Lion-sur-Mer
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| This article may be expanded with text translated from the corresponding article in the French Wikipedia. (December 2008) Click [show] on the right for instructions.
|
|
Lion-sur-Mer |
|
| Beach along the English Channel | |
| Administration | |
|---|---|
| Country | France |
| Region | Lower Normandy |
| Department | Calvados |
| Arrondissement | Caen |
| Canton | Douvres-la-Délivrande |
| Intercommunality | Caen la Mer |
| Mayor | Jean-Marc Gilles (2008–2014) |
| Statistics | |
| Elevation | 0–30 m (0–98 ft) (avg. 6 m or 20 ft) |
| Land area1 | 4.75 km2 (1.83 sq mi) |
| Population2 | 2,584 (2008) |
| - Density | 544 /km2 (1,410 /sq mi) |
| INSEE/Postal code | 14365/ 14780 |
| 1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km² (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries. | |
| 2 Population without double counting: residents of multiple communes (e.g., students and military personnel) only counted once. | |
Coordinates: 49°18′07″N 0°19′03″W / 49.3019°N 0.31750°W
Lion-sur-Mer is a commune in the Calvados département in the Basse-Normandie region in northwestern France.
Contents |
[edit] Geography
Lion-sur-Mer is located on the edge of the English Channel, more precisely on the Côte de Nacre (Mother of Pearl Coast), about 15 km (9.3 mi) North of Caen.
The beach is made of fine sand and is bordered, to the west, by middle-sized cliffs.
The town is served by 2 bus services : line No. 1 of the Bus Verts du Calvados and line No. 62 of Twisto. A ferry of Brittany Ferries links Ouistreham (5 km from Lion-sur-Mer) to Portsmouth in England.
[edit] History
- 6 June 1944 : The D-Day of the Battle of Normandy during World War II. British soldiers landed on the beach of Lion-sur-Mer which was a part of the Sword Beach sector.
[edit] Population
| Year | 1962 | 1968 | 1975 | 1982 | 1990 | 1999 | 2008 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 1531 | 1613 | 1748 | 1823 | 2086 | 2401 | 2584 |
[edit] Sights
- The beach, its promenade (La digue) and its villas from the beginning of the 20th century
-
To the East, the beach with the promenade (in the foreground, the SNSM look-out post)
- Saint-Pierre church (Tower from the 1st half of the 12th century)
- Lion-sur-Mer castle (Closed to the public)
- The "le Castel Louis" house (listed building), ancient casino built in 1866–1868 and then transformed in the art nouveau style.
[edit] Events
- "Les terrasses de l'été" ("The summer terraces") : about 40 free animations and concerts in July and August.
- Flea markets several times per year.
[edit] Museums
- "Maison du fossile" ("House of the Fossil").
[edit] Sport
- Hermanville sporting club (8 tennis clay courts)
- Municipal sailing school
- Sport complex (Gymnasium, tennis courts and soccer field)
[edit] Twin towns
Lion-sur-Mer is twinned with:
- Kiebingen in Baden-Württemberg, Germany
[edit] See also
[edit] References
[edit] Bibliography
- (French) Villas de Lion-sur-Mer et Hermanville-sur-Mer, Coll. Itinéraires du patrimoine, n°125
[edit] External links
| This Calvados geographical article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |