Calvados
The
French département of
Calvados forms part of the
région of
Basse-Normandie in
Normandy. It takes its name from a cluster of rocks off the coast.
Calvados was one of the original 83
départements created during the
French Revolution on
March 4,
1790. It was created from part of the
former province of
Normandie.
D-Day landings took place on the beaches of Baie de Seine on
June 6,
1944.
Calvados is surrounded by the
départements of
Seine-Maritime,
Eure,
Orne, and
Manche. On the north is the
Baie de la Seine, part of the
English Channel, and on the east the
Seine River forms the boundary with Seine-Maritime.
It includes the
Bessin area, the
Pays d'Auge, and the area known as the
Suisse normande ("Norman Switzerland") from the cragginess of its landscape.
Other towns include:
Deauville and the formerly elegant 19th-century
casino resorts of the coast.
Agriculture dominates the economy of Calvados. Products include
butter,
cheese,
cider, and the
apple-based
spirit which shares its name (see
Calvados (spirit)).
The inhabitants of the
département are called
Calvadosiens.
The
Bayeux Tapestry stems from
Bayeux and makes the city one of the most-visited tourist destinations in Normandy.
Juno Beach Centre at
Courseulles-sur-Mer, Calvados, commemorates the
D-Day landing of the
Canadian liberation forces at
Juno Beach during
World War II in 1944.
The
cult of
Thérèse de Lisieux brings large numbers of people on
pilgrimage to
Lisieux.
*
Cantons of the Calvados département*
Communes of the Calvados département*
Arrondissements of the Calvados département*
Conseil Général website*
Prefecture website*
Calvados Charles de Granville*http://www.fleurysien.com/
*http://www.dday-overlord.com/PhNplageng.htm
*http://search.eb.com/normandy/week2/invasion.html
*http://www.junobeach.org/
