Merville-Franceville-Plage
Merville-Franceville-Plage (French pronunciation: [mɛʁvil fʁɑ̃svil plaʒ] (
listen)) is a commune in the Calvados department in the Normandy region in northwestern France.
Merville-Franceville-Plage | |
|---|---|
 First aid post | |
.svg.png.webp) Coat of arms | |
Location of Merville-Franceville-Plage  | |
  Merville-Franceville-Plage  Merville-Franceville-Plage | |
| Coordinates: 49°16′39″N 0°12′12″W | |
| Country | France |
| Region | Normandy |
| Department | Calvados |
| Arrondissement | Lisieux |
| Canton | Cabourg |
| Government | |
| • Mayor (2020–2026) | Olivier Paz[1] |
| Area 1 | 10.42 km2 (4.02 sq mi) |
| Population | 2,186 |
| • Density | 210/km2 (540/sq mi) |
| Time zone | UTC+01:00 (CET) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+02:00 (CEST) |
| INSEE/Postal code | 14409 /14810 |
| Elevation | 0–42 m (0–138 ft) (avg. 14 m or 46 ft) |
| 1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km2 (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries. | |
Geography
Merville-Franceville-Plage, more usually called Franceville, is situated on the Côte Fleurie, 6 km from Cabourg and 14 km (8.7 mi) from Caen. Merville Franceville is located on the right/east side of the Baie de l'Orne.
The back country is a plain, favourable to cereal cultivation and dairy cattle.
Population
| Year | Pop. | ±% |
|---|---|---|
| 1962 | 948 | — |
| 1968 | 1,046 | +10.3% |
| 1975 | 1,184 | +13.2% |
| 1982 | 1,309 | +10.6% |
| 1990 | 1,317 | +0.6% |
| 1999 | 1,521 | +15.5% |
| 2008 | 1,874 | +23.2% |
Climate
The commune has a maritime climate : Winters are warm and summers rarely suffer from excessive heat.
Sights
- Redoute de Merville, fortification edified on Vauban's plans in 1779. Rediscovered by the occupying forces during the Second World War.
- The Merville Gun Battery (Batterie de Merville) is an historic site situated on the eastern flank of the landing area codenamed Sword. Lieutenant-Colonel Terence Otway, and the 9th Parachute Battalion, neutralized the German battery during the Battle of Merville Gun Battery on 6 June prior to the beach landings.
Tourism
Merville Franceville is attractive for families, thanks to the various beach activities and excursions in the back-country.
This town is famous for being a good spot for kite surfing.
Twin towns
See also
References
- "Répertoire national des élus: les maires". data.gouv.fr, Plateforme ouverte des données publiques françaises (in French). 2 December 2020.
- "Populations légales 2019". The National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies. 29 December 2021.
Photos
Town hall
seafront
low tide
footpath to the beach
miniature golf
former railway station now solicitor office
External links
 |
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Merville-Franceville-Plage. |
- (fr-en) Tourist Office Website
- (fr-en) City council website
