Granville | |
|---|---|
 The harbour of Granville, with Notre-Dame church in the background | |
 Coat of arms | |
Location of Granville  | |
  Granville  Granville | |
| Coordinates:48°50′15″N1°35′38″W / 48.837401°N 1.593931°W /48.837401; -1.593931 | |
| Country | France |
| Region | Normandy |
| Department | Manche |
| Arrondissement | Avranches |
| Canton | Granville |
| Intercommunality | Granville, Terre et Mer |
| Government | |
| • Mayor(2020–2026) | Gilles Ménard[1] |
Area 1 | 9.9 km2 (3.8 sq mi) |
| Population (2022)[2] | 12,799 |
| • Density | 1,300/km2 (3,300/sq mi) |
| Time zone | UTC+01:00 (CET) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+02:00 (CEST) |
| INSEE/Postal code | 50218 /50400 |
| Elevation | 0–67 m (0–220 ft) (avg. 37 m or 121 ft) |
| 1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km2 (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries. | |
Granville (French pronunciation:[ɡʁɑ̃.vil]ⓘ;Norman:Graunville) is acommune in theManchedepartment andregion ofNormandy, northwesternFrance.[3] Thechef-lieu of thecanton of Granville and seat of theCommunauté de communes de Granville, Terre et Mer [fr], it is aseaside resort andhealth resort ofMont Saint-Michel Bay, at the end of theCôte des Havres [fr], a formercod-fishingport and the firstshellfish port of France. It is sometimes nicknamed "Monaco of the North" by virtue of its location on a rocky promontory.
The town was founded by avassal ofWilliam the Conqueror on land occupied by theVikings in the 11th century. The oldprivateer city andfortification for the defence ofMont Saint-Michel became a seaside resort in the 19th century which was frequented by manyartists and equipped with agolf course and ahorse racingcourse.
Home of theDior family [fr] of industrialists, an important commune that absorbed the village of Saint-Nicolas-près-Granville in 1962, port and airport of South Manche, it has also been aDouzelage city since 1991, twinned with 20 European cities. Administratively, the islands ofChausey, the French Channel Islands, which include a small harbour, are part of the commune of Granville.
Granville is located at the edge of theEnglish Channel at the extremity of thenatural region [fr] of theCotentin. It defines the north of the Bay ofMont Saint-Michel and the south of theCôte des Havres [fr]. The upper town is located on apeninsula surrounded byschistcliffs, known asPointe du Roc or Cap Lihou. The rest of the town extends eastward inland, bounded on the north by theBoscq [fr], a short coastal river, and on the south by alternating cliffs and beaches up to the Saigue stream.
The commune has foursand beaches, one to the north between the peninsula and the river, three to the south on the bay. It occupies 990 acres (400 ha);[4] of mostly urbanised territory, but this urbanisation is now limited by theNatura 2000 European directive and thelaw of preservation of the coastline [fr]. The town is part of theassociation [fr] ofLes Plus Beaux Détours de France [fr]. TheNational Institute of Geographic Information and Forestry gives the co-ordinates as48°50′17″N1°35′13″W / 48.83806°N 1.58694°W /48.83806; -1.58694.[4] It is at the centre of theUrban Area of Granville [fr].
Closing in the north of the Bay of Mont Saint-Michel and itsforeshore of a very gentle gradient, it enjoys the highesttides in Europe, up to 14 m (46 ft) oftidal range. This situation also sometimes leads to significant changes of the coastal features of the nearby beaches.[5]
Off the coast, thearchipelago of theChausey Islands is administered by the commune of Granville. It is one of the only island quarters of France. It consists of 52 islands ofgranite at high tide and more than 365 at low tide covering almost 5,000 ha (12,000 acres).
Granville is located 17 km (11 mi) southwest of its insular district of Chausey, 288 km (179 mi) to the west ofNotre-Dame inParis,point zero of the roads of France [fr], 40 km (25 mi) southwest ofSaint-Lô, 24 km (15 mi) northwest ofAvranches, 27 km (17 mi) southwest ofCoutances, 90 km (56 mi) to the south ofCherbourg-Octeville, 23 km (14 mi) north ofMont Saint-Michel, 26 km (16 mi) northeast ofCancale and 99 km (62 mi) to the southwest ofCaen.
It is also located 5,356 km (3,328 mi) fromGranville in the State ofNew York, 6,053 km (3,761 mi) fromGranville, West Virginia and 6,196 km (3,850 mi) fromGranville, Ohio, among others.
Granville has natural limits materialised by theBoscq [fr] river to the north and the Saigue stream in the south. For a few years, an artificial river pierced between the mainland and the peninsula. It was filled and is now replaced byPlace duMaréchal-Foch.
The commune is largely at sea level. It rises only towards the interior, a little more on the peninsula from the Pointe du Roc to reach 67 m (220 ft).[4]
Granville, located on the Pointe du Roc is washed to the north, south and to the west by the English Channel. To the northeast lies the commune ofDonville-les-Bains, the village ofYquelon is to the east and to the southeast are the smallseaside resort ofSaint-Pair-sur-Mer and the village ofSaint-Planchers. The islandquarter ofChausey is located off to the northwest, andMont Saint-Michel is to the south.
Granville is located on the English Channel coast, it is therefore subject to anoceanic climate. However its positioning on the Bay of theMont Saint-Michel, at the bottom of the gulf formed byNormandy andBrittany, allows it to be relatively protected from storms and wind (even though it may be exposed to theSuroît [fr]) and enjoy mild temperatures. Annual average temperature stood at 11.4 °C (52.5 °F) with a maximum of 14.2 °C (57.6 °F) and a minimum of 8.6 °C (47.5 °F). The maximum nominal temperatures of 21 °C (70 °F) in July–August and 3 °C (37 °F) in January–February show the mildness of the climate and the lack ofthermal amplitude. Theinsolation values given here are those of the station ofCaen, due to the lack of local data. Contrary to a common misconception, 606 mm (23.9 in) of total precipitation shows that Normandy is not a wetter region than others. The record of rainfall per 24-hour period was established during a storm on 11 July 1977 with 57.2 mm (2.25 in) of water.
In the1987 storm, wind speeds reached a high of 220 km/h (140 mph; 120 kn), which is the current absolute record for the city.
| Climate data for Granville-Longueville (2008–2020 normals, extremes 2008–present) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 15.3 (59.5) | 19.7 (67.5) | 25.1 (77.2) | 28.2 (82.8) | 29.9 (85.8) | 36.5 (97.7) | 40.4 (104.7) | 35.0 (95.0) | 34.1 (93.4) | 29.0 (84.2) | 21.8 (71.2) | 16.4 (61.5) | 40.4 (104.7) |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 8.9 (48.0) | 9.6 (49.3) | 12.0 (53.6) | 15.3 (59.5) | 17.4 (63.3) | 20.4 (68.7) | 22.4 (72.3) | 21.9 (71.4) | 20.4 (68.7) | 16.8 (62.2) | 12.9 (55.2) | 10.1 (50.2) | 15.7 (60.3) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | 6.0 (42.8) | 6.4 (43.5) | 8.2 (46.8) | 10.7 (51.3) | 13.1 (55.6) | 16.3 (61.3) | 18.2 (64.8) | 18.0 (64.4) | 16.1 (61.0) | 13.3 (55.9) | 9.8 (49.6) | 7.2 (45.0) | 11.9 (53.4) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 3.1 (37.6) | 3.2 (37.8) | 4.3 (39.7) | 6.1 (43.0) | 8.8 (47.8) | 12.3 (54.1) | 14.0 (57.2) | 14.2 (57.6) | 11.7 (53.1) | 9.7 (49.5) | 6.7 (44.1) | 4.2 (39.6) | 8.2 (46.8) |
| Record low °C (°F) | −11.3 (11.7) | −10.1 (13.8) | −6.9 (19.6) | −6.0 (21.2) | −2.7 (27.1) | 3.0 (37.4) | 4.2 (39.6) | 4.4 (39.9) | 0.2 (32.4) | −1.8 (28.8) | −7.8 (18.0) | −8.5 (16.7) | −11.3 (11.7) |
| Averageprecipitation mm (inches) | 81.2 (3.20) | 65.2 (2.57) | 53.9 (2.12) | 46.5 (1.83) | 44.9 (1.77) | 55.8 (2.20) | 40.6 (1.60) | 61.6 (2.43) | 54.0 (2.13) | 94.8 (3.73) | 100.9 (3.97) | 103.0 (4.06) | 802.4 (31.59) |
| Average precipitation days(≥ 1.0 mm) | 15.5 | 11.8 | 10.5 | 8.4 | 8.3 | 8.7 | 7.5 | 9.4 | 8.8 | 12.6 | 14.6 | 15.2 | 131.3 |
| Source: Meteociel[6] | |||||||||||||
Several highways serve the commune including the downgraded roadsRN 171 [fr] (now the RD 971 fromCarentan),RN 24BIS [fr] (now the RD 924 towardsVilledieu-les-Poêles) andRN 173 [fr] (now the RD 973 fromAvranches). Granville is located 25 km (16 mi) from theA84 (E401). It is also crossed from north to south by the oldRN 811 [fr], today the RD 911, the road to the coast at Avranches.
TheParis–Granville line [fr] departing fromParis-Montparnasse railway station has its terminus atGranville station; it is used byTER Normandie long and medium distance services.
Several bus routes connect Granville with a network set up by the General Council of Manche,Manéo [fr] with routes 2, 3, 7, 116, 122, 202, 300, 302 and 305, and the Néva network since December 2014, created and operated in-house by the town of Granville.
TheGranville-Mont-Saint-Michel Airport [fr] allows landings of private aircraft and theCaen – Carpiquet Airport ensures the interregional links.
By sea, the port of Granville serves theChausey Islands and theChannel Islands (44,100 passengers) and hosts freight activities (197,000 tonnes).
An urban transport network is planned for 2014 and should cross the wholecommunity of communes [fr].[7]
The commune is divided into several quarters: the Haute Ville, the historic heart behind the ramparts; Couraye; La Tranchée, which occupies the former site of an arm of the sea dug by man; Le Calvaire; Le Centre, the currenttown centre; and Saint-Nicolas, which corresponds to the former commune of Saint-Nicolas-près-Granville, joined in 1962. The quarter of the Agora has been classified priority in the title under the policy of the commune.[8]
The name of the city is mentioned in the forms ofGrandivilla in 1054,[9]Grande Villa in 1056,[9]Grandvilla in 1172[9] andGranville in 1175.[9]
All modern toponymists agree on the origin of theGran- element:Albert Dauzat andCharles Rostaing have classed Granville with the toponyms of theGrandvelle/Grandville type, whose first term is explained just by theOld Frenchgrant ("grand").[10] François de Beaurepaire followed suit,[11] as well asErnest Nègre[12] andRené Lepelley [fr].[13]
According to Édouard Le Héricher ("Avranchin monumental and historic") the origin of the toponym is explained by a character namedGrant who received the fief ofRollo of Normandy during the conquest ofNeustria.[citation needed]
If experts agree all that it is a medieval formation of-ville, the exact meaning to give this suffix varies between "village, hamlet" (Albert Dauzat and Charles Rostaing, François de Beaurepaire, Ernest Nègre) and "domain" (René Lepelley) which should probably be in the sense of "rural area", initially it had the value of theGallo-RomanVILLA.
Some historians and geographers of the past have attempted to connect Granville to theGrannonum/Grannona, toponym attested in theNotitia Dignitatum on theSaxon Shore from the lateRoman Empire:tribunus cohortis primae Armoricanae, Grannona novae in litore Saxonico. This explains why some 18th-century maps describing the formerRoman Gaul revealed the name ofGrannonum at the location of Granville (see map opposite). This hypothesis is now abandoned by contemporary practitioners.
During theRevolution, the town temporarily took the name ofGranville-la-Victoire (after thesiege of the Vendéens she had victoriously endured in 1793), the name was then formalised without this complementary addition.[14]
According to the standardNorman spelling developed in the second half of the 20th century, the name of the town is written asGraunville (French pronunciation:[ɡʁɑɔ̃vil]).
Cap Lihou is named from theOld Norse wordholm meaning "island, islet" and which has in some cases evolved as-hou, as the endpoint.
According to a legend concerning theMont Saint-Michel Bay, Granville and the insular quarter ofChausey were covered in theForest of Scissy [fr], sunken in 709.[15] Granville, in the heart of the land, would then become likeDinard andSaint-Malo a coastal town known as Roque de Lihou.
In 1066,William the Conqueror sought the help of the local Grant family during theNorman Conquest. As a token of recognition, he awarded the lands of Roque de Lihou. The Grants are therefore the first Lords of the town after theVikings.[16] In 1143, theparish of Notre-Dame was created. It is probable that monks fromMont-Saint-Michel went to the Priory onLihou during the first half of the 12th century. In 1252, in the absence of a male descendant, Jeanne de Granville married Raoul d'Argouges, Lord ofGratot. In 1424, the criminal case of Pierre Le Maçon took place in Granville, which was then judged by the chancery ofHenry VI of England in February 1425, in Paris.[17] In 1439, the construction of theNotre-Dame du Cap Lihou Church [fr] began.
On 26 October 1439, English officerSir Thomas de Scales, who served as theSeneschal ofNormandy during theHundred Years' War, bought the Roque of Jean d'Argouges. On the orders ofHenry VI of England, in order to isolate Mont Saint-Michel, the last French bridgehead into Norman territory, he had the walls of Granville built. In 1440, the construction of thefortress began. To further protect this city, de Scales had a ditch dug between the peninsula and the mainland, so that the sea and the waters of the Boscq made the peninsula an island.
However, on 8 November 1442, by ruse,Louis d'Estouteville [fr] took over the castle since which has remained permanently in the hands of the French.Charles VII decided to make Granville a fortified town and signed a charter in 1445 grantingarms and exempting the residents oftax. From 1450, ships were fishing atNewfoundland. In 1470,Louis XI visited the town to ensure its loyalty in the conflict opposing theBretons andBurgundians. In 1492, theJews of Spain, expelled by theAlhambra Decree, arrived in France. A community settled in Granville, their right totrade and tolend money allowed the town to arm a large fleet.
In 1562, the restoration of theramparts began and agarrison moved into thebarracks. Then in 1593 the keys to the city were presented toHenry IV, marking the importance of the town to theKingdom. UnderLouis XIII, the fortifications were adapted forartillery. From the reign ofLouis XIV, Granville ships also had the right tocapture. Therefore, between seventy and eighty ships were armed and Granville gave fifteenadmirals to France, of which the best known isGeorges René Le Peley de Pléville. In 1688,Louvois razed part of the defences of the town. Louis XIV appointed the firstmayor of Granville in 1692: Luc Leboucher de Gastagny. On 8 July 1695, during theNine Years' War, EnglishRoyal Navy warships led byJohn Benbow bombarded Granville for 8 hours using over 800 shells, destroying 27 of the town's houses.Vauban then studied possible improvements to the stronghold without having the time to carry them out.
Following the bombardment, the ramparts were raised and increased in 1720. Then, from 1749, development work and expansion of the port was undertaken, with, in 1750, the laying of thebreakwater, ever-present today. This work was completed in 1757, in the meantime, a new barracks was built. In 1763, a fire swept through thefaubourgs. In 1777, a new barracks was added, theGênes barracks still present today. On 20 July 1786, a new fire broke out, this time in the Tranchée quarter at the gates of thecitadel.
On 14 November 1793, or24 brumaire year II, was theSiege of Granville by theVendéens during theVirée de Galerne. A force of some 25,000 Vendéen troops (followed by thousands of civilians of all ages), commanded byHenri de la Rochejaquelein, headed for the port of Granville where they expected to be greeted by British warships and an army of Royalist exiles. Arriving at Granville, they found the walled city surrounded by Republican forces, with no British ships in sight. Their attempts to take the city were unsuccessful. During the retreat the extended columns fell prey to Republican forces. Repulsed by the population, having lost two thousand men, they had to abandon the assault but left by burning theRue des Juifs. On 14 September 1803, the Royal Navy again bombarded the town after imposing ablockade of the coast.
From 1815, after years of military conflict, in fullRestoration, Granville seemed to take a new direction. Thechamber of commerce and industry was created; in 1816, the shores of the Boscq baptisedCours Jonville; in 1823, the breakwater was joined to the land, and in 1827, the first stone of the RocLighthouse was laid.
Granville once formed part of thediocese of Coutances, theParliament ofRouen and theintendance ofCaen. Before theFrench Revolution, the town had twoparishes: The Church of Notre-Dame du Cap Lihou and Saint-Nicolas. This parish was an appendix of Notre-Dame until Saint-Nicolas was set up in 1829 whose territory is regarded as a commune independent of Granville.
The port obtained its current appearance after 1856 and the inauguration of the wet dock and thelock. In 1860, the first woodencasino, built by former Mayor Méquin, was inaugurated. In 1865, it was followed by thehospice ofSt. Peter. In 1866, Victor Chesnais composed a hymn for his town,"La Granvillaise", adapted in 1868 at thetheatre.
In 1867, the town acquired its firstoaredlifeboat, theSaint-Thomas-et-Saint-Joseph-de-Saint-Faron. In 1869, thenewspaperLe Granvillais was created, and in 1870, theParis–Granville line [fr] andrailway station were opened on 3 July. The town really became aseaside resort welcoming Parisians and guests such asStendhal,Jules Michelet andVictor Hugo, and the parents ofMaurice Denis who was born "accidentally" in Granville.
From 1875, major construction resumed, with the construction of a reservoir of 1,200 m3 (42,000 cu ft), Polotsk and Solferino barracks, and of theauctionmarket hall. The town continued to equip itself with the opening in 1884 of the municipallibrary, in 1886 the school group ofSt. Paul, in 1887 thedry dock and in 1897 a corps offirefighters. To entertain holidaymakers, the Granvillaises Regatta Society was founded in 1889, thehorse racing course and theSociété des Courses of Granville in 1890, and thegolf course in 1912. TheMontparnasse derailment was on 22 October 1895, when the Granville–Paris express train overran the buffers atParis Montparnasse station. Finally, in 1898, theSt. Paul Church was inaugurated.
The 20th century began with the burning of theChâteau de la Crête in 1900. In 1905, fashion designerChristian Dior was born in Granville; his childhood home is now a museum.[18] In 1908, the town was endowed with avisitor centre. It also became a centre of communication with the opening in 1908 of the railway line andtramway of Granville toSourdeval, passing throughAvranches, and one towardsCondé-sur-Vire in 1910. In 1911, the new casino was opened, with thematernity hospital and thesavings bank by ministerJules Pams. In 1912,electricity was installed in the commune and theNormandy-Hôtel was inaugurated. 1914 was a dark year for Granville with the loss of four sailors in the lifeboat accident of theAdmiral-Amédée-Roze and departure for thewar of the soldiers of the2nd [fr] and202nd infantry regiment [fr].
After the war, the regatta resumed in 1919, thecarnival in 1920 and a son of the area,Lucien Dior [fr], became Minister of Commerce in the seventh government ofAristide Briand and came to visit the town in 1921. In 1925, a new railway station was inaugurated, Granville became a healthresort and theHôtel des Bains opened in 1926. In 1931, the lastfishing vessel returned fromNewfoundland.
Agarrison and coastal town closing the Bay ofMont Saint-Michel, Granville has always been coveted during armed conflicts in the area. During theSecond World War, on 17 June 1940, theGermans entered Granville. On 21 September 1941, an article appeared inLe Granvillais signed by the name of "Camille", where the author was alerting readers to the dangers and lack of basis for the next laws on thestatus of Jews of theVichy regime. Despite this mark ofresistance, eight GranvilleJews weredeported toAuschwitz: Léon Bobulesco and his two sons Armand and Rodolphe, Simon Goldenberg, his wife Minka and their children Henri and Ruben, as well as Smil Weesler. ThreeCommunists suffered the same fate: Léon Lamort, René Loncle and Charles Passot.
The whole of the population underwent the constraints of theOccupation. From the beginning, the Germans built fortifications on the Pointe du Roc and forbade access to theport. On 20 May 1942, a newmunicipal council was installed by theprefect. On 1 April 1943, all of the Haute-Ville had to be evacuated, barriers and anti-tank roadblocks prevented access. The Normandy Hotel was transformed into akommandantur and a branch of theGestapo.
A signature name of this period was Maurice Marland. Born on 12 February 1888 inFalaise, and a teacher ofEnglish,French andcivics, he led alocal resistance network. Notable in the town, in 1939, he organised the reception of Belgian refugees and the evacuation ofBritish military personnel to England. Later, with Jules Leprince, they put escape routes toJersey in place. Throughout the occupation, his relations enabled him to mount a clandestineintelligence network on port and rail facilities and enemy operations in theChannel Islands. Arrested and then released in 1941 and 1943, he nonetheless continued until 22 July 1944, when he was arrested and shot by German forces in the forest ofLucerne at the request ofFrench collaborators. On 23 July 1994, his son Serge Marland filed a complaint with the French government, which concluded that he was murdered by the Germans. Today, thesecondary school of the commune bears his name.[19]
On 6 June 1944, the "Green Plan" of sabotage of railway lines was implemented to cut theParis–Granville line [fr]. Liberated without fighting on 31 July 1944, it saw the troops ofGeneral Patton pass for two days, who went down to the town centre by theCoutances road and up theRue Couraye to get out by theAvranches road. The vibration caused by the passage of armoured cars for two days brought down the façade nameplates of several houses.
Granville was reoccupied for a few hours, during theGranville Raid of 9 March 1945, by German soldiers who had landed fromJersey. On 9 March 1945, whileFrance was liberated andAllied troops, 800 km (500 mi) away, had begun to cross theRhine, German troops based in still-occupied Jersey launched a daring commando raid against Granville. Although spotted by the radar ofCoutainville, the Germans, using light boats, managed to land at night in the port of Granville. They dynamited port facilities and sank four freighters. Fifteen U.S., eight British and six French servicemembers were killed, seventy German prisoners of war were freed and five American and four British servicemembers were captured before the Germans retreated.[20]
During theAlgerian War, the barracks housed the 3rd Demi-brigade, and then the 21st Battalion of chasseurs on foot, from 1956 to 1961. It was a training centre for thousands of contingent recruits before leaving forKabylie or the region ofTiaret. The commune hosted the finish of stage 1 and the start of stage 2 of the1957 Tour de France.
In 1962, the town of Granville absorbed the commune ofSaint-Nicolas-près-Granville; the latter, during the revolutionary period of theNational Convention (1792–1795), bore the nameChamp-Libre [Free Field].[21] On 4 June 1965, Granville welcomedPrime MinisterGeorges Pompidou.[22]
In 1970, the Regional Nautical Centre moved to Granville and in 1975, the port was completed with amarina. In 1972, the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Granville, founded in 1815, took the name CCI Granville-Saint-Lô, and which then became theChamber of Commerce and Industry of Central and South Manche [fr] in 2000. In 1973,Heudebert [fr] opened a factory for the production ofbiscottes, in business ever since.
In the 1980s, donations by Richard Anacréon allowed the opening of theMuseum ofmodern art, many buildings in the town were classified or registered ashistorical monuments. In 1982, the town was endowed of a newhospital. In 1984, the military regiments left the barracks, allowing redevelopment of the Pointe du Roc.
In 1991, theChristian Dior Museum [fr] opened and the Charter of theDouzelage was signed.
At the turn of the millennium, thebusiness incubator emerged. In 2003, theA84 autoroute joined Granville with other agglomerations.
The inhabitants of the commune are calledGranvillais in French.[23]
Of 6,649 people at the beginning of the census of the people in 1793, the commune reached a demographic peak in 1861 with 17,180 inhabitants, prior to be severely affected by theWar of 1870 by losing nearly 1,000 of its children. Then began a slow decline accentuated by theWorld War I, no longer accommodating more than 10,132 inhabitants in 1946. The second half of the 20th century – with the absorption of Saint-Nicolas-près-Granville in 1962, the rural exodus and the construction of manyestates on the outskirts – allowed the commune to gain residents again to achieve 13,022 inhabitants in 2006. That same year, only 0.5% of the Granville population was foreign, with the presence smallPortuguese,Spanish andMoroccan communities each representing 0.1% of the population,[24] far from the regional average of 8.8%, and 16.9% of households consisted of single-parent families, ten points under this same regional average.[25]
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| From 1962 to 1999: Population without double counting; for the years following: municipal population. Source: Ldh/EHESS/Cassini until 1999[14] andINSEE (1968–2017)[26] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
As reflected in the age structure, Granville is an exemplary commune in terms of the age distribution of its inhabitants, each category representing around 15 to 20% of the population. Only thecentenarians are poorly represented, as on the whole of the territory. However, a lower rate of children under 15 years in 2006 reflected an ageing of Granville families and a possible future demographic deficit. That same year, only 25.9% of the population was less than 25 years old.[25]
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Granville is thechef-lieu of thecanton represented by the centre-rightdepartmental councillor [fr] Jean-Marc Julienne. The commune is linked toManche's 2nd constituency represented bydeputyGuénhaël Huet (UMP).
Thirty-three elected officials sit on themunicipal council, divided into twenty-four members of the municipal majority from a list ofindependents, a group of five councillors of aUDI list, three elected leftists including formerPRG mayor Daniel Caruhel and an electedfrontist.[29][30] The board is chaired by a woman, Dominique Baudry, assisted by nine adjoints.[30]
Granville is attached tocourts of first instance and the superior court ofAvranches, the courts andtribunals of commerce andCouncil of Tribunals ofCoutances, theCourt of Appeal of Caen [fr].
In 2008, the town had a budget of €30.041 million, of which €22.08 million for operations and €7,961,000 investment,[31] 38.39% funded bylocal taxes [fr], municipal debt was €15,318,000 the same year.[32] The tax rate in 2008 amounted to 13.12% for thehousing tax, 22.06% and 47.53% forproperty tax (built and unbuilt), and 14.30% forbusiness tax set by thecommunity of communes [fr].[33] Twoyoung workers' homes [fr] have settled in the town, anHLM management company manages 1563 homes in the town, asocial action community centre [fr] provides aid to people in need.
The town adheres to theCommunity of communes of Granville, land and sea [fr] for land use, economic development and housing, upgrading of the environment, and the organisation of relief. It also directs the SMBCG (Joint Association of Granville coastal areas) for the protection of coastal waters against microbiological risk.[34]
Sixty-eightmayors have headed the municipal administration of Granville, since the election of the first mayor in 1692.
| Start | End | Name | Party | Other details |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1945 | 1947 | Jules Desmonts | PRRRS | Honorary director of the Ferdinand Buisson College |
| 1947 | 1959 | Roger Maris | RPF then moderate | Retired colonial administrator |
| 1959 | 1961 | Marius Beaumois | PRRRS | Retired receiver-collector |
| 1961 | 1977 | Henri Baudouin | UNR thenFNRI | Commercial court registered lawyer |
| 1977 | 1983 | Rémy Derubay | PS | Mathematics lecturer |
| 1983 | 1989 | Henri Baudouin | UDF | Commercial court registered lawyer |
| 1989 | 1990 | Jean-Claude Lecossais | RPR | Surgeon |
| 1990 | 1994 | Bernard Beck [fr] | UDF | Honorary magistrate, first President of the Court of Auditors from 1978 to 1982 |
| 1994 | 2008 | Marc Verdier | RPR,UMP | Retired banker |
| 2008 | 2014 | Daniel Caruhel | PRG | Landscape gardener |
| April 2014[30] | Present | Dominique Baudry | Independent | Business manager |
| List of mayors of Granville, 1692–1945[35] | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Start | End | Name | Party | Other details |
| 1692 | 1706 | Luc Leboucher de Gastigny | ? | Lord of Gastigny |
| 1706 | 1749 | M. Gallien de Préval | ? | Lord ofPréval |
| 1749 | 1756 | Pigeon de Saint-Pair | ? | ? |
| 1756 | 1758 | M. Le Marié | ? | Lord of Les Fontaines |
| 1758 | 1759 | Jacques-Louis Picquelin | ? | ? |
| 1759 | 1759 | M. Poisson de Jublain | ? | ? |
| 1759 | 1761 | M. Hugon | ? | Lord ofLa Noë |
| 1761 | 1762 | M. Ganne de Grandmaison | ? | Lord of Grandmaison |
| 1762 | 1762 | M. Hugon-Dupuis | ? | ? |
| 1762 | 1765 | René Perrée-Grandpièce | ? | Lord of Grandpièce and Le Hamel |
| 1765 | 1768 | Michel Clément | ? | ? |
| 1768 | 1771 | M. Le Boucher | ? | Lord of Vallesfleurs |
| 1771 | 1771 | Jacques Picquelin | ? | ? |
| 1771 | 1776 | M. Le Boucher | ? | Lord of Vallesfleurs |
| 1776 | 1778 | M. Ganne de Grandmaison | ? | Lord of Grandmaison |
| 1778 | 1783 | Nicolas Yset | ? | ? |
| 1783 | 1787 | Pierre-Nicolas Perrée [fr] | ? | Legal negotiator and shipowner |
| 1787 | 1790 | M. Couraye-Duparc | ? | ? |
| 1790 | 1791 | Denis-François Le Mengnonnet | ? | ? |
| 1791 | 1795 | M. Hugon-Lacour | ? | ? |
| 1795 | 1795 | Denis-François Le Mengnonnet | ? | ? |
| 1795 | 1795 | M. Longueville-Beaufongeray | ? | ? |
| 1795 | 1796 | Antoine-Gaspard Gautier | ? | ? |
| 1796 | 1797 | Girard-Laporte | ? | ? |
| 1797 | 1797 | M. Deslandes | ? | ? |
| 1797 | 1799 | M. Le Pelley-Fonteny | ? | ? |
| 1799 | 1800 | Pierre Méquin | ? | ? |
| 1800 | 1805 | François-Thomas Le Tourneur | ? | Former vessel lieutenant, shipowner |
| 1805 | 1816 | M. Méquin-Jonville | ? | ? |
| 1816 | 1830 | Pierre-François Le Mengnonnet | ? | ? |
| 1830 | 1834 | Hippolyte Abraham-Dubois [fr] | Notary, general councillor and deputy | |
| 1834 | 1841 | François Vallée | ? | ? |
| 1841 | 1848 | Jacques-Edmond Le Campion | ? | ? |
| 1848 | 1854 | Antoine Boniface | ? | ? |
| 1854 | 1861 | Jacques-Edmond Le Campion | ? | ? |
| 1861 | 1870 | Charles Leclère | Bonapartist | Shipowner |
| 1870 | 1871 | Charles Malicorne | ? | ? |
| 1871 | 1874 | Arthur Le Mengnonnet | ? | Shipowner |
| 1874 | 1879 | Joseph Beust | ? | ? |
| 1879 | 1881 | Godefroy Aubert | ? | ? |
| 1881 | 1882 | Arthur Le Prince | ? | ? |
| 1882 | 1882 | Godefroy Aubert | ? | ? |
| 1882 | 1888 | Émile Riotteau [fr] | Republican | Shipowner |
| 1888 | 1890 | François le Biez | ? | ? |
| 1890 | 1892 | Lucien Dior | ? | Industrialist |
| 1892 | 1902 | Alexandre Bureau | ? | ? |
| 1902 | 1904 | Georges Beust | ? | ? |
| 1904 | 1908 | Auguste Require | ? | ? |
| 1908 | 1911 | M. Letourneur | ? | Physician |
| 1911 | 1919 | Jean Pergeaux | ? | ? |
| 1919 | 1923 | Jacques de Boutray | ? | ? |
| 1923 | 1925 | Augustin Rufflé | ? | ? |
| 1925 | 1929 | Albert Godal | ? | ? |
| 1929 | 1929 | Augustin Rufflé | ? | ? |
| 1932 | 1945 | Albert Godal | ? | ? |
| 1945 | 1945 | Jules Desmonts | PRRS | Honorary director of the Ferdinand-Buisson College |
| 1945 | 1945 | M. Lavat | ? | Physician |
In the context of the elections, the population of Granville shows a relativelyconservative tendency and votes as regularly as the entire national population, thus following the"vague rose" [pink wave] in theregional elections of 2004, but instead voting by a large majority for theEuropean Constitutional Treaty. An opposition group published a journal,Le Sans-culotte de Granville and Coutances. District committees are located in the commune to enliven the local debate. In 2008, the list led by the outgoing general counsel of theMiscellaneous left, Daniel Caruhel, ex-socialist but supported by outgoingUMP mayor, Marc Verdier, and housing nine members of theMiscellaneous right outgoing majority, won the municipal election against the official candidate of theSocialist Party. Thecanton returned to Jean-Marc Julienne, assistant Marc Verdier and running mate Daniel Caruhel, belonging to theNew Centre but elected asindependent. Thus, contrary to what the labels might suggest, Granville voters had once again made the choice of conservatism.
Presidential elections, results of the second round
Parliamentary elections, results of the second round
European elections, results from the two best scores
Regional elections, results from the two best scores
Cantonal elections, results of the second round
Municipal elections, results of the second round
Referendum elections
The commune was attached to theAcademy of Caen [fr]. Four publickindergartens andprimary schools [fr] welcome pupils of the commune: The Group of Docteur-Lanos, theJean Macé Group, theJules Ferry Group, and thePierre andMarie Curie Group.
The commune also has theAndré MalrauxCollege of general education andSEGPA [fr].
The town has twohigh schools: Lycée Léon Julliot de la Morandière for general,technological andprofessional [fr] education, and the Maurice-Marland hotelier's school.
Added to these establishments is the Sévigné Institution,[51] aprivate school [fr] withboarding school fromkindergarten tohigh school, and the Notre Dame andSt. Paul schools for kindergarten and elementary education.
The commune is one of the seats of theCCI of Centre and South-Manche [fr], it hosts aGRETA [fr], the group ofFormation Inter-consulaires de la Manche [Inter-consular training of Manche] (FIM), an Institute ofNursing and the Family and Rural House, providing agricultural and commercial training.
Finally, the commune has aleisure centre for the reception of children out of school periods, a familycrèche and a multi-host centre for young children.
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The commune has on its territory, in association withAvranches, ahospital centre [fr] with a capacity of 742 beds, offering services ofgeneral medicine,surgery,gynaecology andobstetrics,cardiology andSMUR.[52] The centre is also equipped with ascanner. In 2007, a ministerial decision endorsed the closure of thematernity of the communal hospital[53] carrying 410deliveries per year.[54]
The commune also hosts on its territory acentre of re-education and rehabilitation, a centre ofthalassotherapy, threeResidential homes for elderly dependents, two health centres, 91doctors,[55] eightdentists[56] and sevenpharmacists.[57]
Several medical or social associations are located on the commune, such as the Union of theSpeech Therapists of Manche, theSNSM, theRotary Club, theRed Cross and theSecours Populaire.
Granville welcomes theCCI of Centre and South-Manche [fr], aCAF [fr], a subdivision of theDDE [fr], a centre ofsocial security, atax office and treasury, agendarmerie barracks, apolice station, arelief and fire centre, acustoms office, apost office in the town centre[58] and one in the quarter of Saint-Nicolas,[59] agencies ofASSEDIC,ANPE andAFPA [fr], anauction house and threenotarial offices, twolawyers' offices[60] attached to thebar ofAvranches and abailiff's office.[61] Thecivil security has a base for monitoring theEnglish Channel equipped with aEurocopter EC145.[62]
Granville has been twinned withRivière-du-Loup,Quebec, at a distance of 4,859 km (3,019 mi), since 1984.
Granville is a founding member of theDouzelage, a uniquetown twinning association of 24 towns across theEuropean Union. This active town twinning began in 1991 and there are regular events, such as a produce market from each of the other countries and festivals.[63][64][65] Henry Haffray, initiator and founder of the douzelage was the first president of theGranville partenaire européen [Granville European partner] association, he was followed for more than a dozen years by Jean-Marc Julienne, then André Gendre and Pascale Vallée.[citation needed]
Members of the Douzelage
Altea,Spain – 1991
Bad Kötzting,Germany – 1991
Bellagio,Italy – 1991
Bundoran,Ireland – 1991
Holstebro,Denmark – 1991
Houffalize,Belgium – 1991
Meerssen, theNetherlands – 1991
Niederanven,Luxembourg – 1991
Preveza,Greece – 1991
Sesimbra,Portugal – 1991
Sherborne,United Kingdom – 1991[66]
Karkkila,Finland – 1997
Oxelösund,Sweden – 1998
Judenburg,Austria – 1999
Chojna,Poland – 2004
Kőszeg,Hungary – 2004
Sigulda,Latvia – 2004
Sušice,Czech Republic – 2004
Türi,Estonia – 2004
Zvolen,Slovakia – 2007
Prienai,Lithuania – 2008
Marsaskala,Malta – 2009
Siret,Romania – 2010
Agros,Cyprus – 2011
Škofja Loka,Slovenia – 2011
Tryavna,Bulgaria – 2011The commune has much cultural infrastructure, including threemuseums: TheChristian Dior Museum [fr] and its garden, located in the childhood home of the fashion designer, which allows one to discover the artistic and cultural context of the time ofChristian Dior on the history offashion, theMuseum of the Old Granville [fr], located in the home of the King who provides an overview of the history of the city, and theRichard Anacréon Modern Art Museum [fr]. It also hosts anaquarium located on the Pointe du Roc which shows many species of warm-water marine fish and three exhibition spaces: TheFéerie des Coquillages [Enchantment of the Shells], thePalais Minéral [Mineral Palace] and theJardin des Papillons [Butterfly Garden].
For cultural recreation, the Charles de la Morandière medialibrary, in the town centre, the Room of the Archipelago, a multipurpose room of 600 seats and a 400-seat open-airtheatre has been open since 2006, the small Theatre of the Peninsula with a capacity of 65 seats, the newly renovatedLe Selectcinema offers three rooms, amusic school and adigital public space [fr] animate the life of the commune.
Sixty-fourassociations [fr] relay and encourage communal cultural life.
Granville is equipped with numerous sporting facilities allowing the practice of numerous activities, theCité des sports equipped with twofootball pitches, tworugby pitches, twobasketball courts, an asphaltathletics track, aboulodrome [fr], askatepark, aBMX track, fourjudo andgymnastics halls, the Louis-DiorStadium, equipped with a football field of honour of two other fields and a cinder athletics track, theAndré Malraux andPierre de Coubertin indoor gyms, a coveredswimming pool, tenclay andGreenSet coveredtennis courts, asea rowing club, the RegionalSailing Centre, a27-hole golf course built in 1912 on the seafront, theequestrian club and theracecourse oftrot andgallop, with flat and obstacles, opened in 1890 and located in the communes ofBréville-sur-Mer andDonville-les-Bains,clay pigeon shooting, the regionalparachuting school and two independent schools, theflying club andultralight flying school.
A municipal sports school and a municipalswimming school provide training for members. Sixty-two associations ensure the relay of communal services.
Inroad cycling, Granville was a stage town of the1957 Tour de France, and theTour de la Manche [fr] ends each year at Granville. The commune hosted the start of the third stage of the2016 Tour de France.[67]
Insailing, Granville is a stage town each year of theTour de France à la voile. In August are organized: A swimming tour of the Roc, theChauseyregatta, the Course desBisquines [fr] whereLa Granvillaise andLa Cancalaise confront each other, theraid ofcatamaran in the Bay ofMont Saint-Michel.
The Union Sportive Granvillaise has developed two football teams in theLeague of Lower Normandy [fr] and a third team in thedistrict division.[68]
Granville has also developed its first men's handball team in National 3.
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TheCatholicchurches of Granville areNotre-Dame-du-Cap-Lihou [fr],Saint Paul andSaint Nicolas. They depend on theparish ofSt. Clement of theDeanery of the Lands of Granville-Villedieu in theDiocese of Coutances and Avranches. Thebishop of thisdiocese isStanislas Lalanne.
Granville has hosted several congregations, which those of theSacred Heart and Mercy. Also, between 1839 and 2008, the Sisters Hospitaller of Saint-Thomas-de-Villeneuve were responsible for the hospice of Granville and for the St. Nicolas Care Centre from 1976. The upper town still housesCarmelites.
AProtestanttemple of theReformed Church of France and another of theEvangelical Church welcome the faithful.
The weeklyLa Manche Libre [fr] and thenewspaperOuest-France have premises in the commune and distribute a specific local edition in the Granville area. Granville is located in the transmission area of thetelevision channelFrance 3 Normandie. A localcorrespondent of theGazette de l'Avranchin and of theMortainais officiates in the commune.
Granville is the seat of theChamber of Commerce and Industry of Central and South Manche [fr]. It manages theport andairport (IATA:GFR,ICAO:LFRF) of the commune. It is the main centre of thelabour area [fr] of Granville, covering 45 communes.[69] and an important tourist resort of the Bay ofMont Saint-Michel. Accessible viaGranville railway station and situated 25 km (16 mi) from theRoute des Estuaires [fr], it is an important economic hub in the south of thedepartment ofManche. It has set up abusiness incubator and has threeareas of activity orindustrial areas: Le Mesnil, La Parfonterie and Le Prétôt. The largest employers in the commune are the centre ofthalassotherapyLe Normandy, theCompagnie Générale des Eaux and thebiscotte factory ofLU-Heudebert [fr] opened in 1973. In 2017, theunemployment rate was 11.5% for a rated active population of 4,514 people. 44.5% of the main residences were inhabited by their owners (2017), and the commune hosts 1,617 companies (2015).[70] Granville was agarrison town with the presence of a contingent of the1st RIMa until 1984. Amarket is held every Saturday on theCours Jonville.
| Distribution of employment bysocioprofessionnal category [fr] in 2006. | ||||||
| Farmers | Artisans, merchants, CEOs | Managers and higher professionals | Intermediate professions | Employees | Manual workers | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Granville | 0.3% | 7.1% | 10.6% | 24.0% | 32.5% | 24.0% |
| Distribution of employment by business sector in 2006. | ||||||
| Agriculture | Industry | Construction | Trade, services | Public services | ||
| Granville | 1.8% | 8.6% | 5.2% | 44.4% | 40.0% | |
| Sources:Insee[70] | ||||||
The port of Granville dates back to the 16th century. It is managed by theCCI of Centre and South-Manche [fr] and includesboating activities,fishing, commercial and passenger traffic.
This part of the Channel is known for its many rocks off the coast, not always visibleabove sea level, and for the dangerous flows caused bytides. The bay ofMont Saint-Michel experiences one of the greatest tidal ranges in the world, and this causes strong currents that generate dangerous flows into the international sea routes, adding to the normal tidal flow that goes along the Channel. The area also often experiences fog as well as easterly winds which can create dangerous storms during autumn and winter.
The waters off Granville are regularly affected by pollution caused by modern shipwrecks, or by illegal fuel tank discharges into the sea. There is now an international agreement between France and the UK, as well as other European countries bordering the Channel, to severely punish ship-owners when such pollution can be proven. The area is constantly under surveillance by aircraft and radar operated by civil and military authorities. Granville harbour hosts a small maritime emergency rescue team.
The number of rocks and shipwrecks in the area creates an environment rich in seafood, which can be exploited from the small harbour of Granville. Fishing is dangerous in the area, and many small fishing boats have been involved in collisions with large commercial vessels such as container ships and oil supertankers.
In 2005, Granville was placed at 32nd in the national rank with 197,000 tonnes of handledcargo and 44,100 passengers. It is also a permanent station of theSNSM which has a lifeboat (registered SNS 074) and twoRIBs.
Acod fishing andoyster port in the 19th century, it became:
Aport redevelopment and expansion project will provide an additional seven hundred places for recreationalboating, the excavation of basins and accesschannels to extend access times andbeaching capacity, the addition of a quayside forcruise ships and of exception, a new port city link, with the study of a railway extension project a redevelopment of the road routes, respecting and valuing the environmental and architectural heritage including the piers of the 18th and 19th centuries.[75]
Theairport of Granville-Mont-Saint-Michel specialises in tourist and leisure aviation.
The commune has been classified as a climate resort since 16 March 1926, and a tourist andseaside resort since 12 March 1979.[76]Tourism is an important part of the local economy. The commune has atourist office which ensures the promotion ofmonuments,museums and natural sites, and has joined the association of theMost Beautiful Detours of France. It offers much infrastructure, including some certified by theQuality Tourism [fr] label issued by theFrench Ministry for the Economy and Finance:[77] Two three-starhotels, six two-star hotels and seven hotels not classified with a total of 213 rooms, two three-starcampsites with a total of 145 pitches, communalgites on theChausey Islands and guest rooms, ayouth hostel, athalassotherapy centre, thirty-threerestaurants with a total of 1,931 seats.
For entertainment, the city offers an independentcasino, four museums, anaquarium, a rich architectural and environmentalheritage, fourbeaches, and fourWi-Fi access points.[78] 17.5% of Granville housing aresecond homes, with 54.1% ofapartments. Several cruises start at the port of Granville, with destinations including Chausey, theChannel Islands, theIsle of Wight, theIsles of Scilly, andIreland, including by the passenger ferries of Granville, theLys Noir [fr] andLa Granvillaise [fr].
This organisation and the promotion of tourism provides an important attendance to the area, with 69,627 passengers to Chausey in 2006,[79] 54,301 visitors for theChristian-Dior Museum [fr], and 43,500 for the Aquarium du Roc in 2005.
Granville is located near the protected site of the Bay ofMont Saint-Michel, thecliff, the Haute-Ville and theChausey Islands, are themselves included in the list of sites protected by theDIREN [fr] ofNormandy.[80] From north to south through the peninsula, the city is crossed by thehiking trail GR 223 which traverses Normandy fromHonfleur toAvranches along the coast.
The town was awarded three flowers in theCompetition of flowery cities and villages[81] thanks to its parks and gardens: The Christian Dior Garden, the Val-ès-Fleur Park of 3 ha (7.4 acres) complete with a zoo, the squares of Marland, theArsenal, Chartier, Bisquine, theCharles VII promenades, those of the harbour and of the Plat Gousset. The landscapedgolf course, on the territory ofBréville-sur-Mer, was designed byHarry Colt in 1912 and provides 27 holes of links golf.
The Chausey islands were proposed for integration into theNatura 2000 network in 1992, but the Council of thecommunity of communes [fr] gave an unfavourable opinion in 2003, blocking the procedure to date.[82][83] However, theConservatoire du littoral has acquired the Pointe du Phare.[84]
In addition, the town has on its territory asewage treatment plant and a waste processing plant forincineration andrecycling. It has also set upwaste sorting and heads the Joint Association of Granville Coastal Areas for coastal protection against microbiological hazards.
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Granville heritage is rich of numerous religious buildings including theNotre-Dame du Cap Lihou Church [fr], The ancient church of Notre-Dame du Cap Lihou (1441–1796) it dominates the heights, constitutes an imposing granite building of the Romanesque / early Gothic style. It was built by the English during theHundred Years' War. Thechoir is of 1641, thenave of 1655, theapse chapels in 1676 and 1688, and thesacristy is of 1771, a listedhistorical monument since 1930,[85] it is decorated with stained glass byJacques Le Chevallier. As well as a thirteenth-century miraculous statue of Mary, visitors should note, on the eighteenth-century façade, the quatrain:
Si l'amour de Marie
Est en ton cœur gravé
En passant ne t'oublie
De lui dire un Ave.
("If love of Mary is engraved on your heart, when passing do not forget to sayHail to her.") The same verses are to be seen on the façade of Notre-Dame de Bon-Secours in Montréal. There is alsoSt. Paul'sChurch, theSt. Nicholas Church and the Protestant temple.
The lower town was partly built onland reclaimed from the sea. Granville's military past remains, the upper part of the old town is surrounded with theenclosure [fr] consisting of theramparts from the fifteenth century, thedrawbridge (Grande'Porte), the bloody theatre of the "Siège desVendéens" in 1793, built in the 15th century, destroyed and then raised in 1727, and listed as an historical monument since 2004.[86] Inside the walls of the upper town are some beautiful houses of which several are concentrated onRue Saint-Jean. On thePointe du Roc overlooking the town, the Bazeillesbarracks built in 1758, the Gênes-Champagne barracks built in 1788 and the battery built in 1942 by theGerman occupiers have been listed monuments since 1987 and 1994.[87]
TheChâteau de Grainville [fr], built in the 15th century, registered as an historic monument since 1980,[88] the Château de la Crête, and Saint-Nicolas'Manor, built in 1786 by the shipowner Nicolas Deslandes, have been registered monuments since 1986[89] and bear witness to the importance of certain families in the region.
The statue ofPléville le Peley at theport celebrates the most illustrious character of the city.
Thecasino ofArt Nouveau andArt Deco style, built between 1910 and 1925 by architectAuguste Bluysen [fr], has been listed as an historic monument since 1992,[90] thehotel des bains of 1926, the railway station of the 19th century, thelighthouse of Cap Lihou [fr], built in 1828, according to a study ofAugustin Fresnel, 18 m (59 ft) high,Chausey Lighthouse [fr], built in 1844, 19 m (62 ft) high, both classified as historical monuments,[91] theSénéquet Lighthouse [fr] on the rock of Sénéquet, 2 nmi (3.7 km) off the coast and27-hole golf course built in 1912 byHarry Shapland Colt all date from the beginning of the resort nature of the commune.
The coveredmarket was labeled 'Heritage of the 20th century' by theDRAC. The residential tower"Le Charme" [The Charm] located onRue Jean Rostand dominates the commune with its thirteen floors.[92]
There is a museum located in one of the gates which preserves invaluable documents enabling visitors to discover the history of the town through the centuries.
Granville also is the home of the Christian Dior Museum, which is located in the fashion designer's childhood home,Villa Les Rhumbs.[93]
After a first bid at the beginning of the 1990s, Granville postulated in 2009 to be labelledTown of Art and History.[94] Declared 1 July 2015, in the sub-prefecture of Avranches, the association law 1901 "Granville, country of the foreshore" which comprises the communes of Granville and Saint-Pair-sur-Mer, Jullouville and Carolles, is now the candidacy "Lands of Art and History" label.
The festive year of Granville revolves around various events. Thecarnival [fr] takes place every year during the week beforeMardi Gras. It once celebrated the departure of the sailors who took advantage of the holiday before sailing forNewfoundland.[95][96] In 2007, for its 134th edition, it hosted more than 130,000 spectators. The feast of the patron saint of the commune is organised atPentecost. Each year, the third week of July is dedicated to theRue Sorties de Bains festival, of which the fifth edition took place in 2007. Outdoor concerts are held during the tourist season. The procession of theGrand Pardon des Corporations et de la Mer [Atonement of the Corporations and the Sea] is traditionally held the last Sunday of July. The Night of Welders, a festival gathering metalworking artists, takes place during the first weekend of August. The same weekend theJournée du Livre [Day of the Book] is organised, during which writers dedicate their works.
Two fairs are held on the second Saturday in April and the third Saturday of September, aflea market is organised during the weekend of 14 July and anantique fair during the weekend before 15 August. A collectors fair is scheduled for the last Sunday in October. In 2005, the commune celebrated the centenary of the birth ofChristian Dior by organising, across the town, exhibitions and retrospectives on the work and life of the couturier. The Christian Dior Museum sometimes serves as a framework for events, as was the case in 2008 for the exhibition entitled "Dandysmes - 1808–2008, ofBarbey d'Aurevilly at Christian Dior".[97]
Several public figures were born, died or lived in Granville:
Stendhal,Jules Michelet,Victor Hugo,Adolphe Willette andGustave Goublier also all stayed in Granville.
| Azure, an armed dextrochere issuant from a cloud issuant from sinisterOr, maintaining a swordargent garnished Or, and in chief a sun Or.[100] They represent Joshua arresting the sun (Old Testament, Book of Joshua, Chapter 10, verses 12-13). N.B.: a dextrochere is a right arm (literallyright hand). |
The coat of arms of Granville has changed several times during its history. The first, granted byCharles VIII in 1487 was thus:
The sword symbolising the patriotism of the city during the English occupation, the stars appearing on the night of 8 November 1442 whenLouis d'Estouteville [fr] took over the city.
The second coat of arms was established in 1697:
The Sun replaced the stars, this new coat of arms symbolised the importance of Granville in the monitoring of the coast of the Bay.
In 1793, the influence of theRevolution changed the azure to gules, but the arm is no longer armed and the sword became an honorary, which gives:
In 1811, theFirst Empire offered new arms to the town,Napoleon adding distinctive towns of second-order signs, a quarter charged with a capital N and a gold star and the exterior ornament of a mural crown:
Finally, in 1816 under theRestoration, the town returned to its coat of arms from 1697, unable to pay the registration fee to return to the original coat of arms. This coat of arms is now of the commune, the azure and Sun symbolising its seaside character, the sword recalling its military past of garrison town.[101]
The Granville arms appear on thelocomotives nos. X4791 and 8719C of theSNCF under the sponsorship of the commune.[102]
The commune also has alogo.
The commune also has aflag representing a quarterly of blue and white, with a whitecross encircled in blue and charged with a representation of the coat of arms in the centre. It is notably used on the commune'syawls.
Granville is renowned for its marine products, including Granvillaisegalette withscallops sprinkled withcream, seabream in salt crust with virgin sauce (mussels,shrimps,sea snails andwhelks), and the Granvillaisesole accompanied with mussels and prawns. A speciality of the island quarter ofChausey is also linked: Thegreen sauce of Chausey [fr]. On Saturday, a market is held in the town centre to purchase local produce. Finally, the Maurice Marland de Granville Hotel School guarantees the dissemination of knowledge ofNorman cuisine [fr].
Beyond theNorman dialect, there a dialect of the Granville area with its expressions. An example expression is"achitrer" which means "to land a punch".[103]
Granville is the subject of severalpaintings includingBateaux à Granville [Boats at Granville] painted in 1889 byMaurice Denis,[104]Les brisants à la pointe de Granville [The breakers at the tip of Granville] painted around 1852 byPaul Huet and kept in theLouvre,[105]Plage de Granville [Beach of Granville] painted in 1863 byEugène Isabey.[106]
Places adjacent to Granville, Manche | |
|---|---|
European Union: Members of the town twinning "Douzelage" | ||
|---|---|---|
| Current members |  | |
| Former members | ||
| National | |
|---|---|
| Geographic | |
| Other | |
