Lion-sur-Mer

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Lion-sur-Mer

Lion-sur-Mer Digue vue de la plage.jpg
Beach along the English Channel
Coat of arms of Lion-sur-Mer
Lion-sur-Mer is located in France
Lion-sur-Mer
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 / 49.3019; -0.31750

Lion-sur-Mer is a commune in the Calvados department in the Basse-Normandie region in northwestern France.

Contents

Geography [edit]

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.

History [edit]

  • 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.
British soldiers passing through Lion-sur-Mer.

Population [edit]

Historical population
Year Pop.   ±%  
1962 1,531 —    
1968 1,613 +5.4%
1975 1,748 +8.4%
1982 1,823 +4.3%
1990 2,086 +14.4%
1999 2,401 +15.1%
2008 2,584 +7.6%

Sights [edit]

  • The beach, its promenade (La digue) and its villas from the beginning of the 20th century
  • 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.

The town is crossed by the EuroVelo 4 track.

Events [edit]

  • "Les terrasses de l'été" ("The summer terraces") : about 40 free animations and concerts in July and August.
  • Flea markets several times per year.

Museums [edit]

  • "Maison du fossile" ("House of the Fossil").

Sport [edit]

  • Hermanville sporting club (8 tennis clay courts)
  • Municipal sailing school
  • Sport complex (Gymnasium, tennis courts and soccer field)

International relations [edit]

Lion-sur-Mer is twinned with:

See also [edit]

References [edit]

Bibliography [edit]

  • (French) Villas de Lion-sur-Mer et Hermanville-sur-Mer, Coll. Itinéraires du patrimoine, n°125

External links [edit]