Falaise, Calvados

Falaise is a commune in the Calvados department in the Normandy region in northwestern France.

Geography
Flowing through Falaise are The River Ante and The River Trainefeuille, both tributaries of the river Dives.

Falaise borders the area known as Suisse Normande, on its eastern side.

History
The area around Falaise has been inhabited from prehistoric times, but it was only at the end of the prehistoric period and the beginning of the Gallo-Roman era that the area, Falaise in particular, was regularly inhabited. Evidence of settlement from the time has been found at Vaston, an agricultural area just north-east of the modern town.

Falaise, as it is sited today, probably came into being around the castle.

The town was the birthplace of William the Conqueror, first of the Norman Kings of England. He was frequently referred to as William the Bastard, on account of his being born out of wedlock to Herleva from Falaise, reputedly a tanner's daughter.

The Château de Falaise (12th–13th century), which overlooks the town from a high crag (falaise), was formerly the seat of the Dukes of Normandy. Also, the Treaty of Falaise was signed at the castle in December 1174 between the captive William I, King of Scots, and the Plantagenet King of England, Henry II.

The town was also the place that Rabbi Yom Tov of Falaise, grandchild of Rashi, held his rabbinical court.

On 26 October 1851, a statue of William the Conqueror was inaugurated here (at his place of birth).

World War II


In modern times, it is known for the battle of the Falaise Pocket during the Allied reconquest of France (called Operation Overlord) in August 1944 in which two German armies were encircled and destroyed by the allied armies. Some 10,000 German troops were killed and 50,000 taken prisoner.

Two-thirds of Falaise was destroyed by allied bombing before the town was taken by a combined force of Canadian and Polish troops. Falaise was largely restored after the war.

Château de Falaise
The main attraction for the town is the Château de Falaise, which was used by Norman Royalty as the seat of the Dukes of Normandy, until the 13th century, when it was captured by King Philip II of France. It is commonly known as Château Guillaume le Conquérant or William the Conqueror's Castle as he was born here. In 1840 it was declared a Monument historique in 1840, and today is open to the public.

National heritage sites
In addition to the castle Falaise has another 23 buildings and areas listed as a Monument historique. Three of these listed buildings, the old courthouse and two houses, are no longer remaining as were destroyed during World War II. Another 3 listed buildings are town houses from the sixteenth, seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. The remaining 17 listed sites are below:


 * Château de la Fresnaye - a seventeenth century chateau, home of Nicolas Vauquelin, that was listed as a monument in 1945. Since 1986 it has been owned by the city and is now used for hosting exhibitions.
 * Statue of William the Conqueror a nineteeth century statue, showing William the Conqueror, mounted on a horse, and carrying the Gonfalon which had been handed over to him by Pope Alexander II. The statue was created by Louis Rochet, and was listed as a monument in 2024.
 * Place Guillaume-le-Conquérant - The cobblestone floor surrounding the statue and leading to the castle was listed as a monument in 1935.
 * Old City walls - Remains of the 13th century and 17th century city walls, which were first listed as a monument in 1927.
 * Covered market - Built in 1953 to replace the old grain hall which was destroyed during the war, the building was listed as a monument in 2010.
 * Mesnil-Besnard Manor - a 16th century manor house listed as a monument in 1987.
 * Hôtel-Dieu - a thirteenth century place for the sick and elderly to receive care. In 1764 it was converted to a chapel, which it remained as such until World War 2, when it was almost completely destroyed. During the 1960s and 1970s it was completely restored and is now the Cities Library. It was registered as a monument in 1927.
 * La Romaine Inn - Former seventeenth century hostel, that was listed as a monument in 1946.
 * Inn sign - a 17th century carved stone sign for a Inn, listed as a monument in 1946.
 * Guibray fair lodges Former 18th century lodge house, registered as a monument in 1975.
 * Hotel Saint-Léonard is an 18th century hotel that was listed as a monument in 1968.
 * Les Rives Hotel is a former hotel built in the 18th century, that was recently discovered to be on top of medieval remains. The building was listed as a monument in 1967.
 * Louis Liard Lycée - This secondary school for boys was built in the third quarter of the 20th century after the original school was destroyed in World War 2. The building was listed in 2010.
 * Church of Our Lady of Guibray a 12th century Romanesque church listed as a monument in 1961.
 * Church of Saint-Gervais-Saint-Protais a twelfth century church thats construction probably began shortly after the conquest of England in 1066, at the instigation of William the Conqueror. It was listed as a monument in 1862.
 * Church of St. Lawrence a 12th century church, built with donations from Matilda of Flanders. It was listed as a monument in 1927.
 * Holy Trinity Church - First built in 840 but it was destroyed during the siege of Philippe Auguste then rebuilt in 1204. It was listed in 1889.

Museums

 * Musée des Automates - Established in 1994, the museum is dedicated to Automatons, mainly ones between 1920 to 1960, with over 300 on display.
 * André Lemaître Museum established in 2000 is dedicated to the work of artist André Lemaître. in December 2022 the museum added Micro-Folie de Falaise - Espace André Lemaitre, which allows visitors to access digitally on giant screens 2,500 art works from 12 major French museums.
 * Memorial des Civils dans La Guerre histoire inaugurated in 2016, the museum is dedicated to the daily life of the people at the heart of the Second World War and pays tribute to the 20,000 civilians killed at the Battle of Normandy.

Notable people & Animals

 * Herleva - (died c. 1050) a Norman woman known for having been the mother of William the Conqueror, and also of William's prominent half-brothers Odo of Bayeux and Robert, Count of Mortain was born here.
 * William the Conqueror (c. 1028 – 1087), future king of England, was born in Falaise.
 * Yom Tov of Falaise, an 11th century French rabbi, grandson of Rashi was born here.
 * Samuel ben Solomon of Falaise, 12th- and 13th-century French rabbi also known by his name, Sir Morel was born here.
 * Nicolas Vauquelin des Yveteaux - (1567–1649) a French libertine poet, the son of Jean Vauquelin de la Fresnaye was born here at the château de La Fresnaye.
 * Antoine de Montchrestien - (c. 1575 – - 1621) a French soldier, dramatist, adventurer and economist was born here.
 * François Bonnemer (1638 - 1689) - a French painter and engraver, was born here.
 * Pierre Henry-Larivière (1761 - 1838) a French politician and député for Calvados to the Convention was born here.
 * Frédéric de Lafresnaye (1783–1861), ornithologist, was born and died here.
 * Louis Félix Étienne, marquis de Turgot - (1796 – 1866) a French diplomat and politician was born here.
 * Louis Alphonse de Brébisson - (1798 – 1888) a French botanist and photographer was born and died here.
 * Moustache - (1799 – 1812) a barbet who is reputed to have played a part in the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars, was born here.
 * Pauline Roland - (1805 – 1852) a French feminist and socialist was born here.
 * Charles-Philippe de Chennevières-Pointel - (1820 – 1899) a French writer and art historian was born here.
 * Louis Alphonse Gassion - (1881 – 1944) was the father of Édith Piaf also an entertainer, circus performer and theatre actor, who was born here.
 * Lucien Plantefol - (1891-1983) a botanist and member of the French Academy of Sciences who developed a theory of leaf helices to explain phyllotaxis was born here.
 * Jacques Hébert - (1920 – 2018) a French politician was born and later died here.
 * Alain Ferté (b.1955) is a French professional racing driver, who was born here.
 * Michel Ferté (1958 – 2023) was a French professional racing driver who was born here.
 * Rodolphe Thomas (b. 1962) is a French politician and member of the MoDem who was born here.
 * Stéphane Le Bouyonnec (b. 1962) is a Canadian politician who was born here.
 * Cédric Hengbart (b.1980) is a French professional football manager and former player who was born here.

Twin towns – sister cities


Falaise is twinned with:


 * Henley-on-Thames, United Kingdom since 1974
 * 🇩🇪 Bad Neustadt an der Saale, Germany since 1969
 * 🇮🇹 Cassino, Italy since 1975
 * 🇨🇦 Alma, Quebec, Canada since 1969