MANCHE INFORMATION
MANCHE Geography
The department of Manche includes the Cotentin Peninsula and the islands of Chausey. It is part of the region of Basse-Normandie and is surrounded on three sides by the English Channel, with 350km of coastline, and on the other by the departments of Calvados, Orne, in the region of Pays de la Loire by the department of Mayenne, and in the region of Brittany by the deparment of Ille-et-Vilaine. Geologically, the department is connected to the Massif Armoricain.
Manche is a French department in Normandy named after La Manche ("the sleeve"), which is the French name for the English Channel.
Cotentin Peninsula: The Cotentin Peninsula, also known as the Cherbourg Peninsula, is a peninsula in Normandy, forming part of the north-western coast of France. It juts out north-westwards into the English Channel, towards Great Britain and its northern coastline was the site of the famed World War II invasion of Hitler's Fortress Europa by the Allies on D-Day, 6 June 1944, while its river- and canal-crossed agricultural terrain suffered the next months fighting as the allies sought to break out of their lodgement. To its west lie the Channel Islands and to the southwest lies the Brittany Peninsula.
The peninsula lies wholly within the département of Manche, in the région of Basse-Normandie.
MANCHE History
Manche is one of the original 83 departments created during the French Revolution on March 4, 1790. It was created from part of the province of Normandie.
The first capital was Coutances until 1796, and it resumed that role after World War II because of the almost complete destruction of Saint-Lô during the D-Day invasion of Normandy. When Saint-Lô was rebuilt, it again became the capital.
Saint-Lô: Originally called Briovère (meaning "Bridge on the Vire River" in Gaulish), the town is built on and around ramparts. Originally it was a Gaul fortified settlement. The name "Saint-Lô", known since the 8th century, originates from Saint Laud, bishop of Coutances in 525-565, who had a residence here. According to tradition, the town received a new line of walls from Charlemagne in the early 9th century. It was sacked by the Vikings in 890. Later it flourished under the bishop Geffroy de Montbray, who built here a bridge and some mills.
Saint-Lô was the third largest town in the Duchy of Normandy after Rouen and Caen, and became part of France in 1202. In the 13th century it was home to numerous craftsmen, and in 1234 a guild of tailors was established in it. In 1275 it received from King Philip III of France the right to coin, which it maintained until 1693.
During the Hundred Years War it was sacked by the English, and in 1347 it was struck by plague. In 1378 it returned to France, but was again under England from 1418 to 1449. Saint-Lô suffered notably during the Wars of Religion: in 1562 it was captured by the Huguenots and became a Protestant stronghold; in 1574 it was besieged and partly destroyed by royal troops under Marshal de Matignon. Two years later the seigneury of the bishops of Coutances over the town ceased forever. In the mid-17th century part of the walls was destroyed, and the town could grow with a new borough known as Neufborg. After the revocation of the edict of Nantes (1685), most of its craftsmen abandoned Saint-Lô.
In 1795 it became capital of the Manche department. In 1858 it was reached by the Paris-Cherbourg railway.
MANCHE Climate
The climate is oceanic, with mild winters, temperatures rarely reaching below freezing, and temperate summers, around 25°C. Precipitation is substantial, but varies greatly by region, between 700mm on the coast and 1300mm in the southern central area.
The west coast benefits from the Gulf stream's influence, allowing the naturalization of many mediterranean and exotic plants (mimosas, palms, agaves...).
There is often a sea breeze on the coast, which combined with tides contributes to quick temperature changes over a single day.
MANCHE Administration
Department number : 50
Region : Basse-Normandie
Prefecture : Saint-Lô
Subprefectures : Avranches, Cherbourg-Octeville, Coutances
Arrondissements : 4
Cantons : 52
Communes : 602
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