-1885), lexicographer
• Félix Buhot (1847-1898), painter, etcher and illustrator
• Bon -Joseph Dacier (1742-1833), scholar and Hellenist
• Léopold Victor Delisle (1826-1910), Archivist and General Manager of the Bibliothèque nationale de France 1874-1905
• Flavie Flament ( b. 1974 ), TV presenter
• Félix Lebuhotel ( born 1932 ), cyclist
• Leon Marcotte (1824-1887), architect and interior decorators
• Théophile -Jules Pelouze (1807-1867), Chemist
• Félix Vicq d' Azyr (1748-1794), physician