1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km2 (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries.
Crécy-en-Ponthieu (French:[kʁe.si.ɑ̃.pɔ̃.tjø]), known in archaic English asCressy, is acommune located south ofCalais in the northern Frenchdepartment ofSomme. It gives its name to Crécy Forest, which starts about two kilometres to the south-west of the town and is one of the largest in the north of France. A small river, the Maye, runs through the town.
Crécy-en-Ponthieu is best known as the site of theBattle of Crécy in 1346, one of the earliest and most important battles of theHundred Years' War.There are other significant historical links. TheChaussée Brunehaut, which passed within two miles (3.2 km) of the town, is the Roman road from Paris and Amiens to Boulogne, and is still visible and walkable today.
The town lends its name to a popular carrot soup known aspotage Crécy.
The British built an airfield in Crécy to provide air support before the fall of France in 1940. During theBattle of France, the plan seems to have been to deployRAF squadrons ofBristol Blenheimlight bombers there, but it is not clear how intensively the airfield was used. In the confused days of mid-May 1940 one squadron that was ordered to deploy there did not do so due to the absence of any military protection. It is most notable for its occupation by the GermanLuftwaffe, with GruppeZerstörergeschwader 26 ofMesserschmitt Bf 110s stationed there from May 1940 until November 1940 when, after the end of theBattle of Britain, the Gruppe was withdrawn to Germany to rest and re-equip. Several other squadrons came and went, including someMesserschmitt Bf 109s. The entrance to the airfield is still visible on the left of the D12 road from Crécy toLigescourt, midway between the two. Some fortified installations are also visible, hidden beneath trees on various sides of the airfield.
The Crécy museum holds a collection of items, displayed over two rooms and a passageway. The collection includes information about the battle of Crecy as well as various items from the Second World War, pre-historic material and geological specimens.
There was a station (Crécy-Estrées) on a branch of theRéseau des Bains de Mer which ran betweenAbbeville andDompierre-sur-Authie. It opened on 19 June 1892 and closed to passengers on 10 March 1947 and freight on 1 February 1951.
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