Picauville
Commune in Normandy, France From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Picauville (French pronunciation: [pikovil]) is a commune in the Manche department in Normandy in north-western France. On 1 January 2016, the former communes of Amfreville, Cretteville, Gourbesville, Houtteville and Vindefontaine were merged into Picauville.[3] On 1 January 2017, the former commune of Les Moitiers-en-Bauptois was merged into Picauville.[4] The inhabitants are called Picauvillais. Picauville also has a 17th century castle, classified as a historical landmark by the French government, called the Isle-Marie Castle. Parts of the structure date to the 11th century.
Picauville | |
|---|---|
.jpg) The church of Saint-Candide | |
.svg) Coat of arms | |
Location of Picauville  | |
  Picauville  Picauville | |
| Coordinates: 49°22′46″N 1°24′01″W | |
| Country | France |
| Region | Normandy |
| Department | Manche |
| Arrondissement | Cherbourg |
| Canton | Carentan-les-Marais |
| Intercommunality | Baie du Cotentin |
| Government | |
| • Mayor (2020–2026) | Marie-Hélène Perrotte[1] |
| Area 1 | 64.89 km2 (25.05 sq mi) |
| Population (2021)[2] | 3,237 |
| • Density | 50/km2 (130/sq mi) |
| Time zone | UTC+01:00 (CET) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+02:00 (CEST) |
| INSEE/Postal code | 50400 /50360 |
| Elevation | 2–30 m (6.6–98.4 ft) (avg. 26 m or 85 ft) |
| 1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km2 (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries. | |
| Year | Pop. | ±% p.a. |
|---|---|---|
| 1968 | 4,250 | — |
| 1975 | 4,190 | −0.20% |
| 1982 | 3,949 | −0.84% |
| 1990 | 3,523 | −1.42% |
| 1999 | 3,294 | −0.74% |
| 2007 | 3,399 | +0.39% |
| 2012 | 3,412 | +0.08% |
| 2017 | 3,278 | −0.80% |
| Source: INSEE[5] | ||
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The arms of Picauville are blazoned : Or, a crown of thorns sable between 3 mallets vert, and on a chief gules a leopard Or.
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Picauville was one of the first towns liberated by Allied forces following the Normandy landings in early June 1944; German General Wilhelm Falley was killed there by an American paratrooper shortly after the invasion began. Engineers of the Ninth Air Force IX Engineering Command began construction of a combat Advanced Landing Ground to the northwest of the town. Declared operational on 26 June, the airfield was designated as "A-8", it was used by the 405th Fighter Group which flew P-47 Thunderbolts until mid-September when the unit moved to St. Dizier, near Nancy.[6] Afterward, the airfield was closed.[7][8] A cairn marking the location of the airfield is on the east side of the D69, 2.3 km outside of Picauville on the way to Gourbesville (49°23'34.19"N, 1°25'07.69"E).[9]
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