- For other uses, see Normandy (disambiguation)
Normandy is a former country (a Duchy) situated in
northern France occupying the lower Seine area
(upper or Haute-Normandie) and the region to the west (lower or
Basse-Normandie) as far as the Cotentin Peninsula. Upper Normandy consists of the French départements of Seine-Maritime and Eure, and lower Normandy of the départements of Orne,
Calvados, and Manche. Normandy was historically a province of
France.
The Channel Islands, although British, are also culturally and
historically part of the Duchy of Normandy.
Population
Normandy has 3.2 million inhabitants, with an average population density of 107 per square kilometer, just under the French
national average, but rising to 145 for upper Normandy. The principal cities are Rouen
(population 385,000, including suburbs), the capital of upper Normandy and formerly of the whole province; Le Havre (247,000); Caen (200,000), the capital of
lower Normandy; and Cherbourg (89,000).
Other towns include:
Geography
The region is bordered along the northern coasts by the English
Channel. Granite cliffs in the west and limestone cliffs in the east frame long
stretches of beach in the centre of the region. The bocage, patchwork of small fields with high hedges, typical of the
western areas caused problems for the invading forces in the Battle of Normandy. The meanders of the Seine as it approaches its estuary form a notable feature of the landscape.
Regions
- The Suisse normande (Norman Switzerland), in the south, presents hillier terrain.
- The Pays d'Auge is considered typical of the rich agricultural
landscape of central Normandy.
- The Roumois
- The Lieuvin
- The Cotentin Peninsula
- The Pays de Caux
- The Bessin
- The Pays d'Ouche
- The Norman Vexin
Rivers
Rivers in Normandy include:
The Pont de Normandie crossing the estuary of the Seine is regarded as a feat of modern engineering.
History
Normandy was the home of the Norman people in the early Middle Ages, the last people to successfully invade England. The Normans were a mixture of the indigenous Gauls and of the Viking invaders under the leadership of Rollo (Gange Rolf), who besieged Paris and was
given the area of Normandy (Treaty of
St.-Claire-sur-Epte, 911) in return for defending it against future pirate attacks.
Rollo's descendant William, Duke of Normandy, invaded England in 1066 and became king
William I of England. Normandy remained associated with
England until 1087, in 1106-1144 and in 1154-1204. Also see the
Battle of Bouvines in 1214. Normandy was occupied by English forces during the Hundred Years' War in 1346-1360 and again in 1415-1450.
Norman families, such as that of Tancred of Hauteville
played important parts in the Crusades.
During World War II, the town of Dieppe was the site of the ill-fated
Dieppe Raid by Canadian and British units in 1942. Later, Normandy was also
the site of the Normandy Invasion or Operation Overlord that
began on June 6, 1944, which day is also known as
D-Day. This was the successful invasion of German-occupied France by U.S., British, and
Canadian troops. Caen and other Norman towns endured many casualties in the fight for the province, which continued until the
liberation of Le Havre on (September 12).
Both Wace and Orderic
Vitalis are important Norman writers for the history of the province.
Channel Islands
Since the Channel Islands have remained loyal to the English Crown since the division of Normandy in 1204, yet are not part of
the UK but rather the Duchy of Normandy, the British monarch (currently Queen Elizabeth II) is toasted as Duke of Normandy. However, she is not regarded as Duke of Normandy outside her realms since claims by
English monarchs to the title were given up by the Treaty of Paris of 1259. Additionally, the rights of succession to that title are subject to
Salic Law, which does not allow for female inheritance of the ducal title.
Culture
Languages
The Norman language, a regional language, is spoken by a minority of the population: the Cotentin peninsula especially in the
far West and in the Pays de Caux in the East. Many place names show the
influence of this Norse-influenced oïl language.
Arts
Architecture
Architecturally, Norman cathedrals, abbeys (such as the Abbey of Bec)
and castles characterise the former Duchy in a way that mirrors the similar building pattern in England following the Norman Conquest of 1066. See
article: Norman architecture.
Domestic architecture in upper Normandy is typified by half-timbered buildings that also recall vernacular English architecture. Although the farm
enclosures of the more harshly landscaped Pays de Caux are a more idiosyncratic response to socio-economic and climatic
imperatives. Much urban architectural heritage was destroyed during the Battle of Normandy in 1944 - post-war urban
reconstruction, such as in Le Havre and Saint-Lô, could be said to demonstrate both the virtues and vices of modernist and
brutalist trends of the 1950s and 1960s.
Vernacular architecture in lower Normandy takes
its form from granite, the predominant local building material. The Channel Islands also share this influence - Chausey was for many years a source of quarried granite, including for the construction of
Mont Saint Michel.
Literature
Writers in the French language connected with Normandy
include:
See also Anglo-Norman literature
Painting
Painters were attracted to Normandy by the ease of railway access from Paris. Claude Monet's waterlily garden at Giverny is one of the most popular tourist attractions in the region.
Eugène Boudin's paintings of fashionable seaside scenes are also
typical.
Artists Norman by birth include:
Music
Erik Satie, Daniel
Auber, Arthur Honegger and Marcel Dupré, composers, were born in Normandy.
Design
Christian Dior, fashion designer, was born in Granville.
Religion
The cathedrals of Normandy have exerted influence down the centuries in
matters of both faith and politics. Mont Saint Michel is a
historic pilgrimage site. The influence of Celtic Christianity can still be found in the Cotentin.
Many saints have been revered in Normandy down the centuries, including:
Normandy does not have one generally-agreed patron saint, although this
title has been ascribed to Saint Michael, and to Saint
Ouen.
Food and drink
Normandy is famous for its rich, rolling countryside, which provides plentiful pasture for dairy cattle and orchards for apples. The dairy produce of the region is renowned:
its cheeses are world famous and include Camembert, Livarot and Pont l'Evêque. Normandy butter is highly prized, as is Normandy
cream, both of which are lavishly used in local gastronomic specialities.
Normandy is a major cider-producing region (very little wine is produced). Perry is also produced, but in less significant quantities. The apple brandy, of which the most
famous variety is calvados, is also popular. The mealtime
trou normand, or Norman break, is a pause between meal courses in which diners partake of a glassful of calvados, is still
observed in many homes and restaurants. Pommeau is an aperitif produced by blending unfermented cider and apple brandy.
Another aperitif is the kir normand, a measure of cassis topped up with cider.
Benedictine is produced in Fécamp.
Apples are also used in cooking: for example, moules à la normande are mussels cooked with apples and cream,
bourdelots are apples baked in pastry, and localities all over the province have their own variation of apple tart. A
classic pastry dish from the region is Flan Normand a flaky pastry based variant of the apple
tart.
Other regional specialities include tripes à la mode de Caen, andouilles, teurgoule (spiced rice pudding) and seafood. Normandy is the most
significant oyster-cultivating region in France.
Symbols
The traditional provincial flag of Normandy, gules, two leopards or, is used in both modern regions. The historic
three-leopard version (known in the Norman language as les treis cats, "the three cats") is used by some associations and
individuals, especially those who support reunification of the regions and cultural links with the Channel Islands and
England.
The unofficial anthem of the region is the song "Ma Normandie."
External links
|
