Argentan is a common French, located in the department of the Orne and the area Basse-Normandie. Its inhabitants are called Argentanais, Argentanaises.

Geography

Nickel silver extends along the Orne. The city remained about at the same place where the Gaulois settled and founded the city. The Flowering ash is a very méandreuse Rivière, which means that it is not very fast in term of flow. It extends in longitudinal manner and notch relatively slightly the relief. Indeed, the heights are low with the accesses even of the Flowering ash and thus of Nickel silver (150-200m) but the city however is registered in a vast geomorphological complex . Locally, Argentan marks the physical rupture between two spaces: the Scrap-metal of the Norman West and the Flat of the Beauce and the Low plain of Caen. It is thus a flat sector which extends to the immediate surroundings from the city which, as one moves away from there, leaves room to vast networks of mounts and hills relatively high (230m). It is thanks to this mixture of reliefs that the Pays of Nickel silver could develop an activity which him singular: the breeding of horses, thanks to its vast soft inclined fields, often closed by small Hedge S. Meridian line zero or Méridien of Greenwich passes on Argentan where a terminal at the Western entry of the city marks the presence.

History

Built in a basin along the Flowering ash, Argentan is called Vagoritum in the Antiquité, and is used as capital with the Gallic tribe of the Arvii . Become quoted Gallo-Roman, the city makes progressive great strides until the beginning of the Moyen-âge.

With the arrival of the Viking S on the coasts Franque S, the “Neustrie” becomes Normandy. According to certain writings, the town of Nickel silver would have been given to lieutenant de Rolf the Walker (or more commonly Rollon) in exchange of his fidelity.

The city quickly becomes prosperous but undergoes full whip the Anglo-French wars during all Middle Ages while being several times occupied and destroyed.

Large urban center at the end of the Middle Ages, the city is an important religious place with its two church S Saint Martin's day and Saint-Germain and its Abbaye of Bénédictin be. The city is taken by Henri IV at the beginning of 1590 (Eighth war of religion).

Wanting to develop industry in France, Colbert pushes Alençon and Argentan in competition on the industry of the Dentelle. The not of Nickel silver was born.

  • At the beginning of the 20th century, Argentan is a very important city, Tribunal, Abattoir S, Tramway, Musée, Lycée, barracks (the 104 {{E}} IH is distinguished with Verdun in 1916).

  • During the Second world war, the inhabitants of the city underwent an episode of the Régime of Vichy, there was a Center of Gathering from Abroad.

  • In 1944, the city is bombarded as of on June 5th. Only the Saint Martin's day district is saved. The station and the Molitor barracks are particularly touched. the Bombardement is dantesque (to read Sie Kommen to have a realistic description of this atrocious night synonymous with freedom).
  • on August 13rd, a column of the 2nd dB of the general Leclerc enters the city by the south, without being able to take it.
there

  • the American arrive the 15 and trample until August 20th without being able to penetrate. The combat around the Gare against a German unit of DCA are particularly fatal. August 17th, Patton, exceeded, request with the GI' S to circumvent the city by the east, Urou. But the 9th division of Panzer and its Panzer IV defends the city with an incredible eagerness. Towards the 18, the " 2eSS-Panzer-Division Das Reich. " (2.SS Panzerdivision, those of Oradour-on-Glane) arrives of the Saint-Léonard borough on the suburb is of Nickel silver, the engagements turn quickly to the body to body. When the 80e division of US infantry penetrates finally in the city in the morning of the 20, the Panzer S and the Saint-Germain church are still in flames: the American Artillerie on the southern heights of the city rammed without slackening. The city is destroyed with 80  %.

Since, the city developed starting from its industry, but at the beginning of the Années 2000, the delocalizations and closings sclerose Argentan.

French city decorated with the Legion of honor.

Heraldic

Weapons of the town of Nickel silver:
“money , with the bicephalous sand eagle to the deployed flight, nimbée of the field. ”

Administration

Demography

Economy

It is Marguerite of Lorraine, wife of the Duc of Alençon which considerably will develop the city (for the little story, she flees the brutality of her husband and takes refuge in Argentan), she reinforces the religious institutions there: creation of the abbey of the bénédictines (partly still visible) and instigates the construction of the churches, in particular Saint Germain (where the heart of Marguerite of Lorraine is still preserved) and Holy Martin, where one finds says one the most beautiful stained glasses of Basse-Normandie.

Except an earthquake, the city did not know great upheavals until the French revolution. The city is then marked by a strong religious presence (the visit of Henri IV and the installation of the Plantagenêt S with the Nickel silver castle testifies some) and a number impressing of Private mansions (the district St Martin, saved miraculeusement in 1944, still contains the many ones), but the Terreur, by touching full whip the Church, blocks the growth of the city. It is only with the Industrialization that the city rebounds, with its slaughter-houses, and its small agro-alimentary industry proto, its cattle market, but especially the importance of the line the SNCF Paris-Granville, making city an important turntable of the network, transforming part of Nickel silver into true village of Cheminot S.

Since both World wars, a fairly qualified labor and low cost had allowed the arrival of Investisseur S and the installation of large factories (Moulinex, Solex, MIC, Motta,…), an industrial park is created as well as a by-pass. In the Years 1990, closings of companies follow one another, as well as the Social plans. The two latest to date, which related to the Fonderie Walfond and company MIC (transpallets), marked the spirits of the local population. The passage to the town hall of François Doubin (PRG) of 1989 to 2001, which occupied in same time the functions of Deputy secretary in charge with the trade and industry, did not make it possible to reverse this tendency.

The Tourisme (entered city of the Regional natural park Normandy-Maine) is from now on the strategy carried by the current municipal team (Pierre Pavis, PS) to start again the attractivity of the city and by là-même to recreate employment. Side of the infrastructures, two Highway S, the A28 (Rouen - Alençon) and soon the A88 (Caen - Sées) come to disenclose the territory.

A modern detention center was established in Argentan at the end of the years 1980.

The city has an antenna of the Chamber of commerce and Flers-Nickel silver industry.

Famous characters

Tourist monuments and places

  • Keep of Nickel silver, vestige of the Rempart S which surrounded the old city.
  • the Turn Marguerite, dating from the medieval time. It belonged to the fortifications of the city.
  • the Castle of the Duke S (XIVe century), current Law courts.
  • the Vault Saint Nicolas, old vault of the castle. Built at the end of the 11th century by Pierre II of Valois, Count d' Alençon.
  • Maison of the painter Fernand Leger
  • Église Saint Martin ()
  • Église Saint Germain ()
  • the Vault Saint Roch
  • Hippodrome of Nickel silver to Urou-and-Kern

Industries

  • Ségès Frigécrèmes : Specialist in the sorbets, ices and ice creams (58 million liters), CA of 58 M€. Marks: Frigécrèmes
  • Magnéti Marelli : Manufacture of the cases butterfly (10 000 parts day), 280 paid
  • Borney SA: Manufacturer of flags, streamers and masts flag-holder

Transport

  • the has 88 (in constuction) will in the long term connect Caen to the has 28 (Sées) while passing by Falaise.

Anecdotes and Strange

Nickel silver was victim of a Earthquake, probably during the XIX.

Twinnings

See too

Sources

  • great criminal cases of the Flowering ash , editions of Borated, Paris.
  • Of Nickel silver in the Seine , Didier Lodieu editions Ysec, Collection Normandy 44.

External bonds

  • Official site of the city

  • Nickel silver on the site of the national geographical Institute
  • Nickel silver on the site of INSEE
  • Nickel silver on the site of Quid
  • Localization of Nickel silver on a chart of France and communes bordering Nickel silver
  • Plane on Mapquest

Random links:Pieter Burmann | Yusuf Kadel | Moses Katjiongua | University of the foreign trade | The House of the channel

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