Saint-Valery-en-Caux

Saint-Valery-en-Caux (French pronunciation: ​[sɛ̃.valʁi.ɑ̃.ko:]) is a commune in the Seine-Maritime department in the Normandy region in northern France.

Saint-Valery-en-Caux
Commune
The marina and town centre
Coat of arms
Location of Saint-Valery-en-Caux
Saint-Valery-en-Caux
Saint-Valery-en-Caux
Coordinates: 49°51′40″N 0°42′36″E
CountryFrance
RegionNormandy
DepartmentSeine-Maritime
ArrondissementDieppe
CantonSaint-Valery-en-Caux
IntercommunalityCC Côte d'Albâtre
Government
 • Mayor (2014–2020) Dominique Chauvel
Area
1
10.47 km2 (4.04 sq mi)
Population
 (2017-01-01)[1]
4,006
 • Density380/km2 (990/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+01:00 (CET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+02:00 (CEST)
INSEE/Postal code
76655 /76460
Elevation0–80 m (0–262 ft)
(avg. 5 m or 16 ft)
1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km2 (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries.

The addition of an acute accent on the "e" (Valéry) is incorrect.

Geography

A small fishing port and light industrial town situated in the Pays de Caux, some 20 miles (32 km) west of Dieppe at the junction of the D53, D20, D79 and the D925 roads. Here, huge chalk cliffs rise up from the pebble beach (sandy at low tide) to overlook the English Channel. The SNCF station closed in the 1990s and the only public transport available is an infrequent bus service.

The house called "Henry IV" (16th century)
Railway poster promoting bathing in the town (1892)

History

It is said to have been founded by Saint Valery in the 7th century. A monastery was built on the site of the present-day town and was known as ‘’’Sanctum Walaricum’’’ in 990 CE, according to the charter in which Richard I, Duke of Normandy, gave the town (part of his personal property) to the abbey of Fecamp. A busy fishing port from the 13th to the 17th century, its decline was due to the growth of the much larger port of Fecamp, to the west.

It is perhaps best known as the place where the British 51st (Highland) Infantry Division commanded by Major-General Victor Fortune and French troops surrendered to Major-General Erwin Rommel on June 12, 1940, with the town partly destroyed in the fighting. Saint-Valéry-en-Caux was liberated on 11 September 1944 by a re-formed 51st Highland division,[2] among scenes of great local jubilation.[3] On 17 January 1945, the railway station was destroyed when a runaway train full of American troops crashed into it. Eighty-nine American soldiers were killed and 152 were injured.[4]
The town has a casino, waterpark and has achieved the highest rating of four flowers in the annual France in Bloom competition. Tourism now accounts for much of the town's prosperity.

Heraldry
Arms of Saint-Valery-en-Caux
 The arms of Saint-Valery-en-Caux are blazoned :
Azure, 2 dolphins addorsed argent.

Population
Historical population of Saint-Valery-en-Caux
Year1962196819751982199019992006
Population2905308932745501459547824733
From the year 1962 on: No double counting—residents of multiple communes (e.g. students and military personnel) are counted only once.

Places of interest

People
  • French artist Adrien Victor Auger (1787–1854), was born here in October 1787.
  • Orientalist Charles Defrémery (1822–1883) died in Saint-Valery-en-Caux.
  • Chelsea Football Club footballer Demba Ba grew up here.

Twin towns

See also

References
  1. "Populations légales 2017". INSEE. Retrieved 6 January 2020.
  2. Armées.com - Ossian Seipel's Memoirs ch 7
  3. Trevor Royale. Queen's Own Highlanders: A Concise History. pp. 163, 187. Mainstream Publishing Ltd. Edinburgh. 2007. ISBN 9781845960926.
  4. Russell C. Eustice Recalls the Troop Train 2980 Tragedy at St. Valery-en-Caux During World War II
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