Arganchy () is a

commune A commune is an alternative term for an intentional community. Commune or comună or comune or other derivations may also refer to: Administrative-territorial entities * Commune (administrative division), a municipality or township ** Communes of ...

in the

Calvados Calvados (, , ) is a brandy from Normandy in France, made from apples or pears, or from apples with pears. History In France Apple orchards and brewers are mentioned as far back as the 8th century by Charlemagne. The first known record of Norm ...

department Department may refer to: * Departmentalization, division of a larger organization into parts with specific responsibility Government and military *Department (administrative division), a geographical and administrative division within a country, ...

in the

Normandy Normandy (; french: link=no, Normandie ; nrf, Normaundie, Nouormandie ; from Old French , plural of ''Normant'', originally from the word for "northman" in several Scandinavian languages) is a geographical and cultural region in Northwestern ...

region In geography, regions, otherwise referred to as zones, lands or territories, are areas that are broadly divided by physical characteristics (physical geography), human impact characteristics (human geography), and the interaction of humanity and t ...

of northwestern

France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...

. The inhabitants of the commune are known as ''Arganchois'' or ''Arganchoises''

Geography

Arganchy is located in the area of

Bessin Bessin () is an area in Normandy, France, corresponding to the territory of the Bajocasses, a Gallic tribe from whom Bayeux, its main town, takes its name. History The territory was annexed by the count of Rouen in 924. The Bessin corresponds t ...

in the valley of the Gourguichon Stream some 6.5 km south-west of

Bayeux Bayeux () is a Communes of France, commune in the Calvados (department), Calvados Departments of France, department in Normandy (administrative region), Normandy in northwestern France. Bayeux is the home of the Bayeux Tapestry, which depicts ...

and 7 km north-east of Castillon. Access to the commune is by the D192 road from Subles in the west passing through the commune north of the village and continuing east to join National Highway N13 east of Monceaux-en-Bessin. The village is reached by the country road ''L'Eglise'' running off the D192. The D572 highway runs through the north-western corner of the commune with an exit onto the D192 at Subles. Apart from the village there are also the hamlets of La Mauvielle, Saint-Amator, La Petite Flague, and Les Feffes in the commune. The commune is entirely farmland.Google Maps
/ref> The Cayennes Stream flows from the south to join the Gourgichon Stream east of the village which flows west to join the Drôme at Aprigny ( Agy).

Toponymy

The name ''Arganchy'' appears as ''Archenceium'' in 1198.Albert Dauzat and Charles Rostaing, ''Etymylogical Dictionary of place names in France'', Larousse, Paris, 1963 The origin of the name is attributed to the

anthroponym Anthroponymy (also anthroponymics or anthroponomastics, from Ancient Greek ἄνθρωπος ''anthrōpos'' / 'human', and ὄνομα ''onoma'' / 'name') is the study of ''anthroponyms'', the proper names of human beings, both individual and co ...

''Argentius'':

Latin Latin (, or , ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally a dialect spoken in the lower Tiber area (then known as Latium) around present-day Rome, but through the power of the ...

according to René Lepelley or

Gaulish Gaulish was an ancient Celtic languages, Celtic language spoken in parts of Continental Europe before and during the period of the Roman Empire. In the narrow sense, Gaulish was the language of the Celts of Gaul (now France, Luxembourg, Belgium ...

according to

Albert Dauzat Albert Dauzat (; 4 July 1877 – 31 October 1955) was a French linguist specializing in toponymy and onomastics. Dauzat, a student of Jules Gilliéron, was a director of studies at the École des hautes études. Works * ''L'argot des poilus; di ...

and

Charles Rostaing Charles Rostaing (9 October 1904 – 24 April 1999) was a French linguist who specialised in toponymy.Obituar ...

History

In 1829 Arganchy (with 285 inhabitants in 1821) absorbed Saint-Amator (with 52 inhabitants) east of its territory.

Administration

List of Successive Mayors The council is composed of eleven members including the mayor and two deputy mayors.

Population

Economy

At a place called ''La Grande Abbaye'' there is a natural camping ground.

Sites and Monuments

*The Parish church of Saint-Radegonde dates from the 17th century. It contains three items which are registered as historical objects: **A

Tabernacle According to the Hebrew Bible, the tabernacle ( he, מִשְׁכַּן, mīškān, residence, dwelling place), also known as the Tent of the Congregation ( he, link=no, אֹהֶל מוֹעֵד, ’ōhel mō‘ēḏ, also Tent of Meeting, etc.), ...

(18th century) **A

Retable A retable is a structure or element placed either on or immediately behind and above the altar or communion table of a church. At the minimum it may be a simple shelf for candles behind an altar, but it can also be a large and elaborate structur ...

(1670-1680) **An

Altar An altar is a table or platform for the presentation of religious offerings, for sacrifices, or for other ritualistic purposes. Altars are found at shrines, temples, churches, and other places of worship. They are used particularly in paga ...

, Tabernacle, and Retable (18th century)Ministry of Culture, Palissy *A

Lavoir A lavoir (wash-house) is a public place set aside for the washing of clothes. Communal washing places were common in Europe until industrial washing was introduced, and this process in turn was replaced by domestic washing machines and by laund ...

(Public laundry): a concert venue (for the choir). *La Forte Main, north of Saint-Amator, where counterfeit coins were once made.