Normandy

Normandy Normandie (French) Normaundie (Norman)
Geographical region
Artificial port at Arromanches-les-Bains
Saint Helier Saint Peter Port
French Departments and British Crown Dependencies	List Calvados Eure Manche Orne Seine-Maritime Guernsey Jersey
Area
• Total	30,627 km2 (11,825 sq mi)
Population  (2017)
• Total	3,499,280
• Density	110/km2 (300/sq mi)
Demonym	Norman[1]
Time zones	UTC+01:00 (CET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+02:00 (CEST)
	UTC+00:00 (GMT)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+01:00 (BST)
Website	www.normandie.fr

Normandy (/ˈnɔːrməndi/; French: Normandie [nɔʁmɑ̃di] ^ⓘ; Norman: Normaundie, Nouormandie [nɔʁ.mɛnde]; from Old French Normanz, plural of Normant, originally from the word for "northman" in several Scandinavian languages)^[2] is a geographical and cultural region in northwestern Europe, roughly coextensive with the historical Duchy of Normandy.

Normandy comprises mainland Normandy (a part of France) and insular Normandy (mostly the British Channel Islands). It covers 30,627 square kilometres (11,825 sq mi).^[3] Its population in 2017 was 3,499,280. The inhabitants of Normandy are known as Normans;^[1] the region is the historic homeland of the Norman language. Large settlements include Rouen, Caen, Le Havre and Cherbourg.

The cultural region of Normandy is roughly similar to the historical Duchy of Normandy, which includes small areas now part of the departments of Mayenne and Sarthe. The Channel Islands (French: Îles Anglo-Normandes) are also historically part of Normandy; they cover 194 square kilometres (75 sq mi)^[4] and comprise two bailiwicks: Guernsey and Jersey, which are British Crown Dependencies.

Normandy's name comes from the settlement of the territory by

.

History

Prehistory

Archaeological finds, such as

Celtic period

Celts (also known as Belgae and Gauls) have populated Normandy since at least the Bronze Age. When Julius Caesar invaded Gaul (58–50 BC), there were nine different Celtic tribes living in this part of Gaul.^[6]

Romanisation

The

, with the Metropolis civitas Rotomagensium (Rouen), Civitas Baiocassium (Augustodorum, Bayeux), Civitas Abrincatum (Ingena, Avranches), Civitas Ebroicorum (Mediolanum, Évreux), Civitas Saiorum (Sées), Civitas Lexoviorum (Noviomagus, Lisieux / Lieuvin) and Civitas Constantia (Coutances).^[7]

Germanic invasions and settlements

In the late 3rd century AD, Germanic raids devastated "Lugdunensis Secunda", as the modern area of Normandy was known at the time. The Romans built a system of coastal defences known as Saxon Shore on both sides of the English Channel. Coastal settlements were raided by Saxon pirates, that finally settled mainly in the Bessin region.^[8] Modern archeology reveals their presence in different Merovingian cemeteries excavated east of Caen.^[9] Christianity also began to enter the area during this period and Rouen already had a metropolitan bishop by the 4th century. The ecclesiastical province of Rouen was based on the frame of the Roman Lugdunensis Secunda, whose limits corresponded almost exactly to the future duchy of Normandy. In 406, Germanic tribes began invading from the east, followed by dispersed settlements mainly in the Pays de Bray, Pays de Caux and Vexin. As early as 487, the area between the rivers Somme and Loire came under the control of the Frankish lord Clovis.

Viking raids and foundation of the Norman state

") origins.

The descendants of Rollo and his followers created an aristocracy that step by step adopted the local

during four or five generations in certain parts of Normandy.

They then became the Normans – a Norman French-speaking mixture of Norsemen and indigenous Gallo-Franks.

Rollo's descendant

of Normandy for himself and his descendants.

Norman expansion

Crusader state of the Principality of Antioch along with associated vassals, the Principality of Ancyra (1073–1075), the Principality of Tarragona (1129–1173), and the Kingdom of the Canary Islands

.

Aside from the conquest of England and the subsequent invasions of Wales and Ireland, the Normans expanded into other areas. Norman families, such as that of Tancred of Hauteville, Rainulf Drengot and Guimond de Moulins played important parts in the conquest of southern Italy and the Crusades.

The

.

The 14th-century explorer Jean de Béthencourt established a kingdom in the Canary Islands in 1404. He received the title King of the Canary Islands from Pope Innocent VII but recognized Henry III of Castile as his overlord, who had provided him with military and financial aid during the conquest.

13th to 17th centuries

Jules Eugène Lenepveu

In 1204, during the reign of John of England, mainland Normandy was taken from the English kingdom by the French king Philip II, ending some 293 years of relative Norman independence from the French crown. Insular Normandy (the Channel Islands) remained under control of the king of England, though still attached to the ecclesiastical province of Rouen. In the 1259 Treaty of Paris, Henry III of England recognized the legitimacy of the French possession of mainland Normandy. His successors, however, often fought to regain control of their ancient fiefdom.

The Charte aux Normands granted by Louis X of France in 1315 (and later re-confirmed in 1339) – like the analogous Magna Carta granted in England in the aftermath of 1204 – guaranteed the liberties and privileges of the province of Normandy.

French Normandy was devastated by the civil wars and conflicts against the English power during the

.

, Canada, and Louisiana.

Honfleur and Le Havre were two of the principal slave trade ports of France.

18th century to present

This section does not cite any sources. Please help improve this section by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (March 2022) (Learn how and when to remove this template message)

Although agriculture remained important, industries such as weaving, metallurgy, sugar refining, ceramics, and shipbuilding were introduced and developed.

In the 1780s, the economic crisis and the crisis of the

signed in 1786 affected employment and the economy of the province. Normans laboured under a heavy fiscal burden.

In 1790, the five departments of Normandy replaced the former province.

On 13 July 1793, the Norman Charlotte Corday assassinated Jean-Paul Marat.

The Normans reacted little to the many political upheavals which characterized the 19th century. Overall, they warily accepted the changes of régime (First French Empire, Bourbon Restoration, July Monarchy, French Second Republic, Second French Empire, French Third Republic).

Following the French Revolutionary Wars and the Napoleonic Wars (1792–1815), there was an economic revival that included the mechanization of textile manufacturing and the introduction of the first trains.

Also, with seaside tourism in the 19th century came the advent of the first beach resorts.

During the Second World War, following the

by Canadian and British armed forces.

followed. This was a significant turning point in the war and led to the restoration of the French Republic.

The remainder of Normandy was liberated only on 9 May 1945 at the end of the war, when the Channel Island occupation effectively ended.

Geography

The historical Duchy of Normandy was a formerly independent duchy occupying the lower Seine area, the Pays de Caux and the region to the west through the Pays d'Auge as far as the Cotentin Peninsula and Channel Islands.

Western Normandy belongs to the

of the Seine as it approaches its estuary.

The highest point is the Signal d'Écouves (417 m), in the Armorican Massif.

Normandy is sparsely forested:[13] 12.8% of the territory is wooded, compared to a French average of 23.6%, although the proportion varies between the departments. Eure has the most cover, at 21%, while Manche has the least, at 4%, a characteristic shared with the Channel Islands.

Sub-regions

Mainland Normandy

• Avranchin
• Bessin
• Bauptois
• Bocage virois
• Campagne d'Alençon
• Campagne d'Argentan
• Campagne de Caen
• Campagne de Falaise
• Campagne du Neubourg
• Campagne de Saint-André (or d’Évreux)
• Cotentin
• Perche
• Domfrontais or Passais
• Hiémois
• Lieuvin
• Mortainais
• Pays d'Auge, central Normandy, is characterized by excellent agricultural land.
• Pays de Bray
• Pays de Caux
• Pays d'Houlme
• Pays de Madrie, area between the Seine and the Eure.
• Pays d'Ouche
• Roumois et Marais-Vernier
• Suisse Normande (Norman Switzerland), in the south, presents hillier terrain.
• Val de Saire

  

• Vexin normand

Insular Normandy (Channel Islands)

• The bailiwick of Jersey
• The bailiwick of Guernsey (Fr. Bailliage de Guernesey)

The Channel Islands are considered culturally and historically a part of Normandy. However, they are British Crown Dependencies, and are not part of the modern French administrative region of Normandy.

Although the British surrendered claims to mainland Normandy, France, and other French possessions in 1801, the monarch of the United Kingdom retains the title Duke of Normandy in respect to the Channel Islands.

Rivers

Rivers in Normandy include:

• the Seine and its tributaries:
  • the Andelle
  • the Epte
  • the Eure
  • the Risle
  • the Robec

And many coastal rivers:

• the Bresle
• the Couesnon, which traditionally marks the boundary between the Duchy of Brittany and the Duchy of Normandy
• the Dives
• the Orne
• the Sée
• the Sélune
• the Touques
• the Veules, the shortest French coastal river
• the Vire

Politics

Mainland Normandy

The modern region of Normandy was created by the territorial reform of French Regions in 2014 by the merger of Lower Normandy, and Upper Normandy. The new region took effect on 1 January 2016, after the regional elections in December 2015.^[16]

The

from the Centre party was elected president of the council in January 2016.

Channel Islands

The Channel Islands are not part of French territory, but are instead British Crown Dependencies. They are self-governing, each having its own parliament, government and legal system. The head of state of both territories is Charles III and each have an appointed Lieutenant-Governor.

The Bailiwick of Guernsey comprises three separate jurisdictions: Guernsey, Alderney and Sark. Administratively, Herm forms part of Guernsey.

Economy

Much of Normandy is predominantly agricultural in character, with cattle breeding the most important sector (although in decline from the peak levels of the 1970s and 1980s). The

. There is also easy access to and from the UK using the ports of

Dieppe.^[17] Jersey and Guernsey are often considered to be tax havens, due to having large financial services sectors and low tax rates.^[18]

Area	Year	Labour force in agriculture	Labour force in industry	Labour force in services
Upper Normandy[19]	2003	2.30%	36.10%	61.60%
Lower Normandy[20]	2006	6.50%	25.00%	68.50%
France[21]	2006	2.20%	20.60%	77.20%

Area	GDP (in million of Euros)[22] (2006)	Unemployment (% of the labour force)[22] (2007)
Upper Normandy	46,853	6.80%
Lower Normandy	34,064	7.90%
France	1,791,956	7.50%

Demographics

In January 2006 the population of French Normandy (including the part of Perche which lies inside the Orne département but excluding the Channel Islands) was estimated at 3,260,000 with an average population density of 109 inhabitants per km², just under the French national average, but rising to 147 for Upper Normandy. The population of the Channel Islands is estimated around 174,000 (2021).^[23]

See also: Norman toponymy

The main cities (population given from the 1999 census) are Rouen (518,316 in the metropolitan area), the capital since 2016 of the province and formerly of Upper Normandy; Caen (420,000 in the metropolitan area) and formerly the capital of Lower Normandy; Le Havre (296,773 in the metropolitan area); and Cherbourg (117,855 in the metropolitan area).

Culture

Flag

The traditional provincial

flag of Normandy

, gules, two leopards passant or, is used in the region and its predecessors. The 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 cultural links with the Channel Islands and England. Jersey and Guernsey use three leopards in their national symbols. The leopards represents the strength and courage Normandy has towards the neighbouring provinces.

The unofficial anthem of the region is the song "Ma Normandie".

• 
  "Two-leopard" version, which is the main one.
• 
  "Three-leopard" version
• 
  Nordic Cross

  version
• 
  "Two-leopard" flag of Sark
• 
  Coat of arms of the Duchy of Normandy
• 
  Coat of arms of Guernsey
• 
  Coat of arms of Jersey

Language

Main articles: Norman language and Norman toponymy

The Norman language, including its insular variations Jèrriais and Guernésiais, is a regional language, spoken by a minority of the population on the continent and the islands, with a concentration in the Cotentin Peninsula in the far west (the Cotentinais dialect), and in the Pays de Caux in the East (the Cauchois dialect).

Many words and place names demonstrate the

Oïl language; for example, words : mauve (seagull), fifotte (starfish), hâ (catshark), mucre (humid, wet), (é)griller (slide, slip), fale (throat), etc. place-names : -bec (stream), -fleur (river), -hou (island), -tot (homestead), -dal / -dalle (valley), Hogue / Hougue (hill, mound), -lon / -londe (grove, wood), -vy / -vic (bay, cove), -mare (pond), -beuf (booth, cabin), etc.^[24] French is the only official language

in continental Normandy and English is also an official language in the Channel Islands.

Architecture

Main article: Architecture of Normandy

Architecturally, Norman cathedrals, abbeys (such as the

Abbey of Bec) and castles characterise the former duchy in a way that mirrors the similar pattern of Norman architecture in England following the Norman Conquest

of 1066.

Domestic architecture in upper Normandy is typified by

brutalist trends of the 1950s and 1960s. Le Havre, the city rebuilt by Auguste Perret

, was added to Unesco's World Heritage List in 2005.

Mont Saint-Michel

.

The south part of

Port-Bail. It is dedicated to Germanus of Normandy

.

Gastronomy

Normande cow

Parts of Normandy consist of rolling countryside typified by pasture for dairy cattle and apple orchards. A wide range of dairy products are produced and exported. Norman cheeses include

Boursin.^[25] Normandy butter and Normandy cream are lavishly used in gastronomic specialties. Jersey and Guernsey cattle

are famous cattle breeds worldwide, especially to North America.

Turbot and oysters from the Cotentin Peninsula are major delicacies throughout France. Normandy is the chief oyster-cultivating, scallop-exporting, and mussel-raising region in France.

Normandy is a major

.

Other regional specialities include tripes à la mode de Caen, andouilles and andouillettes, salade cauchoise, salt meadow (pré salé) lamb, seafood (mussels, scallops, lobsters, mackerel...), and teurgoule (spiced rice pudding).

Normandy dishes include duckling à la rouennaise, sautéed chicken yvetois, and goose en daube. Rabbit is cooked with

, or à la havraise (stuffed with truffled pigs' trotters). Other dishes are sheep's trotters à la rouennaise, casseroled veal, larded calf's liver braised with carrots, and veal (or turkey) in cream and mushrooms.

Normandy is also noted for its pastries. Normandy turns out douillons (pears baked in pastry), craquelins, roulettes in Rouen, fouaces in Caen, fallues in

.

Normandy is the native land of

was also made in Normandy around the 14th century.

Literature

The dukes of Normandy commissioned and inspired epic literature to record and legitimise their rule.

, born in Rouen, were great figures of French classical literature.

David Ferrand (1591–1660) in his Muse Normande established a landmark of Norman language literature. In the 16th and 17th centuries, the workers and merchants of Rouen established a tradition of polemical and satirical literature in a form of language called the parler purin. At the end of the 18th century and beginning of the 19th century a new movement arose in the Channel Islands, led by writers such as

became active. The typical medium for literary expression in Norman has traditionally been newspaper columns and almanacs. The novel Zabeth by André Louis which appeared in 1969 was the first novel published in Norman.

Painting

Normandy has a rich tradition of painting and gave to France some of its most important artists.

In the 17th century some major French painters were Normans like Nicolas Poussin, born in Les Andelys and Jean Jouvenet.

, born in Honfleur, was a determining influence on the impressionists and was highly considered by Monet.

Breaking away from the more formalised and classical themes of the early part of the 19th century, Impressionist painters preferred to paint outdoors, in natural light, and to concentrate on landscapes, towns and scenes of daily life.

Leader of the movement and father of modern painting, Claude Monet is one of the best known Impressionists and a major character in Normandy's artistic heritage. His house and gardens at Giverny are one of the region's major tourist sites, much visited for their beauty and their water lilies, as well as for their importance to Monet's artistic inspiration. Normandy was at the heart of his creation, from the paintings of Rouen's cathedral to the famous depictions of the cliffs at Étretat, the beach and port at Fécamp and the sunrise at Le Havre. It was Impression, Sunrise, Monet's painting of Le Havre, that led to the movement being dubbed Impressionism. After Monet, all the main avant-garde painters of the 1870s and 1880s came to Normandy to paint its landscapes and its changing lights, concentrating along the Seine valley and the Norman coast.

Landscapes and scenes of daily life were also immortalised on canvas by artists that have included :

.

.

The Société Normande de Peinture Moderne was founded in 1909 by Pierre Dumont, Robert Antoine Pinchon, Yvonne Barbier and Eugène Tirvert. Among members were Raoul Dufy, a native of Le Havre, Albert Marquet, Francis Picabia and Maurice Utrillo. Also in this movement were the Duchamp brothers, Jacques Villon and Marcel Duchamp, considered one of the father of modern art, also natives of Normandy. Jean Dubuffet, one of the leading French artist of the 1940s and the 1950s was born in Le Havre.

Religion

Christian missionaries implanted

site.

Normandy does not have one generally agreed

Saint Ouen

. Many saints have been revered in Normandy down the centuries, including:

• Mont Saint-Michel
• Marcouf and Laud
  who are important saints in Normandy
• Helier and Samson of Dol who are evangelizers of the Channel Islands
• Thomas Becket, an Anglo-Norman whose parents were from Rouen, who was the object of a considerable following in mainland Normandy following his martyrdom
• Joan of Arc who was martyred in Rouen, and who is especially remembered in that city
• Thérèse de Lisieux whose birthplace in Alençon
  and later home in Lisieux are a focus for religious pilgrims.
• Germanus of Normandy

Since the

.

People

See Category:People from Normandy

Gallery

• 
  Mont Saint-Michel
• 
  Château Gaillard
• 
  Honfleur
• 
  Le Havre
• 
  Mulberry Harbour
• 
  Half-timbered houses in Rouen
• 
  Saint-Céneri-le-Gérei
• 
  Château d'Ételan (1494)
• 
  Decorated boats in Honfleur harbour
• 
  Rouen Cathedral by Claude Monet
• 
  World War II 15 cm TbtsK C/36 German coastal gun.
• 
  Pegasus Bridge
• 
  The Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial near Colleville-sur-Mer

See also

• Duchy of Normandy
• Duke of Normandy
• Integration of Normandy into the royal domain of the Kingdom of France

Notes

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Normandy.

New International Encyclopedia article "Normandy

".

• (in French) Normandie Héritage Archived 24 August 2007 at the Wayback Machine
• The Norman Worlds
• Gallery of photos of Normandy