The town was destroyed by the invadingNormans in 866; they later established settlements and incorporated the wholepeninsula into theDuchy of Normandy in 933.
On 17 July 1944, during theBattle of Normandy duringWorld War II, the city was bombed during the Allied offensive against the occupying Germans.
Coutances has anoceanic climate (Köppen climate classificationCfb). The average annual temperature in Coutances is 11.2 °C (52.2 °F). The average annual rainfall is 1,061.2 mm (41.78 in) with December as the wettest month. The temperatures are highest on average in August, at around 17.5 °C (63.5 °F), and lowest in January, at around 5.5 °C (41.9 °F). The highest temperature ever recorded in Coutances was 38.9 °C (102.0 °F) on 5 August 2003; the coldest temperature ever recorded was −14.4 °C (6.1 °F) on 17 January 1985.
Climate data for Coutances (1991–2020 normals, extremes 1974–present)
Coutances is the location ofJazz sous les pommiers ("Jazz under the apple trees"), an annual jazz festival held since 1982. The festival traditionally takes place during the week ofAscension.
