Pont-l'Évêque (Calvados)

Pont-l'Évêque

Commune

Saint Michael's Church in Pont-l'Évêque

Coat of arms

Pont-l'Évêque

Location within Normandy region

Pont-l'Évêque

Coordinates: 49°17′11″N 0°11′05″E / 49.2864°N 0.1847°ECoordinates: 49°17′11″N 0°11′05″E / 49.2864°N 0.1847°E

Country

Blangy Pont-l'Évêque

Government

• Mayor (2008–2014)

André Desperrois

Area¹

8.07 km² (3.12 sq mi)

Population (2008)²

4,202

• Density

520/km² (1,300/sq mi)

Time zone

CET (UTC+1)

• Summer (DST)

CEST (UTC+2)

INSEE/Postal code

14514 /14130

Elevation

7–118 m (23–387 ft)
(avg. 16 m or 52 ft)

¹ French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km² (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries.

²Population without double counting: residents of multiple communes (e.g., students and military personnel) only counted once.

¹ French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km² (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries.

Pont-l'Évêque is a commune in the Calvados department in the Normandy region in northwestern France. It is known for Pont-l'Évêque cheese, a type of soft cheese, the oldest Normandy cheese in production.

During World War II, the town was severely damaged by a two-day battle in August 1944.

The town serves as the setting for Gustave Flaubert's story Un cœur simple and features heavily in the book 13 - Lucky For Some which is about the history of the 13th (Lancashire) Parachute Battalion. There are many then and now photographs as well as maps and diagrams of battles that took place in the region.

The Touques River flows through Pont-l'Évêque, which takes its name from a bridge (pont) built over the river. Starting in the 10th century, the local bishop (évêque) took responsibility for building and repairing the bridges and roads in France. Pont-l'Évêque thus means "Bishop Bridge." It was Latinised as Pons-Episcopi.

Pont-l'Évêque was the birthplace of:

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Wikipedia