Clécy
Encyclopedia
Clécy is a French Commune
in the Calvados
department in the Basse-Normandie
region
in northwestern France
.
In 1932 it was awarded the title The Capital of Swiss Normandy
by the Tourism Minister Monsieur Gourdeau.
Clécy is on the River Orne, in the middle of Swiss Normandy
, about 35 kilometres (21.7 mi)s south of Caen
. Covering 2463 hectares (6,086.2 acre) it is the largest communne in the canton of Thury-Harcourt
.
Called the "Capital of Swiss Normandy", this village owes its fame to the rugged and verdant Armorican massif
, with valleys through which the Orne flows.
Plenty of outdoor activities are available: kayaking
, paragliding
, climbing
, hill walking and mountain biking
, taking advantage of the geology of Swiss Normandy.
.
When French cantons were created, Clécy was the capital of the canton. This ceased to be the case after restructuring in 1801.
Clécy has a wealth of historical treastures: Château
x and manor houses are spread all over Clécy and its surroundings. The Château de la Landelle is one of the oldest.
More recently, painters such as Pissaro
, Moteley and Hardy have painted landscapes around Clécy.
Its inhabitatants are called Clécyens.
Communes of France
The commune is the lowest level of administrative division in the French Republic. French communes are roughly equivalent to incorporated municipalities or villages in the United States or Gemeinden in Germany...
in the Calvados
Calvados
The French department of Calvados is part of the region of Basse-Normandie in Normandy. It takes its name from a cluster of rocks off the English Channel coast...
department in the Basse-Normandie
Basse-Normandie
Lower Normandy is an administrative region of France. It was created in 1956, when the Normandy region was divided into Lower Normandy and Upper Normandy...
region
Régions of France
France is divided into 27 administrative regions , 22 of which are in Metropolitan France, and five of which are overseas. Corsica is a territorial collectivity , but is considered a region in mainstream usage, and is even shown as such on the INSEE website...
in northwestern France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
.
In 1932 it was awarded the title The Capital of Swiss Normandy
Swiss Normandy
Swiss Normandy is a part of Normandy that bestrides Calvados and Orne.Its name comes from its rugged and verdant relief resembling the Swiss Alps, with gorges carved by the Orne River and its tributaries, and by erosion in the Armorican Massif between Putanges-Pont-Écrepin and Thury-Harcourt...
by the Tourism Minister Monsieur Gourdeau.
Geography
Swiss Normandy
Swiss Normandy is a part of Normandy that bestrides Calvados and Orne.Its name comes from its rugged and verdant relief resembling the Swiss Alps, with gorges carved by the Orne River and its tributaries, and by erosion in the Armorican Massif between Putanges-Pont-Écrepin and Thury-Harcourt...
, about 35 kilometres (21.7 mi)s south of Caen
Caen
Caen is a commune in northwestern France. It is the prefecture of the Calvados department and the capital of the Basse-Normandie region. It is located inland from the English Channel....
. Covering 2463 hectares (6,086.2 acre) it is the largest communne in the canton of Thury-Harcourt
Thury-Harcourt
Thury-Harcourt is a French commune in the Calvados department in the Basse-Normandie region in northwestern France.Situated in the Orne valley, its surroundings are much like Clécy, but the Rock of Oëtre contrasts with the plateau of Caen to the north....
.
Called the "Capital of Swiss Normandy", this village owes its fame to the rugged and verdant Armorican massif
Armorican Massif
The Armorican Massif is a geologic massif that covers a large area in the northwest of France, including Brittany, the western part of Normandy and the Pays de la Loire. Its name comes from the old Armorica, a Gaul area between the Loire and the Seine rivers...
, with valleys through which the Orne flows.
Plenty of outdoor activities are available: kayaking
Kayaking
Kayaking is the use of a kayak for moving across water. Kayaking and canoeing are also known as paddling. Kayaking is distinguished from canoeing by the sitting position of the paddler and the number of blades on the paddle...
, paragliding
Paragliding
Paragliding is the recreational and competitive adventure sport of flying paragliders: lightweight, free-flying, foot-launched glider aircraft with no rigid primary structure...
, climbing
Climbing
Climbing is the activity of using one's hands and feet to ascend a steep object. It is done both for recreation and professionally, as part of activities such as maintenance of a structure, or military operations.Climbing activities include:* Bouldering: Ascending boulders or small...
, hill walking and mountain biking
Mountain biking
Mountain biking is a sport which consists of riding bicycles off-road, often over rough terrain, using specially adapted mountain bikes. Mountain bikes share similarities with other bikes, but incorporate features designed to enhance durability and performance in rough terrain.Mountain biking can...
, taking advantage of the geology of Swiss Normandy.
History
The name "Clécy" is mentioned in 860 in the reign of Charles the BaldCharles the Bald
Charles the Bald , Holy Roman Emperor and King of West Francia , was the youngest son of the Emperor Louis the Pious by his second wife Judith.-Struggle against his brothers:He was born on 13 June 823 in Frankfurt, when his elder...
.
When French cantons were created, Clécy was the capital of the canton. This ceased to be the case after restructuring in 1801.
Clécy has a wealth of historical treastures: Château
Château
A château is a manor house or residence of the lord of the manor or a country house of nobility or gentry, with or without fortifications, originally—and still most frequently—in French-speaking regions...
x and manor houses are spread all over Clécy and its surroundings. The Château de la Landelle is one of the oldest.
More recently, painters such as Pissaro
Pissaro
Pissaro may refer to:*Camille Pissarro French Impressionist painterSons of Camille:*Félix Pissarro painter, etcher and caricaturist*Georges Henri Manzana Pissarro French artist...
, Moteley and Hardy have painted landscapes around Clécy.
Administration
| Start | End | Name | Party | Profession |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1989 | March 2008 | Claude Hergault | Independent | - |
| March 2008 | current | Michel Bar | Independent | Farmer |
Population
Clécy had 2171 inhabitants in 1800.Its inhabitatants are called Clécyens.
Sights
- The Château de La Landelle is one of the oldest monuments iin the village. At its base it is in the form of a cross, originally on one floor, but was changed to two floors when the wings were reworked. In the Second World War it was occupied by the Germans.
- Rochers des Parcs (Park rocks)
- Pain de sucre (Sugarloaf)
- Musée Hardy (Hardy Museum)
- Musée du chemin de fer miniature (Museum of miniature trainsRail transport modellingRailway modelling or model railroading is a hobby in which rail transport systems are modelled at a reduced scale...
) - Manoir de Placy (Placy Manor) (16th century)
- Eglise St Pierre (St Paul's church) (15th century)
- Clécy Viaduct (1866)