Aunay-sur-Odon (, literally ''Aunay on

Odon Odon may refer to: ;People * Odon Bacqué, American politician and non-fiction writer * Odon of Greater Poland, duke of Greater Poland * Odon de Pins, Grand Master of the Knights Hospitaller * Jorge Odón, Argentine mechanic and inventor ;Places ...

'') is a former

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 north-western

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 ...

. On 1 January 2017, it was merged into the new commune

Les Monts d'Aunay Les Monts d'Aunay () is a commune in the department of Calvados, northwestern France. The municipality was established on 1 January 2017 by merger of the former communes of Aunay-sur-Odon (the seat), Bauquay, Campandré-Valcongrain, Danvou-la-Fer ...

. The inhabitants of the commune are known as ''Aunais'' or ''Aunaises''. The commune has been awarded two flowers by the ''National Council of Towns and Villages in Bloom'' in the ''Competition of cities and villages in Bloom''.

Geography

The commune is located at the foot of the foothills of the

Armorican Massif The Armorican Massif (french: Massif armoricain, ) is a geologic massif that covers a large area in the northwest of France, including Brittany, the western part of Normandy and the Pays de la Loire. It is important because it is connected to Do ...

on the

river a few kilometres east from its source. It is at the heart of the ''Pre-Bocage'' country of transition between the Caen plain, the

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 ...

, and the ''Bocage virois'' with which it is also connected. Located at the intersection of several county roads, the agglomeration is south of Villers-Bocage, south-west of

Caen Caen (, ; nrf, Kaem) is a commune in northwestern France. It is the prefecture of the department of Calvados. The city proper has 105,512 inhabitants (), while its functional urban area has 470,000,Vire Vire () is a town and a former commune in the Calvados department in the Normandy region in northwestern France. On 1 January 2016, it was merged into the new commune of Vire Normandie. Geography The town is located on the river Vire. Much of it ...

. The D8 goes north-east to

Bauquay Bauquay () is a former commune in the Calvados department in the Normandy region of north-western France. On 1 January 2017, it was merged into the new commune Les Monts d'Aunay. The inhabitants of the commune are known as ''Buxois'' or ''Buxo ...

and Caen. The D6 connects Aunay to Villers-Bocage in the north and

Thury-Harcourt Thury-Harcourt () is a former commune in the Calvados department in the Normandy region in northwestern France. On 1 January 2016, it was merged into the new commune of Thury-Harcourt-le-Hom. The town is south of Caen, in the Orne valley. It i ...

to the south-east. The D54 joins

Cahagnes Cahagnes () is a commune in the Calvados department in the Normandy region in northwestern France. Population International relations Cahagnes is twinned with: * Horsted Keynes, UK since 1971. * Mömbris, Germany since 1989 (Mömbris is mor ...

and

Caumont-l'Éventé Caumont-l'Éventé () is a former commune in the Calvados department in northwestern France. On 1 January 2017, it was merged into the new commune Caumont-sur-Aure.Roucamps Roucamps () is a former commune in the Calvados in the Normandy region in northwestern France. On 1 January 2017, it was merged into the new commune Les Monts d'Aunay Les Monts d'Aunay () is a commune in the department of Calvados, northwester ...

, Le Plessis-Grimoult, and

Condé-sur-Noireau Condé-sur-Noireau () is a former commune in the Calvados department in the Normandy region in northwestern France. On 1 January 2016, it was merged into the new commune of Condé-en-Normandie. It is situated on the River. In the fifteenth c ...

in the south. The D26 goes to

Vire Vire () is a town and a former commune in the Calvados department in the Normandy region in northwestern France. On 1 January 2016, it was merged into the new commune of Vire Normandie. Geography The town is located on the river Vire. Much of it ...

via

Danvou-la-Ferrière Danvou-la-Ferrière () is a former commune in the Calvados department in the Normandy region in northwestern France. On 1 January 2017, it was merged into the new commune Les Monts d'Aunay.Estry Estry () is a former commune in the Calvados department in the Normandy region In geography, regions, otherwise referred to as zones, lands or territories, are areas that are broadly divided by physical characteristics ( physical geography), ...

in the south-west. The D213 goes to

Courvaudon Courvaudon () is a commune in the Calvados department in the Normandy region in northwestern France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of overseas reg ...

in the east with the D234 branching to serve

Bonnemaison Bonnemaison () is a commune in the Calvados department in the Normandy region in northwestern France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of overseas reg ...

. The D214 goes north to

Longvillers Longvillers is a commune in the Calvados department in the Normandy region in northwestern France. There are no shops, nor any commercial outlets in the hamlet, the nearest shops, food, bars or hotels are located either in Villers-Bocage or Au ...

. The D291A goes west to

La Bigne La Bigne () is a former commune in the Calvados department in the Normandy region in northwestern France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of oversea ...

.Google Maps
/ref> Aunay-sur-Odon is in the

Drainage basin A drainage basin is an area of land where all flowing surface water converges to a single point, such as a river mouth, or flows into another body of water, such as a lake or ocean. A basin is separated from adjacent basins by a perimeter, t ...

of the

Orne Orne (; nrf, Ôrne or ) is a département in the northwest of France, named after the river Orne. It had a population of 279,942 in 2019.Odon Odon may refer to: ;People * Odon Bacqué, American politician and non-fiction writer * Odon of Greater Poland, duke of Greater Poland * Odon de Pins, Grand Master of the Knights Hospitaller * Jorge Odón, Argentine mechanic and inventor ;Places ...

which crosses the commune from west to north and which has its source in the neighbouring commune of

Ondefontaine Ondefontaine () is a former commune in the Calvados department in the Normandy region in northwestern France. On 1 January 2017, it was merged into the new commune Les Monts d'Aunay Les Monts d'Aunay () is a commune in the department of Calvad ...

. Several small tributaries feed it such as the ''Douvette'' which marks the boundary with

in the east and the ''Ruisseau du Val Boquet'' on the north-west border. The highest point of is located in the south on the border with

Roucamps Roucamps () is a former commune in the Calvados in the Normandy region in northwestern France. On 1 January 2017, it was merged into the new commune Les Monts d'Aunay Les Monts d'Aunay () is a commune in the department of Calvados, northwester ...

in a wood overlooking a place called ''Pied de la Bruyère''. The lowest point is at corresponding to the exit of the Odon from the commune to the north. The commune is about one eighth urban, forested throughout the southern part, and

Bocage Bocage (, ) is a terrain of mixed woodland and pasture characteristic of parts of Northern France, Southern England, Ireland, the Netherlands and Northern Germany, in regions where pastoral farming is the dominant land use. ''Bocage'' may als ...

on the rest. As in all of western France, Aunay-sur-Odon has an

oceanic climate An oceanic climate, also known as a marine climate, is the humid temperate climate sub-type in Köppen classification ''Cfb'', typical of west coasts in higher middle latitudes of continents, generally featuring cool summers and mild winters ( ...

. The nearest weather station is at Caen-Carpiquet north-west. Pré-Bocage country however differs in the annual rainfall which in Aunay-sur-Odon is around 950 mm.

Toponymy

The name was attested as ''castellum Alnei'' in 1142. It is derived from the

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 ...

''Alnus'' meaning "alder". In 1895 the commune of ''Aunay'' became Aunay-sur-Odon. The Odon passes along the west of the town.

History

The town is located that had been already occupied in the Gallo-Roman era as it was at the crossroads of ancient routes from

Vieux Vieux may refer to: Places *Vieux, Calvados, in the Calvados department, France *Vieux, Tarn, in the Tarn department, France *Vieux-Bourg, in the Calvados department, France *Vieux-Fumé, in the Calvados department, France *Vieux-Pont-en-Auge, in ...

Avranches Avranches (; nrf, Avraunches) is a commune in the Manche department, and the region of Normandy, northwestern France. It is a subprefecture of the department. The inhabitants are called ''Avranchinais''. History By the end of the Roman period, t ...

and from

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 ...

. The

Roman de Rou ''Roman de Rou'' is a verse chronicle by Wace in Norman covering the history of the Dukes of Normandy from the time of Rollo of Normandy to the battle of Tinchebray in 1106. It is a national epic of Normandy. Following the success of his ''Roma ...

Wace Wace ( 1110 – after 1174), sometimes referred to as Robert Wace, was a Medieval Norman poet, who was born in Jersey and brought up in mainland Normandy (he tells us in the ''Roman de Rou'' that he was taken as a child to Caen), ending his care ...

mentions a Lord ''of Alnei'' said to have participated in the conquest of England along with

William the Conqueror William I; ang, WillelmI (Bates ''William the Conqueror'' p. 33– 9 September 1087), usually known as William the Conqueror and sometimes William the Bastard, was the first House of Normandy, Norman List of English monarchs#House of Norman ...

. The remains of his castle from the 12th century, overlooking the present ''Petit Pied du Bois'', are described in the third volume of the ''Monumental statistic of Calvados'' by

Arcisse de Caumont Arcisse de Caumont (20 August 1801, Bayeux – 16 April 1873) was a French historian and archaeologist. Biography Arcisse Caumont was born at Bayeux to François de Caumont and Marie-Louise de Mathan Hue. One of his mentors was Charles de Gervi ...

(1857). The fortress was used until the

Hundred Years War The Hundred Years' War (; 1337–1453) was a series of armed conflicts between the kingdoms of England and France during the Late Middle Ages. It originated from disputed claims to the French throne between the English House of Plantagen ...

and was destroyed by

Bertrand du Guesclin Bertrand du Guesclin ( br, Beltram Gwesklin; 1320 – 13 July 1380), nicknamed "The Eagle of Brittany" or "The Black Dog of Brocéliande", was a Breton knight and an important military commander on the French side during the Hundred Years' W ...

.''The heritage of communes in Calvados'', Vol. 1, Flohic Éditions, March 2001, Paris, , p. 49 In 1131 the town had an abbey founded by Jordan and Luce of Say and Richard of Hommet, constable of Normandy. Originally dependent on

Savigny Abbey Savigny Abbey (''Abbaye de Savigny'') was a monastery near the village of Savigny-le-Vieux (Manche), in northern France. It was founded early in the 12th century. Initially it was the central house of the Congregation of Savigny, who were Benedi ...

, it became

Cistercian The Cistercians, () officially the Order of Cistercians ( la, (Sacer) Ordo Cisterciensis, abbreviated as OCist or SOCist), are a Catholic religious order of monks and nuns that branched off from the Benedictines and follow the Rule of Saint ...

at the end of the 12th century. It was heavily damaged in the

wars of religion A religious war or a war of religion, sometimes also known as a holy war ( la, sanctum bellum), is a war which is primarily caused or justified by differences in religion. In the modern period, there are frequent debates over the extent to wh ...

. On 22 August 1886 the Caen-Aunay-Saint-Georges railway line was opened. It was then extended to Vire on 1 June 1891. Passenger service on the line was suspended on 1 March 1938. Freight service was limited to Jurques then permanently suspended. The line was then decommissioned. Today the ''Rue de la Gare'' is a reminder of the lost line. Bombardement Aunay-sur Odon - 1944

In 1944 due to its position as a crossroads, this time between Caen and Vire and between Bayeux and Falaise, the city suffered two strategic bombardments by the Allies. On 12 June two waves of aircraft destroyed all of the town centre killing a hundred people. On the night of 14 to 15 June the town was totally destroyed by a new wave of bombing. The town was completely destroyed with the precarious bell tower the only remaining building. Over 25% of the inhabitants were killed. Reconstruction was organized very quickly with the first stone of the new town being laid on 23 November 1947 by Mr. Kerisel, construction manager at the Ministry of Reconstruction and Urbanism. It was completed in 1951 under the leadership of architect P. Dureuil.

Heraldry

Administration

The

council A council is a group of people who come together to consult, deliberate, or make decisions. A council may function as a legislature, especially at a town, city or county/shire level, but most legislative bodies at the state/provincial or natio ...

was composed of 23 members including the

mayor In many countries, a mayor is the highest-ranking official in a municipal government such as that of a city or a town. Worldwide, there is a wide variance in local laws and customs regarding the powers and responsibilities of a mayor as well a ...

and six deputy mayors. List of Successive Mayors ;

Mayors In many countries, a mayor is the highest-ranking official in a Municipal corporation, municipal government such as that of a city or a town. Worldwide, there is a wide variance in local laws and customs regarding the powers and responsibilities ...

from 1924

Police

A squadron of

Mobile Gendarmerie The Mobile Gendarmerie (french: Gendarmerie mobile) (GM) is a subdivision of the French National Gendarmerie whose main mission is to maintain public order (from crowd control to riot control) and general security. Contrary to the Departmental G ...

(EGM 24/3) is based in Aunay-sur-Odon.

Education

Aunay-sur-Odon has a nursery school and a public elementary school. Secondary education is provided by the Charles Lemaître College who also host a general and vocational education section.

Twinning

Aunay-sur-Odon has twinning associations with: *

Holsworthy Holsworthy is a market town and Civil parishes in England, civil parish in the Torridge District, Torridge district of Devon, England, some west of Exeter. The River Deer, a tributary of the River Tamar, forms the western boundary of the paris ...

(United Kingdom) since 1976. *

Mömbris Mömbris is a community – since 31 January 1964 a market community – in the Aschaffenburg district in the ''Regierungsbezirk'' of Lower Franconia (''Unterfranken'') in Bavaria, Germany. With over 11,000 inhabitants, Mömbris is the district ...

(Germany) since 1989.

Demography

In 2017 the commune had 3,232 inhabitants.

Economy and tourism

Aunay-sur-Odon is part of the tourist destination of ''Bocage Normand''. Guided tours of the city are available from the tourist office. There are hiking and biking trails at the entry point to

Norman Switzerland Norman Switzerland (french: Suisse Normande) is a part of Normandy, France, in the border region of the departments Calvados and Orne. Its name comes from its rugged and verdant relief resembling the Swiss Alps, with gorges carved by the river Orn ...

Sites and Monuments

*Aunay Abbey: the remains of the

Abbey from the 12th century. *

Motte-and-bailey castle A motte-and-bailey castle is a European fortification with a wooden or stone keep situated on a raised area of ground called a motte, accompanied by a walled courtyard, or bailey, surrounded by a protective ditch and palisade. Relatively easy to ...

. *Church of Saint Samson, rebuilt in the 20th century. It replaces the old church which was also dedicated to Saint Samson but was almost entirely destroyed by Allied bombing in June 1944.

dated the old church from the end of the 16th century. The church which was rebuilt in 1951-1952 contains a very coherent iconographic ensemble conducted by a team that combined four artists:

Jacques Le Chevallier Jacques Le Chevallier (July 26, 1896 – 1987) was a French glassmaker, decorative artist, illustrator, and engraver. He was mobilized during World War I; after the war he became a master artisan in the studio of Louis Barillet, with whom he remai ...

, the programme manager, Maurice Rocher, and Paul and Jacques Bony.

Activities and events

*The commune is a ''flowery city'' having obtained two flowers in the ''Competition of cities and villages in bloom''. *The AIPOS association organizes an annual cultural season in the communes of Aunay-sur-Odon and Villers-Bocage. Music, theatre, and dance. The opening show of the season is usually free. Others require a subscription or purchase of an entry ticket. *The Cinema Paradiso is a cooperative operation and offers the latest movies.

Sports

*The Athletic Union of Aunay-sur-Odon fields a soccer team in the Lower Normandy league and was second in the district Division.Lower Normandy League official website
consulted on 22 September 2013 *The Sports and Leisure Club of Aunay-sur-Odon since 2007 has been the sports club for the Mobile Gendarmerie Squadron. *The Athletics club, the secular friends of Aunay-Villers-Évrecy (ALAVE) has catered for young people for over 40 years. The club is best known for its

hammer thrower The hammer throw is one of the four throwing events in regular track and field competitions, along with the discus throw, shot put and javelin. The "hammer" used in this sport is not like any of the tools also called by that name. It consists ...

s who several times qualified for the championships of France. *Aunay VTT allows all-terrain bikes to practice this sport.

Notable people linked to the commune

*Xenophon Hellouin (1820-1895), painter, curator of the

Musée des Beaux-Arts de Caen The Musée des Beaux-Arts de Caen is a fine arts museum in the French city of Caen, founded at the start of the 19th century and rebuilt in 1971 within the ducal château. History Opening On September 1, 1801, the Minister of Interior Jean-A ...

. *

Paul Jules Tillaux Paul Jules Tillaux (8 December 1834 – 20 October 1904) was a French physician who was a native of Aunay-sur-Odon, département Calvados. Tillaux was a surgeon and professor of surgery in Paris, and in 1879 became a member of the '' Académie ...

(1834-1904), surgeon and anatomist. *

Charles Lelong Charles Louis Lelong (18 March 1891 – 27 June 1970) was a French sprinter who competed at the 1912 Summer Olympics The 1912 Summer Olympics ( sv, Olympiska sommarspelen 1912), officially known as the Games of the V Olympiad ( sv, Den V ol ...

(1891-1970), an athlete specialising in the 400 metres, silver medalist at the

1912 Summer Olympics The 1912 Summer Olympics ( sv, Olympiska sommarspelen 1912), officially known as the Games of the V Olympiad ( sv, Den V olympiadens spel) and commonly known as Stockholm 1912, were an international multi-sport event held in Stockholm, Sweden, be ...

. *Gordon Zola (born 1964), a parody writer. * Anais Bescond (born 1987), French biathlete. *

François Richard François Richard (ca. 15851650) was a French composer of ''airs de cour.'' His ''Airs de cour a quatre parties'' (1637) mentions the pleasure Louis XIII Louis XIII (; sometimes called the Just; 27 September 1601 – 14 May 1643) was King ...

called Richard-Lenoir (1765-1839) and Joseph Lenoir-Dufresne (1768-1806) who owned a spinning mill at Aunay Abbey.