Caen

Caen is a city of the North-West of the France, chief town of the area Basse-Normandie and department of the Calvados, crossed by the Orne.

Its name decides edge (/). Its inhabitants is called the Caennais .

Geography

Relief and geomorphology

Caen, like all the Eastern half of the area Basse-Normandie, belonged to the Paris basin. The city is located on a plate, favourable with the cereal culture.

Climate

Caen profits from a oceanic Climat with fresh summers and soft winters.

Green areas

Public gardens of Caen (500 ha of green areas)

  • the Botanical garden of Caen
  • the hill with the birds, vast realization vis-a-vis the district of the Way-Green and near the Memorial for Peace, astonishing valorization of an old garbage dump.
  • the small garden known as of luna rossa street Damozanne
  • the Museum of initiation to nature and the esplanade Jean-Marie Louvel with the Abbey with the Men
  • the Park of Ornano (garden of the Abbey to the Ladies)
  • the Valley of the Gardens
  • the Meadow

Administration

In 1952, the small commune of Venoix was attached to Caen.

In 1990, the agglomeration of Caen was organized in district, transformed into 2002 in a Communauté of agglomeration ( Grand Caen , re-elected Communauté of Caen agglomeration the Sea in 2004), gathering 29 communes now. Caen is divided into 9 cantons of which it is the chief town, but gives its name to 10 cantons:

  • the 1 {{er}} canton is made of part of Caen and commune of Bretteville-on-Odon (16  429 inhabitants);
  • the 2 {{E}} canton is made of part of Caen and communes of Authie, Carpiquet, Saint-Contest and Saint-Germain-the-White-Grass (25  772 inhabitants);
  • the 3 {{E}} canton is made of part of Caen (19  052 inhabitants);
  • the 4 {{E}} canton is made of part of Caen and commune of Épron (15  418 inhabitants);
  • the 5 {{E}} canton is the canton of Hérouville-Saint-Clearly (which does not form part of Caen);
  • the 6 {{E}} canton (also called Caen-Hérouville) is made of part of Caen and part of Hérouville-Saint-Clearly (15  603 inhabitants);
  • the 7 {{E}} canton is made of part of Caen and commune of Mondeville (14  775 inhabitants);
  • the 8 {{E}} canton is made of part of Caen and communes of Fleury-on-Flowering ash and Louvigny (18  341 inhabitants);
  • the 9 {{E}} canton is made of part of Caen (15  208 inhabitants);
  • the 10 {{E}} canton is made of part of Caen and communes of Cormelles-the-Royal and Ifs (22  109 inhabitants).

Mayors of Caen since the Revolution

Demography

History

See also: Chronology of Caen

Origins and etymology

One has little information concerning the foundation town of Caen and the origin of his name. The assumptions on this subject are multiple and most of the time eccentric. Most probable, founded on the etymology, which seems to be that suggests that the toponym has a Gallic origin. Composed of the Gallic cato “military activities” and of the Gallic magos “field”, it would mean the “parade ground” or the “ground of exercises”.

Here oldest denominations of the city:

  • Cathim (charter of Richard III of Normandy in connection with the douaire of its wife, Adele of France, 1026).
  • Cadum , Cathum (chronic saxonne made up in the XIe 12th centuries).
  • Cathum (Florent de Worcester).
  • Cahom (Henri de Huntingdon).
  • Cahem (chronic of Robert, abbot of the Mount-Saint-Michel).
  • Cahem , CMEA , Chaem , Caam , Caan (Robert Wace).
Alternatives: Cam , Duck , Kan , Kame , Camwood , Cathem , Catheim .

The Middle Ages

There existed already, around current the Abbaye with the Men, the shape of habitat as of the Gallo-Roman time. It would be due to the Saxons installed there by the Romains. A church dedicated to holy Martin and a cemetery dating from the Early middle ages are also known historians.

In the years 1020, after the shock of the invasions Viking S, the borough includes/understands several churches and a market where a Tonlieu is perceived. This city having been, in the beginning, a place of toll, some put forth the assumption that the word “Caen” can be the deformation of Saxon “the Gateheim” meaning “house of the barrier”. With time, the Saxon names “Catheim” or “Gateheim” were transformed into Gathim , Cadun , Cahom , Cahem . Robert Wace will write Cahem , Chaem , CMEA or Caan . About the 15th century, one will use nothing any more but Gadomus or Caen .

The duke of Normandy, William the Conqueror, develops it at the 11th century by equipping it with a castle, two abbeys and a rampart. The duke resides several times at it. In 1083, his wife, Mathilde of Flanders, is buried with the Abbaye with the Ladies. Four years later, the body of Guillaume will rest in the church of the Abbaye to the Men. At that time, Caen quickly became the second city of the Duché of Normandy.

During the incorporation of the duchy in France by the king Philippe II Auguste, Caen falls the May 21st 1204, before Rouen.

One hundred Year old war

In 1417, the town of Caen opposes a heroic resistance to the English invader who massacres 2  000 middle-class men, plunder and treat the survivors as rebels with “their” king. The area of Caen will be the place of a very sharp resistance to the English occupant who will proceed to it to a great number of executions of resistant between 1418 and 1450. The foundation, in 1432, of the Université of Caen belongs to measurements of the Duc of Bedford, regent of Normandy, in order to try to reconcile the Caen-native population. The end of the year 1434 sees a rising ordered by Jean de Chantepie. The French Normandy become again, Charles VII will reward it for its “ fidelity and honesty ” by confirming all its privileges and freedoms in 1458 (confirmation of the Charte to Norman the ).

When the Protesting S take the control of the city in April 1562, them Iconoclasme is caught some, inter alia, with the tomb of William the Conqueror and of the queen Mathilde. The catholic service is suspended. Arrived at Caen in December 1562, the chief of the party Huguenot, the Admiral de Coligny, orders, before its departure the March 19th 1563, the demolition, “ in order to have the profit which tireroit leads has it étoit covered ”, of the Abbaye to the Men whose chartrier is flaring. In 1584, the plague makes 10.000 victims in Caen. The Parliament of Normandy and the Court of the Assistances and the Room of the Accounts are déboublés in Caen of January 1589 at April 1594 following the rising of Rouen against the king; members of Parliament faithful to the king going to Caen.

The Révolte of the Flip-flops started in Caen the August 13rd 1639 was carried out by some Arm-Naked giving the rank of colonel of the suffering army ; it finishes coiled. Prudently remained to the variation of the disorders of the Sling, Caen will work will see the creation of the Academy of Science, Arts and the Humanities and of the first Academy of Physics of France which will acquerra to him a reputation of capital of the beautiful spirits and the nickname of “Athens Norman”. Persecutions born of the Revocation of the Edict of Nantes forced many Protestant Residents of Caen refusing to abjure, rich merchants and industrialists for the majority, with the exile. The trade of the province was ruined by it. The Absolutisme louis-quatorzien put also fine at the municipal franknesses whose Caen enjoyed by removing the municipal elections and by transforming the offices alderman of the noble ones, from the middle-class men and the merchants in venal loads.

Caen saw, in 1713, 1715 and 1725, of the riots related to the dearness of the bread. With the Revolution, the prosecutor-syndic Georges Bayeux and the commander of the place Henri de Belzunce were massacred by crowd. In 1793, the Caen-native section of the Jacobins of Caen broke its fasteners with those of Paris. Number of Of Gironde seeking refuge in Caen during their fall, this one became the center of the federalistic Insurrections to which the Caen-native company of the Carabot S. It united is the weak recruitment of the federalistic armies which encouraged Charlotte Corday to leave Caen in Paris the July 9th 1793 to go to assassinate Marat in Paris.

  • 1812 : March 2nd, from the riots begin with the market with the grains and the Montaigu mill. The rioters protest against the food shortage which prevails since 1811. The Mechin prefect and the mayor Lentaigne de Logivière are taken with part. The order is restored the evening even. Several people are stopped in the following days. March 6th, 4.000 soldiers arrive in reinforcement in the city. March 14th, 61 people are judged, 4 men and 4 women are condemned to death. They are carried out on March 15th. The other people are condemned to forced labors or prison.
  • 1815 : April 6th: Charles X makes a passage to Caen and makes release the people imprisoned since 1812.
  • 1837 : Beginning of work of the channel of Caen with the sea.
  • 1857 :
    • May 5th: inauguration of the first water delivery system.
    • August 23rd: inauguration of the channel of Caen to the sea.
    • 1858 : August 3rd: inauguration of the station of Caen by the imperial couple.
    • 1863 : August 10th: inauguration of the baths and laundrettes.

Caen in the Second world war

detailed Article: Battle of Caen

Caen lost 68% of its volume built during the Second world war because it was on a frontline very disputed at the time of the unloading in Normandy the June 6th 1944 ( D-day ). It was released by the Canadian forces which fought for one month the troops S.S. Its principal monuments nevertheless were safeguarded.

The rebuilding of Caen officially lasted of 1947 with 1963 with broad rectilinear avenues bordered by buildings of Pierre of Caen of approximately five stages, which confers a great architectural unit to him. Many buildings which had a flat roof were chapeautés of a traditional roof with slopes.

detailed Article: Rebuilding of Caen

Caen was decorated with the Légion of honor in 1948.

Inheritance

A long story equipped the town of Caen of many historic buildings whose principal ones (two abbeys and the castle) were built under William the Conqueror at the 11th century. Called “City with the hundred bell-towers”, one counts there forty churches of which there remains sometimes only one section of wall. Its Mémorial for Peace is very visited.

The principal historic buildings are:

  • the Abbey with the Men and his church Saint-Etienne (current town hall of Caen)
  • the Abbey with the Ladies and its church of the Trinity (current seat of the district council of Basse-Normandie)
  • the Saint-Pierre church, built between, located on the place Saint-Pierre
  • the Midsummer's Day church, leaning because built on the old marshes of Caen
  • the castle of William the Conqueror
  • Vestige of the fortifications, in particular the Tower Leroy
  • the Museum of the Art schools, in the enclosure of the castle
  • the university, created in 1432 by Henri VI. The current buildings, inaugurated in 1957, located at the north of the castle of William the Conqueror, replaced after the Second world war those of faculties which were located in downtown area, in the rectangle formed by the place Saint-Saver, the street Pasteur, the street in Namps and the street Saint-Saver.
  • the House of Quatrans, a traditional house of the 14th century.
  • the museum of the post office, a house with wood sides dating from the 15th century.
  • private mansions of the Rebirth (hotels of Than, Escoville and Mondrainville), of (old Royal Place, today place of the Republic) and of the 18th (place Saint-Saver)
  • the Fontette place and Law courts
  • the Good-Saver (classified vault historic building and gardens)
  • inheritance of the XXe (Saint-Julien church, church of Guérinière, water tower of Guérinière, brood Benedictines, old chamber of commerce and of industry)
  • the Meadow.

One can taste also there specialities culinary (Tripes with the mode of Caen, Teurgoule, Brasillé, fouace of Caen…) while attending the famous horse-races.

Districts of Caen

  • Venoix - Abbey with the Ladies - Armand Marie - Beaulieu - Calmette - Martyrdom Saint Pierre - Campus II - Shelter - Center - Vert* Way - CHR - Claude Decaen - Half-moon - Madness Centers - Couvrechef Madness - Venoise Fountain - Gardin-Conquering - SNCF railway station - Grace of God - Guérinière - Guynemer - Hedge-Vignée - Hamlet Madness - Hastings - Lébisey - Maladrerie - the Pierre-Heuzé - Northern Plate - Meadow - Peninsula - street Basse - Saint-Gabriel - Saint-Gilles - Saint-Jean-Eudes - Saint-Julien - Saint-Michel - Saint-Ouen - Saint-Paul - Saint-Saver - Holy-Therese - University - Valley of the Gardens - Vaucelles - ZI Mount Coconut

Natives of Caen

Culture

  • the whole of Baroque music Flourishing Arts is in residence privileged in Caen since 1990.
  • the Comedy of Caen, national dramatic Center of Normandy, gathers three places: the theater of Hérouville, the theater street of the Cords in Caen and the Market with the Barns also in Caen.
  • Caen accommodates each year, since 1998, the Meetings of the Electronic Cultures Nordik Impakt. The evening of closure festival is famous to be one of largest the turnip left organized in France.
  • Caen accommodates the FRAC Basse-Normandie, Funds Regional of Contemporary art, collection in contemporary art.
  • the literary prize of the Town of Caen rewards each year the best work for fiction written by a writer Low Norman or whose action is in the area.
  • the abbey of Ardenne shelters IMEC, Institut Reports of the Contemporary Edition. This institution preserves files of contemporary French-speaking writers, researchers and editors; it has an antenna in Paris (174, rue de Rivoli).

Economy

Caen is the seat of the Chamber of commerce and industry of Caen.

The city accommodates large companies like Philips, Valeo or Oberthur. France Telecom has one of her European development and research centers there. The economic main activities are the Centres of calls, the manufacture of medicinal products and the water sport.

The wearing of Caen-Ouistreham sees forwarding 3 million tons of goods per annum, which makes of it the 6th port of national interest of France.

Transport

See also: Twisto, light Transport guided of Caen, Tram of Caen, Station of Caen

The Public transport of the Caen-native agglomeration are consisted the network Twisto including/understanding, since 2002, a network of tyred trams (technology TVR) like 25 lines of bus.

The network of tram is organized around a line with two alternatives, serving Ifs, campus 2, the Grace of God and Hérouville-Saint-Clearly.

The city, which lays out of about fifty cycle kilometers of routes, will obtain in spring 2008 with a system Vélopartage managed by Clear Chanel Communications. This contract, one 10 years duration, approximately envisages the realization of 35 stations distributed all the 300 Mr., managing 300 bicycles, of a design close to the Vélib' Parisian, but less heavy (18kg instead of 22 kg of the material of Paris) (with possibility of 50 stations and 550 bicycles). The city having chosen not to finance the service by publicity, it will total 637.000 €/an to the city. First half an hour of use will be free, with the help of the use of a weekly or annual season ticket.

Caen is the center of an old shoed star connecting it to Paris (in 1:45), Cherbourg (in 1:15), Rouen (in 1:30) and Rennes (in 3:30) starting from its station. On the other hand, no TGV serves the city, nor Basse-Normandie whereas that was the case during some time right after the electrification of the line by connecting Caen and Cherbourg to Lille. The Airport of Caen - Carpiquet is, of many passengers, the most important airport of Normandy. A regular line towards Lyon allows correspondences towards Europe.

The agglomeration is also served by two Autoroutes: the A13, the A84 and soon the A88 connecting the city to the Brittany, the Paris region and soon to the Maine. Caen is girdled by a peripheral .

Brittany ferries connects the Caen-native port of Ouistreham to Portsmouth with three return tickets per day.

Teaching

University

The University of Caen, one of oldest of France, created in 1432 by Bedford for the king Henri VI of England on the model of Oxford and Cambridge, account close to: 25000 students divided primarily on the 4 campuses of the city. The university lays out of 11 UFR, 6 institutes, two schools of engineers, 2 IUP and of 5 university antennas with Alençon, Cherbourg, Lisieux, Saint-Lo and Vire.

Colleges

Colleges

Seek

Caen has several important research centers:
  • the University of Caen, which includes/understands research laboratories in many disciplines
  • GANIL (Large National Accelerator of Heavy Ions)
  • CYCERON (and research cerebral imagery Center in Neuroscience)
  • ENSICAEN (Research laboratories of the school of engineer ENSICAEN)

Mineralogy

Article: Pierre of Caen
The fair stone, whose careers, now closed, extend under the town of Caen, was very much used by the Norman sovereigns in particular for the large buildings in England then, later, for the first scrapes-ciels New York. At the 19th century, 200 boats make the shuttle with the wearing of Caen from which leave: 25000 tons per annum. The competition of the concrete, added to the increasingly difficult exploitation of the galleries, had involved a discontinuance of business. In March 2004, the career of Cintheaux was reopened at the request of the Town of Caen to provide Pierre of Caen to the large building sites of restoration then undertaken. This reopening was made possible thanks to recent advanced technology.

Sport

Football

Caen has a team of evolving/moving Football with the more French high level: the Malherbe Stage of Caen. At the end of the season 2006 - 2007 of L2, " Malherbe" find the elite of French football. The club, founded in 1913, has a powerful training center which made of many players like Franck Dumas, William Gallas, David Sommeil, Jerome Rothen, Bernard Mendy, Grégory Tafforeau, Mathieu Bodmer, Ronald Zubar or Yoan Gouffran. The Malherbe Stage of Caen east one of the best formative clubs in France. Since August 2006, the club has a new modern and functional training center. The building of three million euros, wanted by the leaders, shelters also the head office of the SMC. The Malherbe Stage of Caen evolves/moves since 1993 with the Stade Michel-in Ornano (21 500 places). The public Low Norman comes very many in Ornano. It is one of best public of France. In 2004/2005, Caen was elected better public of Ligue 1 by the Professional football league with more: 19000 spectators of average.

Prize list:

  • 1 championship of France of Division 2 (1996).
  • 2 titles of Vice Champion of France of Division 2 (1987, 1988).
  • 2 titles of Vice Champion of France of League 2 (2004, 2007).
  • 1 finale of the Cut of the League (2005).
  • 1 participation in the UEFA Cup (1993).
  • 3 quarterfinals of the Coupe de France (1992, 1996,1998).

Hockey

Caen also has a team of Hockey evolving/moving in Ligue Magnus, the Drakkars.

Rugby

The female sport is also represented, in particular by the Ovalie Caennaise, the club of Rugby to XV which adds up 3 championships of France and 4 vice-champions in 7 years (of 1999 to 2005).

Cycling

Caen was stage city of the Tour de France 1905 (victory of Jean-Baptiste Dortignacq), 1957 (victory of Rene Privat), 1978 (victory of the team Ti-Raleigh) and 2006 (victory D Oscar Freire).

Twinnings

Quotations

rich, roomy, beautiful strong City of its rivers, its meadows, its seaport full of ships charged with goods; it is avoided of as well churches, houses and inhabitants, as it is hardly if it is recognized lower than Paris.
GUILLAUME BRETON . Philippide , 1. VIII.

Caen, by its plate, and convenient and jokes,

By its always pure air, its laughing residence,
By its meadows, its water and by thousand beauties,
Justement disputes it in the noblest cities.
RENAUD DE SEGRAIS Athis

This country is very beautiful, and Caen the prettiest city, most pleasing, merriest, best located, the most beautiful streets, the most beautiful buildings, the most beautiful churches; meadows, walks, and finally the source of all our beautiful spirits.

MME DE SÉVIGNÉ

Heraldic

Weapons of the town of Caen:
“ Of mouths to the donjonné castle of a crenelated gold tower, the opened, openwork and built sand whole. ”

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