Saint-Lô (, ; br, Sant Lo) is a commune in northwest France, the capital of the Manche

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 region of Normandy.Commune de Saint-Lô (50502)
INSEE Although it is the second largest city of Manche after

Cherbourg Cherbourg (; , , ), nrf, Chèrbourg, ) is a former commune and subprefecture located at the northern end of the Cotentin peninsula in the northwestern French department of Manche. It was merged into the commune of Cherbourg-Octeville on 28 Feb ...

, it remains the

prefecture A prefecture (from the Latin ''Praefectura'') is an administrative jurisdiction traditionally governed by an appointed prefect. This can be a regional or local government subdivision in various countries, or a subdivision in certain international ...

of the department. It is also chef-lieu of an arrondissement and two

cantons A canton is a type of administrative division of a country. In general, cantons are relatively small in terms of area and population when compared with other administrative divisions such as counties, departments, or provinces. Internationally, t ...

( Saint-Lô-1 and Saint-Lô-2). The placename derives from that of a local saint,

Laud of Coutances Saint Laud of Coutances (variants: Lauto, Laudo, Launus, popularly: Saint Lô) was the fifth bishop of Coutances and is venerated as a saint in the Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox Churches. He was born in Courcy, near Coutances, in the 6th ...

. The commune has 18,931 inhabitantsMunicipal population 2012. who are called Saint-Lois(es). The names of Laudois(es), Laudien(ne)s or Laudinien(ne)s are also cited. A martyr city of World War II, Saint-Lô was decorated with the Legion of Honour in 1948 and was given the nickname "Capital of the Ruins", a phrase popularised by

Samuel Beckett Samuel Barclay Beckett (; 13 April 1906 – 22 December 1989) was an Irish novelist, dramatist, short story writer, theatre director, poet, and literary translator. His literary and theatrical work features bleak, impersonal and tragicomic expe ...

Geography

Location

Saint-Lô is in the centre of Manche, in the middle of the Saint-Lois bocage, 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,Cherbourg Cherbourg (; , , ), nrf, Chèrbourg, ) is a former commune and subprefecture located at the northern end of the Cotentin peninsula in the northwestern French department of Manche. It was merged into the commune of Cherbourg-Octeville on 28 Feb ...

and north of

Rennes Rennes (; br, Roazhon ; Gallo: ''Resnn''; ) is a city in the east of Brittany in northwestern France at the confluence of the Ille and the Vilaine. Rennes is the prefecture of the region of Brittany, as well as the Ille-et-Vilaine department ...

. The city was born under the name of ''Briovera'' on a rocky outcrop of schist belonging to the Armorican Massif, in the Cotentin Peninsula, between the confluences of the

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 ...

– which dominates the city centre – with the Dollée and Torteron, two rivers channelled in their urban sections. This historic heart of the city became ''L'Enclos'', a site well suited to passive defence. The east of the territory is the former commune of Sainte-Croix-de-Saint-Lô, south of Saint-Thomas-de-Saint-Lô, absorbed in 1964.

Climate

Saint-Lô has a mild

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 ( ...

characterised by mild winters and temperate summers. It has an average annual rainfall of per year. Rainfall is quite frequent throughout the year but most abundant in autumn and winter, in connection with the disturbances coming from the Atlantic Ocean. Rarely intense, they often fall in the form of drizzle. The average temperature is . In winter, the average temperature ranges between . There are between 30 and 40 days of frost per year. In summer, the average temperature lies around .

Transport

Saint-Lô is located in the centre of the department of Manche and is therefore a node of communication between Nord-Cotentin and southern Manche.

Road

Saint-Lô lies halfway along the Coutances–

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 ...

axis (). A bypass road was commissioned in the 1980s to allow the decongestion of the city from the south. To open up the port of

, the region and the department decided the construction of a

dual carriageway A dual carriageway ( BE) or divided highway ( AE) is a class of highway with carriageways for traffic travelling in opposite directions separated by a central reservation (BrE) or median (AmE). Roads with two or more carriageways which are ...

, . It is a part of the European route E03 and enables direct connection to

and Europe from the south, through the interchange at

Guilberville Guilberville () is a former commune in the Manche department in north-western France. On 1 January 2016, it was merged into the new commune of Torigny-les-Villes.A84 autoroute The A84 autoroute is a major motorway in western France completed on 27 January 2003 to connect the cities of Rennes in Brittany with Caen in Lower Normandy. It is part of the ''Autoroute des Estuaires'' from Belgium to Spain, avoiding Paris. Char ...

, allowing motorway access to

Route nationale 13 The N13 is a trunk road (route nationale) in France between Paris and Cherbourg. Route Paris to Évreux, km 0 to km 91 The road begins at Porte Maillot, one of former gates in western Paris, in direct alignment with the Champs-Élysées. Contin ...

. The construction of the dual carriageway allowed the extension of the small South ring road heading west and its mutation into genuine urban bypass. It has also enabled the creation and expansion of new business zones which contribute strongly to the current growth of the agglomeration.

Rail

The Gare de Saint-Lô is served by

TER Ter or TER may refer to: Places * River Ter, in Essex, England * Ter (river), in Catalonia * Ter (department), a region in France * Torre (river), (Slovene: ''Ter''), a river in Italy * Ter, Ljubno, a settlement in the Municipality of Ljubno ob S ...

trains on the . It is in the majority of services for travellers in the direction of Caen via

Lison Lison () is a commune in the Calvados department in the Normandy region in northwestern France. Population Notable people * Fernande Albany (1889 – 1966), actress, born in Lison. Today There is a train station, Lison station Gare de Li ...

or in the direction of Coutances. A few trains, two daily return trips, serve as far as

via

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 ...

. Following the electrification of the section of railway between Lison and Saint-Lô during 2006, the

SNCF The Société nationale des chemins de fer français (; abbreviated as SNCF ; French for "National society of French railroads") is France's national state-owned railway company. Founded in 1938, it operates the country's national rail traffi ...

and local communities experienced a direct Intercités service (without change of train) to the

Gare Saint-Lazare The Gare Saint-Lazare (English: St Lazarus station), officially Paris-Saint-Lazare, is one of the six large mainline railway station termini in Paris, France. It serves train services toward Normandy, northwest of Paris, along the Paris–Le Hav ...

in Paris for two years, between December 2008 and December 2010. This service was not sustained due to a lack a sufficient number of passengers. There is also the disused former industrial line to Condé-sur-Vire. The section between

Gourfaleur Gourfaleur () is a former commune in the Manche department in north-western France. On 1 January 2016, it was merged into the new commune of Bourgvallées.

and Condé-sur-Vire, adjacent to the towpath along the

, is used by the '' Vélorail'' ail cycleof the Vire valley since 2007.

Urban transport network

Urban transportation is provided by the ''Transports Urbains Saint-Lô Agglomération'': TUSA (formerly ''Transport Urbains Saint-Lô Agneaux''), was created in 1980. In 2010, the network consisted of four lines (Odyssée, Azur, Horizon and Alizé) with 15 buses and one Ocitolà transport on demand minibus. However, since 3 January 2011, it is composed of three lines (1, 2 and 3) still with 15 buses and one Ocitolà transport on demand minibus. In 2008, the company recorded more than 850,000 journeys. On 15 May 2013, seven new vehicles were integrated with the fleet, namely five Cytios 4/44, and two Mercedes-Benz Citaro K BHNS. The total fleet is composed of a Renault Master B.20 (for the Ocitolà transport on demand), 5 Vehixel Cytios 4/44, 2 Mercedes-Benz Citaro K BHNS, two , five , and a . A new vehicle wrapping campaign is underway, the yellow livery will disappear in favour of a red livery. Added to this, a campaign of improving vehicle facilities, to meet the new standards of accessibility of public transit, including on-board announcements and scrolling banners. The old Renault PR 100.2 (nos. 97205, 97207 to 97210) and (nos. 97211 and 97212) were scrapped.

Intercity transport network

The commune is associated with the departmental public buses () by the lines: * 001 : Cherbourg-Octeville – Valognes – Carentan – Saint-Lô * 002 : Coutances – Marigny – Saint-Lô * 109 : Saint-Lô – Periers * 113 : Villedieu-les-Poêles – Saint-Lô * 117 :

Guilberville Guilberville () is a former commune in the Manche department in north-western France. On 1 January 2016, it was merged into the new commune of Torigny-les-Villes.Torigni – Saint-Lô * 303 :

Saint-Hilaire-du-Harcouët Saint-Hilaire-du-Harcouët () is a commune in the Manche department in Normandy in north-western France. On 1 January 2016, the former communes of Saint-Martin-de-Landelles and Virey were merged into Saint-Hilaire-du-Harcouët. It is approxima ...

–

– Saint-Lô –

* 304 :

Brécey Brécey () is a commune in the Manche department in Normandy in northwestern France. It is located on the crossing of the D999 and D911 roads. Amenities include a cultural centre and the Collège Pierre Aguiton. Geography Climate Brécey has a ...

– Villedieu-les-Poêles – Saint-Lô – Lison

Air and river transport

Despite its status of prefecture, there is no airfield in the vicinity of the town. The nearest is that of Lessay, and for an airport, to join that of Caen-Carpiquet, Cherbourg-Maupertus or Rennes – Saint-Jacques. Inland waterway transport on the

once existed with scows ensuring the transport of . It is no longer possible, due to lack of maintenance of the various equipment and the Vire.

History

Saint-Lô has long been an important centre of the economy of Normandy. It has attracted the covetousness of neighboring nations, including England, resulting in many successive invasions. It lost its dominant position towards the end of the 19th century because it failed to take advantage of the first Industrial Revolution, which instead affected much of the predominantly peasant population. However, the decentralisation policy allowed the city to return to the foreground.

Briovère

Originally called Briovera (meaning "Bridge on the Vire River" in Gaulish) (often written in French as Briovère), the town is built on and around ramparts. The town started life as a Gallic fortified settlement, occupied by the tribe of the Unelli of Cotentin. Briovere was conquered by the Romans led by Quintus Titurius Sabinus in 56 BC, after the defeat of their leader

Viridovix Viridovix was the chief of Unelli, a Gallic tribe which faced the legions of Julius Caesar at the time of the Roman conquest of Gaul, between 58 and 51 BC. He assumed the command of a Gallic army of Lexovii and Aulerci Eburovices against the leg ...

at . Roman peace led the development of Gallo-Roman rural areas, on the model of the Roman ''

villae rusticae Villa rustica () was the term used by the ancient Romans to denote a farmhouse or villa set in the countryside and with an agricultural section, which applies to the vast majority of Roman villas. In some cases they were at the centre of a large ...

'' as in Canisy, Marigny and

Tessy-sur-Vire Tessy-sur-Vire (, literally ''Tessy on Vire'') is a former commune in the Manche department in Normandy in north-western France. On 1 January 2016, it was merged into the new commune of Tessy-Bocage.Saxon The Saxons ( la, Saxones, german: Sachsen, ang, Seaxan, osx, Sahson, nds, Sassen, nl, Saksen) were a group of Germanic * * * * peoples whose name was given in the early Middle Ages to a large country (Old Saxony, la, Saxonia) near the Nor ...

invasions during the 3rd century. The Franks did not establish an administrative power there, although Briovera was nevertheless entitled to hammer coinage. Historian Claude Fauchet said, "the Coutentin, at the same time as our Merovingian kings, was inhabited by the Sesnes ( Saxons), pirates, and seems to have been abandoned by

Carolingians The Carolingian dynasty (; known variously as the Carlovingians, Carolingus, Carolings, Karolinger or Karlings) was a Frankish noble family named after Charlemagne, grandson of mayor Charles Martel and a descendant of the Arnulfing and Pippin ...

, as variable and too remote for correction by our kings, to the Normans and other plunderers of sea..." Sainte-Croix Church was built in 300, said to be on the ruins of a temple of

Ceres Ceres most commonly refers to: * Ceres (dwarf planet), the largest asteroid * Ceres (mythology), the Roman goddess of agriculture Ceres may also refer to: Places Brazil * Ceres, Goiás, Brazil * Ceres Microregion, in north-central Goiás st ...

. Christianity grew quite late. There were only four before 511.

, bishop in 525–565, had a residence here. After his death he was beatified and was particularly honoured by Briovera, which would have housed his tomb. A pilgrimage was conducted and the city took the name of ''Saint-Laud'', and then the name ''Saint-Lô'' which has been known since the 8th century.

Middle Ages

The Bretons, led by King Salomon, began to occupy the west coast of the Cotentin Peninsula from 836. Before their advances, in August 867, Charles the Bald gave Salomon the Comitatus Constantiensis, territory over which he had little influence. In 889, the Vikings travelled up the Vire and besieged Saint-Lô. Protected by solid ramparts built, according to tradition, in the early 9th century by Charlemagne, the town did not initially surrender. The attackers then cut the water supply, resulting in the surrender of the inhabitants. The Vikings massacred the inhabitants, including the Bishop of Coutances, and then razed the town. The seat of the diocese moved to

Rouen Rouen (, ; or ) is a city on the River Seine in northern France. It is the prefecture of the Regions of France, region of Normandy (administrative region), Normandy and the Departments of France, department of Seine-Maritime. Formerly one of ...

. It was only in 1025 that Bishop Herbert decided to return to the walls of Saint-Lô and restore the episcopal see. Then, under Geoffrey de Montbray, the town experienced a great economic development, taking advantage of the Norman expedition in Sicily.

Robert Guiscard Robert Guiscard (; Modern ; – 17 July 1085) was a Norman adventurer remembered for the conquest of southern Italy and Sicily. Robert was born into the Hauteville family in Normandy, went on to become count and then duke of Apulia and Calabri ...

, a close associate of Geoffrey, brought important loot to Apulia and Calabria, and it was thanks to this treasure that Geoffrey was able to rebuild Coutances Cathedral in 1056. Saint-Lô is famous for its goldsmiths and even

Matilda of Flanders Matilda of Flanders (french: link=no, Mathilde; nl, Machteld) ( 1031 – 2 November 1083) was Queen of England and Duchess of Normandy by marriage to William the Conqueror, and regent of Normandy during his absences from the duchy. She was t ...

, the wife of William the Conqueror, ordered two candelabra for the . The population of the region participated in the

conquest of England The Norman Conquest (or the Conquest) was the 11th-century invasion and occupation of England by an army made up of thousands of Normans, Norman, Duchy of Brittany, Breton, County of Flanders, Flemish, and Kingdom of France, French troops, ...

. Henry I, Count of Cotentin and eventually King of England strengthened Saint-Lô in 1090. In 1091, Geoffrey de Montbray, Bishop of Coutances, had a lock and mills built on the River Vire. With the death of Henry I in 1135, Stephen of Blois, Count of Mortain and Geoffrey of Anjou disputed the legitimacy of the realm. Saint-Lô sided with Stephen but was taken in 1139 by the Plantagenet army in just three days. The Archbishop of Canterbury, Thomas Becket, passed through Saint-Lô and a church, of which there remains no trace except the name of the ''Rue Saint-Thomas'', was dedicated to him. In 1204, Saint-Lô submitted to

Philip Augustus Philip II (21 August 1165 – 14 July 1223), byname Philip Augustus (french: Philippe Auguste), was King of France from 1180 to 1223. His predecessors had been known as kings of the Franks, but from 1190 onward, Philip became the first French m ...

and became French. During this period of peace, the town prospered: It had the

Hôtel-Dieu In French-speaking countries, a hôtel-Dieu ( en, hostel of God) was originally a hospital for the poor and needy, run by the Catholic Church. Nowadays these buildings or institutions have either kept their function as a hospital, the one in Paris b ...

built on the edges of the town along with part of the Notre-Dame church and in 1234 a guild of tailors was established. Saint Louis came to the city twice, in 1256 and 1269. Saint-Lô was then the third largest town in the Duchy of Normandy after

and

tanneries Tanning may refer to: *Tanning (leather), treating animal skins to produce leather *Sun tanning, using the sun to darken pale skin **Indoor tanning, the use of artificial light in place of the sun **Sunless tanning, application of a stain or dye t ...

with the designation '' la vache de Saint-Lô'' he cowhide of Saint-Lô After , its own trade of laces and leather aiguillettes amounted to one million in 1555; in

knife making Knife making is the process of manufacturing a knife by any one or a combination of processes: stock removal, forging to shape, welded lamination or investment cast. Typical metals used come from the carbon steel, tool, or stainless steel fam ...

: A 16th century saying ''"Qui voudroit avoir bon couteau, Il faudroit aller à Saint-Lô"'' ho would wish to have good knife, it would be necessary to go to Saint-Lô in goldsmithing; and in

textiles Textile is an umbrella term that includes various fiber-based materials, including fibers, yarns, filaments, threads, different fabric types, etc. At first, the word "textiles" only referred to woven fabrics. However, weaving is not the ...

, one of the main centres of France. There were more than 2,000 weavers, located mostly near the Dollée, a less powerful river than the Vire but with a smoother flow. Wool was imported from across the Cotentin peninsula. An order of 20 June 1460 fixed a special edge to the sheets of Saint-Lô. Saint-Lô (rue Saint-Georges)

On 24 September 1351 the king, John the Good, created a mint but did it did not receive the right to strike under the letter "S" in 1389. In January 1538, the letter "C" was attributed to him. The coins minted in Saint-Lô in the Middle Ages are also characterised by a "secret spot" under the nineteenth letter of the legend. The city was robbed of its monetary title in September 1693 in favour of Caen. Then, it returned to conflict with the

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

. Geoffroy de Harcourt, a knight with franchises in Nord-Cotentin, betrayed the King of France and gave his homage to

Edward III Edward III (13 November 1312 – 21 June 1377), also known as Edward of Windsor before his accession, was King of England and Lord of Ireland from January 1327 until his death in 1377. He is noted for his military success and for restoring r ...

. In response, the barons Percy, Bacon and La Roche-Tesson were beheaded in Paris and their heads were exhibited in Saint-Lô for two years. The English landed at Saint-Vaast-la-Hougue on 12 July 1346 and then move upon Saint-Lô on 22 July. Jean Froissart describes ''"the big town of Saint-Leu in Constentin,... for the hard times, was rich and mercantile."'' The town was again sacked. Then the town was struck by the

Black Death The Black Death (also known as the Pestilence, the Great Mortality or the Plague) was a bubonic plague pandemic occurring in Western Eurasia and North Africa from 1346 to 1353. It is the most fatal pandemic recorded in human history, causi ...

in 1347. Saint-Lô was reconquered in 1378 by Charles VI but it was again lost to English rule on 12 March 1418. During this period of political unrest, the lesser lords no longer knew where to place their allegiance. The French regained Saint-Lô on behalf of Charles VII on 12 September 1449. The king confirming the status of the Duchy of Normandy, it was the turn of the Duke of Brittany to occupy Manche, but Saint-Lô successfully repelled an attack in 1467, decimating a part of the Breton troops who were trapped by surprise in the ''Rue Torteron''. On 9 November 1469, the ducal ring was broken and Normandy was definitively integrated into the Kingdom of France.

16th to 20th centuries

The period of peace had returned but the Cotentin lost its importance.

Francis I Francis I or Francis the First may refer to: * Francesco I Gonzaga (1366–1407) * Francis I, Duke of Brittany (1414–1450), reigned 1442–1450 * Francis I of France (1494–1547), King of France, reigned 1515–1547 * Francis I, Duke of Saxe-Lau ...

was acclaimed at the door of the Neufbourg in 1532. In the 16th century, Protestantism won the round. Saint-Lô had a

reformed church Calvinism (also called the Reformed Tradition, Reformed Protestantism, Reformed Christianity, or simply Reformed) is a major branch of Protestantism that follows the theological tradition and forms of Christian practice set down by John Cal ...

from 1555 and early printed books would be Protestant works. Saint-Lô suffered notably during the Wars of Religion. The Huguenots, holding Saint-Lô and Carentan, ransacked Coutances in 1562 and seized the Bishop Artus de Cossé-Brissac, who was dragged in the town of Saint-Lô on a donkey. Although, while the Edict of Pacification of Amboise had prompted the city to submit to Charles IX in February 1574, Norman Protestants made their headquarters in Saint-Lô. Troops led by the besieged the city on 1 May, assaulted it 10 days later and captured it on 10 June. There were more than 500 deaths among those whose leader was Colombières, Lord of Bricqueville, but the Protestant Grand Captain

Gabriel I of Montgomery Gabriel de Lorges, Count of Montgomery, Lord of Lorges and Ducey (5 May 153026 June 1574), was a French nobleman of Scottish extraction and captain of the Scots Guard of King Henry II of France. He is remembered for mortally injuring Henry II in ...

escaped through the door of the Dollée. The town was ceded to who built the citadel. Two years later the seigneury of the bishops of Coutances over the town ceased forever. As a result of the war, in 1580, Saint-Lô lost the headquarters of the

présidial The presidial courts (french: présidiaux; singular ) were judicial courts of the Kingdom of France set up in January 1551 by Henry II of France Henry II (french: Henri II; 31 March 1519 – 10 July 1559) was King of France from 31 March 1547 u ...

, transferred to Coutances, capital of the bailiwick. In the mid-17th century part of the walls were destroyed, and the town grew with a new borough known as ''Neufborg''. After the revocation of the Edict of Nantes (1685), most craftsmen abandoned Saint-Lô. The

Revolt of the va-nu-pieds The Revolt of the ''va-nu-pieds'' (, ''barefooted ones'') was a popular uprising in Normandy in 1639 following King Louis XIII's decision to set up the gabelle salt tax in Cotentin in place of the privilege of the quart-bouillon. Context The Nu-P ...

shook the area slightly in 1636, when the Government wanted to extend the gabelle in Cotentin. The region flourished especially in the manufacture of so-called ''d'estame'' wool socks. In 1678, the relics of Saint Laud were brought back to Notre-Dame. The route between Paris and

, built to 1761, passes to Saint-Lô, facilitating trade. The French Revolution of 1789 overthrew the administrative division of the France and the capital of the department was temporarily set at Coutances between 1794 and 1796. Saint-Lô took the ''"Rocher de la Liberté"'' ock of Freedomand a tree was planted on the ''Champ de Mars''. The city was relatively untouched during the

Reign of Terror The Reign of Terror (french: link=no, la Terreur) was a period of the French Revolution when, following the creation of the First Republic, a series of massacres and numerous public executions took place in response to revolutionary fervour, ...

although there were some clashes with the

Chouans Chouan ("the silent one", or "owl") is a French nickname. It was used as a nom de guerre by the Chouan brothers, most notably Jean Cottereau, better known as Jean Chouan, who led a major revolt in Bas-Maine against the French Revolution. Part ...

The Napoleonic period saw the creation of the national stud. In 1827,

Marie Thérèse of France Marie may refer to: People Name * Marie (given name) * Marie (Japanese given name) * Marie (murder victim), girl who was killed in Florida after being pushed in front of a moving vehicle in 1973 * Marie (died 1759), an enslaved Cree person in T ...

, Duchess of Angoulême, passed through Saint-Lô and she was struck by the beauty of the landscape. She then planned to bring the sea to Saint-Lô making the River Vire navigable. The creation of the in 1833 allowed the establishment of the connection between Carentan and Saint-Lô. Then, by order of 10 July 1835, the Vire was classified as navigable. Baron Alfred Mosselman built a port at Saint-Lô in recruiting nearly 250 military detainees and Spanish prisoners. A boatyard was created and traffic flowed at 50 tons in 1841 to more than 132 in 1846. then launched barges and introduced horse traction by arranging the towpaths of the waterway. Several goods were transported but mainly the and the lime from the quarries of Pont-Hébert and Cavigny. It thus passed from 1,233 tonnes of lime production in 1841 to 30,000 in 1858. In 1867, the paper mill of Valvire Information board arranged in front of the chimney. was built near the spillway and manufactured packing paper. It was destroyed by fire in 1930 and little remains beyond the chimney of the plant. Saint-Lô ruled out the

Mantes-la-Jolie–Cherbourg railway The railway from Mantes-la-Jolie to Cherbourg is an important French 228-kilometre long railway line, that connects Mantes-la-Jolie, a western suburb of Paris, with the northwestern port city Cherbourg via Caen. At Mantes-la-Jolie, the railway li ...

because its inhabitants, having fear of industrial progress, refused a path linking them to Paris. It would be attached to the rail network in 1860. In the 19th century, Saint-Lô, in the heart of a rich farming area, established itself as an important place for trade in animals, but the fear of the rural population towards the industrial revolution was blocking its development. River traffic transit saw 53,000 tonnes of goods, only 6% of which were foodstuffs. A leak was discovered in the canal and the River Vire was decommissioned in 1926. The region experienced a significant rural exodus and suffered casualties of the war of 1870 and the First World War. The Valvire paper mill burned down in the 1930s and would never be rebuilt. The demographics of the department was very negative from 1850. The city entered World War II in a declining situation. In 1914 and 1915, Saint-Lô welcomed the temporary hospital No. 2 of the 10th Army Corps. The criminal case of Jean Philippe took place in Saint-Lô, and was then judged by the Court of Assizes of Manche, at Coutances on 9 December 1940.

World War II

France was invaded in 1940 and the 7th Panzer Division, commanded by Rommel, entered Normandy. The objective being the capture of the city of

, the centre of Manche was bypassed as the German Army occupied Saint-Lô, a strategic crossroads, on the night of 17 June 1940. During the occupation, the statue of the Norman dairywoman and the Havin statue, both made by were sold and melted to make cannons, despite opposition from local politicians. In March 1943, the Germans decided to dig a tunnel under the rock. For the time being, no one is able to say what the usefulness of this tunnel would have been, though it was dug at the same time as the Agneaux Institute. Workers from the

STO STO may refer to: Businesses and organizations Government * Science & Technology Organization, a NATO organization * ''Service du travail obligatoire'', French men & women between certain ages deported to Germany during WWII to work as slave la ...

would be required until the beginning of the Battle of Normandy. Then, the underground, under construction, would house the sick of the Hôtel-Dieu located opposite and a part of the Saint-Lô population. A German soldier was shot in January 1944 and several local people were arrested. The cinema, theatre and bars were closed, radios confiscated and the curfew was extended to 8pm. Bundesarchiv Bild 146-1984-043-03, Frankreich, St

Bundesarchiv Bild 146-1984-043-03, Frankreich, St

During the Liberation, Saint-Lô suffered two series of air attacks during the Battle of Normandy. The first was the bombardment of the city by the Americans during the night of D-Day 6–7 June 1944. The first American air strike killed almost eight hundred civilians. Allied planes continued to attack the power plant and rail facilities daily for a week. A second series of air attacks began on 17 July, during the Battle of Saint-Lô, which would give its name to the USS ''St. Lo''. This time the city was bombed by the Germans. As a main transport center, the city was a nexus of military activity starting the Battle of Normandy and on to the breakout from Normandy, Operation Cobra. As a result of air and ground attacks, Saint-Lô was almost totally destroyed (90–95% according to common estimates). The city was dubbed "

The Capital of the Ruins "The Capital of the Ruins" is a short piece of reportage by Samuel Beckett written in 1946. Discussion Originally written for broadcast by Irish radio, it deals with the Irish hospital in St. Lô ST, St, or St. may refer to: Arts and entert ...

" by

. Saint-Lô was one of the key cities to the opening of the Falaise Gap, which ultimately allowed Allied forces to expel the Germans from northern France. By order of Major General Charles Gerhardt, a jeep carried the body of Major Thomas Howie, later immortalized as "The Major of St. Lô", wrapped in a flag on its hood so that it could be said that he was the first American to enter the city. Saint-Lô received the and the

Croix de Guerre 1939–1945 The ''Croix de Guerre 1939–1945'' (English: War Cross 1939–1945) is a French military decoration, a version of the ''Croix de Guerre'' created on 26 September 1939 to honour people who fought with the Allies against the Axis forces at any ti ...

on 2 June 1948 with a citation for "capital of the Manche Department which has retained full confidence in the destiny of the country. Suffered on the night of 6–7 June, with a heroic calm, an air bombardment to such a point that its inhabitants could consider themselves as citizens of the capital of the ruins". These awards would be given on 6 June by President Vincent Auriol. The two communes, now absorbed from Sainte-Croix-de-Saint-Lô and Saint-Thomas-de-Saint-Lô, were also decorated with the Croix de Guerre 1939–1945 on 11 November 1948.

Postwar period

Saint-Lô - Ancienne affiche Capitales des Ruines

After the war the question arose as to whether the town should be rebuilt or left with its ruins intact as a testimony to the bombing. One American soldier laconically commented: "We sure liberated the hell out of this place". Almost totally destroyed (97%), Saint-Lô had the unenviable nickname of ''Capital of Ruins'', an expression attributed to Archbishop

Bernard Jacqueline Bernard Jacqueline (18 March 1918 – 26 February 2007) was a French prelate of the Catholic Church who worked in the Roman Curia and served as Nuncio to Burundi and Morocco. Biography Bernard Henri René Jacqueline was born on 18 March 1918 in Sa ...

. It was the reason which compelled the prefect of the ruins to settle in Coutances. This ''Capital of Ruins'' was revived by

in his text ''The Capital of Ruins'' of 10 June 1946, which he wrote for Raidió Éireann, proving how much it remained marked by what he had seen and done in Saint-Lô. The Notre-Dame church located on the ramparts still bears the scars of bombing and bloody clashes which took place. The population timidly returned to the city. There were 180 people on 12 August 1944, but U.S. authorities decided not to issue authorisation of residence and supplied tickets. A lengthy clean-up began, including the corpses of residents and soldiers, which lasted until 15 October 1944. However, officials hesitated to rebuild Saint-Lô. Indeed, some were willing to leave the ruins as a testament to the martyrdom of the city and later rebuild a new Saint-Lô. The population declined, preferring to reinhabit its city. Baraques de Saint-Lô

In April 1945, the Minister Raoul Dautry advocated a provisional wooden barracks building. These huts are built through the generosity of the donations. Thus, the association of the unblocked an appropriation of 620,000

Swiss franc The Swiss franc is the currency and legal tender of Switzerland and Liechtenstein. It is also legal tender in the Italian exclave of Campione d'Italia which is surrounded by Swiss territory. The Swiss National Bank (SNB) issues banknotes and the f ...

s to build homes and a community centre. On 10 October 1949,

Switzerland ). Swiss law does not designate a ''capital'' as such, but the federal parliament and government are installed in Bern, while other federal institutions, such as the federal courts, are in other cities (Bellinzona, Lausanne, Luzern, Neuchâtel ...

offered a gold ingot to the city which yielded 649,490 francs. There were ten housing estates in 1948, some which contained over 70 houses. The barracks were delivered in kit form, and it was enough to build them on the spot. Each had different specifics according to their place of origin (Swedish, Finnish, Swiss, French, American, Canadian). The Irish Red Cross participated in the construction of a 100-bed hospital consisting of 25 buildings (located level with the Pasteur college) and landed 174 tons of equipment starting in August 1945. The hospital was inaugurated on Sunday, 7 April 1946 and the Irish medical team left Saint-Lô at the beginning of January 1947. This hospital, consisting of wooden shacks, operated until 1956. Saint-Lô (première pierre)

By 1948, a more permanent Saint-Lô had to be rebuilt. This would be done on the basis of plans designed by the Chief Architect of the reconstruction André Hilt (died 1946), which had proposed to retain the general fabric of the town by adapting it to modern needs. President Vincent Auriol laid the first stone just four years after landing. As partial reparation for the destruction of the city, the Americans, behind the bombing, decided to build a modern hospital. The plans were made by the architect Paul Nelson, who decided to build a contemporary-style building. It is located on the ''Route de Villedieu''. Work began in 1949, and it was completed on 10 May 1956. A monumental mosaic was made by

Fernand Léger Joseph Fernand Henri Léger (; February 4, 1881 – August 17, 1955) was a French painting, painter, sculpture, sculptor, and film director, filmmaker. In his early works he created a personal form of cubism (known as "tubism") which he gradually ...

, which pays tribute to peace and Franco-American friendship: Both hands towards the Cotentin Peninsula symbolised with an apple tree branch in bloom. It was at that time the largest hospital in Europe. On 29 November 1949, the journalist

Frédéric Pottecher Frédéric Pottecher (1905–2001) was a French actor and screenwriter. 1905 births 2001 deaths 20th-century French non-fiction writers French male screenwriters 20th-century French screenwriters Officiers of the Légion d'honneur Fre ...

submitted a hypothesis to not move the prefecture of Manche from Saint-Lô. Although, during the reconstruction, it was temporarily placed in Coutances. The whole of the population reacted and a petition collected more than 2,400 signatures: in the journal ''le Réveil'', an article quotes: The prefecture returned to Saint-Lô in 1953, into new premises. Saint-Lô (hall place)

Saint-Lô was rebuilt. The dominant style was a neo-regionalist functionalism which was dominated by concrete. Its dated and monotonous character was soon criticised. If this choice, dictated by the circumstances and the immediate problems of the housing of Saint-Lô, leaves regrets today, it makes Saint-Lô, on a smaller scale than Le Havre or Lorient, one of the most striking testimonies of the reconstruction period. A few streets contain vestiges of the old Saint-Lô: some houses on the ''Rue du Neufbourg'', ''Rue Croix-Canuet'' and ''Falourdel'', ''Rue Saint-Georges'' and ''Porte au Four''. This last street houses the last medieval way of Saint-Lô. In 1964, Saint-Lô absorbed two neighbouring communes, Sainte-Croix-de-Saint-Lô (660 inhabitants in 1962, to the east of the territory) and Saint-Thomas-de-Saint-Lô (306 inhabitants to the south). The town benefitted from the economic growth of the Trente Glorieuses and the population grew by 30% between 1968 and 1975. It built neighbourhoods of buildings in the Valley of the Dollée and Val Saint-Jean. The theatre, meanwhile, was inaugurated in 1963. Château d'eau de Saint-Lô

The square of the town hall was completely redeveloped in the 1990s. The city organised a large demonstration on the occasion of the fiftieth anniversary of the Normandy landings. The edges of the Vire were reconfigured with the rehabilitation of the towpath and the creation of a green beach, at the ''Place du Quai-à-Tangue''. A scow was rebuilt and crossed the river, in order to remember former river traffic. In 2004, the rural area of Bois-Jugan was urbanised, with the creation of housing within a framework of preservation of green spaces and a large aquatic centre. Later, the Des Ronchettes water tower was built following an unusual method for the time, since the tank (strongly resembling a flying saucer) was built at the ground level, then raised by a system of jacks, as the rings composing its body were manufactured. As such, its elevation allows a mounting point for telecommunication (mobile phone, WiMAX, and FM radio) networks.

Politics and administration

List of mayors

During the Revolution

For the revolutionary period, the destruction of most of the archives does not allow a definitive result.

Empires and Restoration

Third Republic

Since 1944

In 1944, the municipal council was suspended and a municipal delegation, chaired by Georges Lavalley, was temporarily responsible for administering the city.

Demography

Demographic evolution

In 2017, the commune had 19,116 inhabitants.Évolution et structure de la population en 2017
INSEE

Age structure

In 2017, the distribution of the population of the commune by age group was as follows:

Heraldry

Economy

The city, at a crossroads between Caen, Cherbourg and Rennes, has a natural vocation of marketplace in the centre of the Manche bocage. A city of craftsmen and trade, which owes part of its prosperity to its status of prefecture, it has experienced a late industrialisation and attempts to assert its place, today, in the regional agri-food industry. Despite this, the Saint-Lô country became one of the less industrial areas of the region. Its unemployment rate of 6.7% also hides an exodus of young workers to the area of Caen and Rennes. The entry into service of the helped open up the centre of Manche and create a new industrial zone (ZAC Neptune). In 2008, Saint-Lô was equipped with

fibre optic An optical fiber, or optical fibre in Commonwealth English, is a flexible, transparent fiber made by drawing glass (silica) or plastic to a diameter slightly thicker than that of a human hair. Optical fibers are used most often as a means to ...

cable to allow companies and individuals to have very high speed internet (approximately 1

Gbps In telecommunications, data-transfer rate is the average number of bits (bitrate), characters or symbols (baudrate), or data blocks per unit time passing through a communication link in a data-transmission system. Common data rate units are multi ...

and 100 Mbit/s for individuals). Companies should have had access to this speed by September 2008, with individuals not before September 2009. Saint-Lô will be one of the first cities in France of this size to be equipped with a fibre optic internet network.

Tax rate

Industries

Saint-Lô - Bâtiment de l'entreprise CEV Group-Alios

Saint-Lô - Bâtiment de l'entreprise Verbom

*Lecapitaine: Manufacturer of automotive bodywork and refrigeration, a subsidiary of Petit Forestier (320 employees – €33M turnover). *

Moulinex Moulinex is a Groupe SEB brand along with Rowenta, Calor, All-Clad, Lagostina, Krups, and Tefal, all household products brands. The company designed and produced the Mouli grater. The company was founded by Jean Mantelet who in 1932 invented the ...

: The Moulinex factory has long been the largest plant in Saint-Lô. When the group went bankrupt in 2004, the factory was a subsidiary of SEB, and general company for electric motors was revived as Euromoteurs, with SEB as the only customer. Part of the production lines were dismantled, sold to China and resettled there by the Green de Gourfaleur company. The Saint-Lô site had 150 employees and manufactured small and medium power electric motors. Suffering from only having the single client SEB, Euromoteurs was put into liquidation in 2007. *Alios, production plant which manufactures smart cards and ''CEV'', a company that manages electronic transactions, grouped in the same building (80 employees) and subsidiaries of the Group Chèque Déjeuner. It is one of the key players in the Secure Electronic Transactions . *MT Verbom, company specialising in press tools. Created in 1985 on the ''Promenade des ports'', the Martignoni-Traisnel company specialises in the production of auto parts, and moved in 1990 into the Chevallerie zone. In 1998 the company became closer with Canadian group Verbom and employed 65 people on the site in 2008.

Tertiary sector

The town of Saint-Lô is very oriented towards services, thus since the fall of

, the France-United States Memorial Hospital became the first employer in the city. There are many jobs in administration related to its status of prefecture. Its location in the heart of the bocage allows it to sustain services connected historically with agriculture: It may be noted the presence of one of the seats of the , whose closure was announced in June 2010, but also the insurer

Groupama Groupama an abbreviation for Groupe des Assurances Mutuelles Agricoles ( en , Group of Mutual Agricultural Insurances) is a French insurance group headquartered in Paris with operations in 10 countries. It is listed in the 2007 ICA Global 300 ...

, clearly visible from the Major Howie roundabout, and . Finally, many businesses have developed along the ring road.

Agriculture and agro-food hub

The city hosts activities associated with the rearing of cattle and horses. Each week, a calf market took place in the market installed until 30 December 2008 near Les Ronchettes. From January 2009, it was removed and attached to the calf market at

Torigni-sur-Vire Torigni-sur-Vire (, literally ''Torigni on Vire'') is a former commune in the Manche department, Normandy, northwestern France. On 1 January 2016, it was merged into the new commune of Torigny-les-Villes.nter-professional dairy laboratory of Normandy *The Centre of agri-food formation of Saint-Lô, an extension of the Thère Farming School located at Le Hommet-d'Arthenay. *Ardefa: ''Association régionale pour le développement de l'emploi et des formations dans les industries alimentaires'' egional Association for the development of employment and training in the food industries.*Workshop of agri-food rotation. *The agri-food park of

Saint-Georges-Montcocq Saint-Georges-Montcocq () is a commune in the Manche department in Normandy in north-western France. International relations Saint-Georges-Montcocq is twinned with: * Bransgore, United Kingdom See also *Communes of the Manche department Th ...

Le Mesnil-Rouxelin Le Mesnil-Rouxelin () is a commune in the Manche department in Normandy in north-western France. See also *Communes of the Manche department The following is a list of the 446 communes of the Manche department of France. The communes coopera ...

on which the master dairies are established; through lack of implementation, much remains undeveloped. In 2008, the only success in the agri-food field was the success of the France Kebab enterprise, which had won many prizes in 2007.

Media

Several regional media are disseminated in Saint-Lô and have an office. * (weekly newspaper), headquarters *'' Ouest-France'' (daily press), departmental daily * (daily press) *, formerly Radio Manche (radio) * (radio)

Education

The city of Saint-Lô falls within the .

University Institute of Technology

Saint-Lô - Antenne de l'IUT de Cherbourg-Manche

The site of Saint-Lô is a component of the which offers the following courses: * * *Professional licence, development and protection of the cultural heritage, option virtual reality and multimedia training *Professional licence, management maintenance and industrial exploitation. A part of the Groupe FIM, training organisation of the and that of .

School of Management and Commerce

The School of Management and Commerce of Saint-Lô was established in 1988 under the auspices of th
FIM Group
and is currently headed by Yves Ricolleau. A member of the national network of the EGC, the school offers consisting of three years of responsible marketing, commercialisation and management. The school gains about 40 new students each year.

Garrisons

Saint-Lô has been the site of various garrisons at the Bellevue barracks: * ? – 1923 : 3 battalions (1st, 2nd and 3rd) of the * 1924–1929 : 1st Battalion of the 1st Colonial * 1929–1939 : * ? – ? : * 1963 – ? : 512th Transport Group, coming from Constantine * 1978–1984 : 1st RIMA

Culture

Facilities

*The

Jean Lurçat Jean Lurçat (; 1 July 1892 – 6 January 1966) was a French artist noted for his role in the revival of contemporary tapestry. Biography He was born in Bruyères, Vosges, the son of Lucien Jean Baptiste Lurçat and Marie Emilie Marguerite L ...

Cultural Centre: media library, , auditorium, drawing school and community building. *Municipal music school *The Roger Ferdinand Theatre *The Normandy: concert hall for current music *''Lieu Pluri-artistique Art Plume'' ulti-artistic Pen Art Placein the Valley of the Dollée *The cinema ''Cinemoviking'', on ''Esplanade Jean-Grémillon''. The ''Cinemoviking'' cinema opened on 1 April 2009, and was the first cinema of Lower Normandy to offer

3D film 3D films are motion pictures made to give an illusion of three-dimensional solidity, usually with the help of special glasses worn by viewers. They have existed in some form since 1915, but had been largely relegated to a niche in the motion pict ...

Events

*Asian Culture Festival and manga (in February) *Housing fair: Parc des expos (late February) *The ''Hétéroclites'' (in June): Street theatre, acrobatics, music, in the bucolic atmosphere of the Valley of the Dollée. *Festival of the Vire: At the ''Plage verte'' (last weekend in June) *Festival of music with the Tendance Live Show organised by ' *Chess Festival (early July) Festival *Criterium of the ramparts of Saint-Lô: Around the ''Enclos'' (last Wednesday of July) *The ''Jeudis du haras'' hursdays of the Stud Saint-Lô stud farm (July and August) *Normandy horse show: equine complex (August) *''Foire aux Croûtes et à la brocante'' air of the Crusts and of the flea market City centre (in September): exhibition and sale of paintings of local artists and garage sale *: Choral festival (October, biennial; ended in 2014) *''Challenges de la ville de Saint-Lô de tir'' hallenges of the city of Saint-Lô of shooting(rifle, pistol and field crossbow) organised annually by Saint-Lô shooting club at the ''Salle Saint-Ghislain'' on the ''Rue de l'Exode'', the second weekend of October. *Fair of Saint-Lô: Parc des expos (October) *National stallion competition (October) *Sonic Meetings (in November), music festival

Personalities linked to the commune

Births

* Jacques Davy Duperron (1556–1618), poet and diplomat. * (1778–1847), miniaturist of the 19th century. * Urbain Le Verrier (1811–1877), astronomer and mathematician, born in Saint-Lô where he spent the first years of his childhood. A plaque is installed at the ''Place du Champ-de-Mars'' on the building where he lived. * (1819–1867), physician * (1820–1893), legal and artistic personality of Manche and grandson of the last Viscount Granville, . * Octave Feuillet (1821–1890), writer, was born and died in Saint-Lô. His birthplace is 2 ''Rue Saint-Georges''. A novelist and playwright who gained success under the Second Empire, he was considered a 'bourgeois writer' of that era and was elected to the

Académie française An academy (Attic Greek: Ἀκαδήμεια; Koine Greek Ἀκαδημία) is an institution of secondary education, secondary or tertiary education, tertiary higher education, higher learning (and generally also research or honorary membershi ...

when 40 years old. * (1832–1906), woman of letters and wife of the previous * (1880–1915), cartoonist * (1897–1944), resistant, died during deportation * Jacques Datin (1920–1973), composer who wrote for France Gall, Juliette Gréco, Serge Lama,

Claude Nougaro Claude Nougaro (, oc, Claudi Nogaròu; 9 September 1929 – 4 March 2004) was a French songwriter and singer. Life and career Claude Nougaro was born in Toulouse to a respected French opera singer, Pierre Nougaro, and a piano teacher, Liette ...

, Édith Piaf, etc. * (1929), director of IT companies, son of * (1932), son of Raymond Brulé * Claude Rolley, (1933–2007), archaeologist,

Emeritus ''Emeritus'' (; female: ''emerita'') is an adjective used to designate a retired chair, professor, pastor, bishop, pope, director, president, prime minister, rabbi, emperor, or other person who has been "permitted to retain as an honorary title ...

Professor of the University of Burgundy, writer on the art of Gaul and ancient Greece, President of the *

Jean Teulé Jean Teulé (26 February 1953 – 18 October 2022) was a French novelist, cartoonist and screenwriter. He was the partner of actress Miou-Miou. Teulé’s book ''Le magasin des suicides'' ('' The Suicide Shop''), published in 2007, has been tu ...

(1953),

novel A novel is a relatively long work of narrative fiction, typically written in prose and published as a book. The present English word for a long work of prose fiction derives from the for "new", "news", or "short story of something new", itsel ...

ist, who also performed in film and on television *

Jacky Vimond Jacky Vimond (born 18 July 1961) is a French former professional motocross racer. He competed in the Motocross World Championships from 1979 to 1988. Vimond is notable for being the first French competitor to win an FIM motocross world champion ...

(1961), first French motocross rider to become world champion in 1986 *, designer writer *, gold medallist team rider at the 2002 FEI World Equestrian Games * Florian Angot and , riders of the team of France at the Olympic Games in Athens *

Alexis Loret Alexis Loret (born 10 January 1975) is a French film and television actor. Devoting himself initially to cabinetmaking, he became a model, and was noticed by André Téchiné. Selected filmography *'' Alice et Martin'' (''Alice and Martin'') ( ...

(1975), actor who was in the film by Valérie Guignabodet * Hugues Duboscq, French swimmer, bronze medallist in the 100m breaststroke at the

2004 2004 was designated as an International Year of Rice by the United Nations, and the International Year to Commemorate the Struggle Against Slavery and its Abolition (by UNESCO). Events January * January 3 – Flash Airlines Flight 6 ...

and

2008 Summer Olympics The 2008 Summer Olympics (), officially the Games of the XXIX Olympiad () and also known as Beijing 2008 (), were an international multisport event held from 8 to 24 August 2008, in Beijing, China. A total of 10,942 athletes from 204 Na ...

*Mathieu Johann, singer, candidate in the fourth season of '' Star Academy'' * Benoit Lesoimier, professional footballer who plays for

Stade Brestois 29 Stade Brestois 29 or simply Brest, is a French football club based in Brest. It was founded in 1950 following the merger of five local patronages, including Armoricaine de Brest, founded in 1903. In its early years, the club made a rapid rise ...

. * Florian Geffrouais (1988),

decathlete The decathlon is a combined event in athletics consisting of ten track and field events. The word "decathlon" was formed, in analogy to the word "pentathlon", from Greek δέκα (''déka'', meaning "ten") and ἄθλος (''áthlos'', or ἄθ ...

Others

* (1746–1818), the last Viscount of Granville, died at Saint-Lô, where he was president of the court of first instance, on 30 August 1818 * (1746–1835), deputy Mayor of Saint-Lô, public prosecutor and president of the Criminal Court of Manche, deputy of Manche in the Council of Ancients. * (1755–1829), lawyer in Saint-Lô and member of the convention * (1764–1827), military * (1768–1826), politician of Manche was a borough councillor of Saint-Lô under the Empire *

Jean Follain Jean Follain (29 August 1903 – 10 March 1971) was a French writer, poet and corporate lawyer. In the early days of his career he was a member of the "Sagesse" group.

, author, devoted a book entitled ''Chef-lieu'' (1950), in Saint-Lô where he spent his adolescence. Many documents are gathered in the Museum of Fine Arts of the city *

, Nobel Prize winning writer, who enlisted as a steward at the Irish Hospital of Saint-Lô. He dedicated four lines which are today engraved at the entrance to the Museum of Fine Arts."''Vire will wind in other shadows'' (Les méandres de la Vire charrieront d'autres ombres), ''Unborn though the bright ways tremble'' (à venir qui vacillent encore dans la lumière des chemins), ''And the old mind ghost-forsaken'' (et le vieux crâne vidé de ses spectres), ''Sink into its havoc'' (se noiera dans son propre chaos)." *

Paul-Jacques Bonzon Paul-Jacques Bonzon (31 August 1908 – 24 September 1978) was a French writer, best known for the series '' Les six compagnons'' ("Six companions"). He was born in Sainte-Marie-du-Mont, Manche and educated in Saint-Lô. In 1935 he married a tea ...

, youth novelist * Albert II, current Prince of Monaco, who carries

Baron Baron is a rank of nobility or title of honour, often hereditary, in various European countries, either current or historical. The female equivalent is baroness. Typically, the title denotes an aristocrat who ranks higher than a lord or knig ...

of Saint-Lô amongst . * Ant Middleton, the British former special forces soldier, TV personality and author, lived in the town with his family in the late 1980s and early 1990s.

Sports

Sports disciplines

Football

In 2014–2015,

FC Saint-Lô Manche Football Club Saint-Lô Manche is a French association football club founded in 1965. They are based in the town of Saint-Lô and their home stadium is the Stade Louis Villemer, which has a capacity of 5,000 spectators. As of the 2017–18 sea ...

developed its team first in CFA 2 and two other teams in the . In 2004, the club was playing in the CFA. The club home is the recently built . The ''Union sportive Sainte-Croix-de-Saint-Lô'' develops a

football Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kicking a ball to score a goal. Unqualified, the word ''football'' normally means the form of football that is the most popular where the word is used. Sports commonly c ...

team in the League of Lower Normandy and two others in district divisions.

Other sports clubs

*: Baseball team was twice champion of France (1996 and 1997). Evolving in the Championship of France elite in 2006, the club was dropped for the 2007 season for financial reasons and evolved at the regional level in 2008. *The Normandy Horse Show is a major riding event for the promotion of the saddle horse. The annual event takes place around the week of 15 August. *Team Nissan France Dessoude, directed by André Dessoude, participates in Rally raid Championship, including the Dakar Rally. In 2002, he hired Johnny Hallyday. *ASPTT Saint-Lô Handball inhabited the French in 2012. *Saint-Lô Rugby Club. *Saint-Lô shooting club, formerly ''Buffalo Club'', created 4 August 1952; the main shooting stand is located at 91 ''Rue Poterne'' to the level of the Tour des Beaux-Regards in the tunnels of the old unfinished German underground hospital, dug during the World War II. *Agneaux-Saint-Lô Chess Club. Recognised as one of the most dynamic chess clubs in France. The young team is part of the Top 16, first national division. *Saint-Lô

Volley Volley or Volly may refer to: People * Volly De Faut (1904–1973), American jazz reed player * Paul Volley (born 1971), English rugby union player Sports * Volley (association football), an air-borne strike in association football *In some rack ...

was playing in the in 2012. *, the first club of

floorball Floorball is a type of floor hockey with five players and a goalkeeper in each team. Men and women play indoors with sticks and a plastic ball with holes. Matches are played in three twenty-minute periods. The sport of bandy also played a role ...

in Manche. *ARC Club saint-lois: Archery club established in 1977, premier club in Manche. *''Patronage laïque saint-lois'' aint-lois secular patronage Table tennis club.

Facilities

*Sports complex of Saint-Ghislain (former indoor pool on ''Rue de l'Exode''): ** Weight room **Marcel Cerdan Boxing Hall **Straw wall, in the gym, for

archery Archery is the sport, practice, or skill of using a bow to shoot arrows.Paterson ''Encyclopaedia of Archery'' p. 17 The word comes from the Latin ''arcus'', meaning bow. Historically, archery has been used for hunting and combat. In m ...

**Stadium ** Tennis courts *André-Guilbert – Maréchal-Juin Gym *Gym Hall of the Bois Ardent & Dojo Alain-Crépieux Dojo – ''Place George Pompidou'' *Table tennis hall – ''Rue du Mesnilcroc'' *Complex of the Vaucelle: Jean-Berthelem Stadium – base of canoeing * – Ronchettes: football pitch *Aurora Stadium – Ronchettes: rugby ground *Fernand-Beaufils Sports Centre – Champs de Mars: basketball, fencing room *Aquatic Centre – Bois Jugan, opened in January 2005. It has a 25 m pool with a movable floor to adjust depth, a leisure pool (wild river, seat massage, etc.), a wading pool, an outdoor pool open year-round and a gym (cold bath, Jacuzzi, hammam, fitness room and massage shower). *The tennis courts of the Memorial Tennis Club – *Equestrian centre of the Gourmette saint-loise *Squash – Bois Jugan (near the aquatic centre) *Compact golf – Bois Jugan *Archery field – ''Rue Valvire'' (at the end) *Baseball field.

Sites and monuments

Religious heritage

Church of Notre-Dame

The is a monument of Flamboyant Gothic style erected on four centuries from the end of the 13th century to replace the former castle's chapel. It is located in the ''Enclos'' surrounded by ramparts and was listed on the register of historic monuments in 1840. The outdoor

pulpit A pulpit is a raised stand for preachers in a Christian church. The origin of the word is the Latin ''pulpitum'' (platform or staging). The traditional pulpit is raised well above the surrounding floor for audibility and visibility, access ...

was noted and drawn by

Victor Hugo Victor-Marie Hugo (; 26 February 1802 – 22 May 1885) was a French Romantic writer and politician. During a literary career that spanned more than sixty years, he wrote in a variety of genres and forms. He is considered to be one of the great ...

, which he called 'unique' in a letter to

Adèle Foucher Adèle Foucher (27 September 1803 – 27 August 1868) was the wife of French writer Victor Hugo, with whom she was acquainted from childhood. Her affair with the critic Charles-Augustin Sainte-Beuve became the raw material for Sainte-Beuve's ...

. He protected it from demolition, which was planned prior to town renovation in 1863. The building suffered heavy destruction during World War II, although it was among the only standing buildings after the 1944 bombings. If the stained-glass windows were saved, after being always present since temporary removal during the war, the nave was gutted following the collapse of the North Tower which was shelled by German artillery. Its roof and façade were destroyed, as well as the top of the other tower. Instead of rebuilding the church identically, the architect of Historic Monuments decided to build a greenschist frontage to highlight the scar left by the war. The statue of ''Notre-Dame du Pilier'' is from 1467; having been destroyed and remade several times, it is now housed on a column in the apse chapel.

Church of Sainte-Croix

The is, according to the tradition, the heir of a chapel built here by St. Helena in the 4th century and of an abbey founded by Charlemagne. Better documented is the creation of an

Augustinian Augustinian may refer to: *Augustinians, members of religious orders following the Rule of St Augustine *Augustinianism, the teachings of Augustine of Hippo and his intellectual heirs *Someone who follows Augustine of Hippo * Canons Regular of Sain ...

abbey by Algar, the new bishop of Coutances (formerly the prior of Bodmin Priory, Cornwall) in 1132. The Romanesque church was consecrated in 1202, being largely remade in the following centuries with successive renovations. The choir was remade in the 16th century while the bell tower is from 1860 to 1863. During World War II, the bell tower (located laterally) collapsed and it was on its ruins where the body of Major Howie was placed; a new bell tower was rebuilt in 1957 on the forecourt in a modern style. On the church square stands the departmental monument in memory of the victims of the wars of Algeria and Indochina, opened in 2005.

Cemetery of Saint-Lô

The cemetery of Saint-Lô is located between the Saint-Croix Church and the national stud, on the ''Route de Lison''. The cemetery is much marked by the Second World War with the plot of the civilian victims of the bombing of 1944, also the mausoleum of the Blanchet family, and Major Glover S. Johns Junior who installed the first command post before releasing the city. One can still find the tomb of the Dagobert. Also note the weeping statue which has traces of shrapnel, a bronze sculpture of Cabet, who was a student of F. Rude.

Other buildings

The parish of Saint-Lô has other Catholic buildings: *Church of Saint Jean-Eudes located in Val Saint-Jean *The chapel of the Memorial Hospital *The chapel of the Saint Jean clinic *The chapel of the Bon-Sauveur psychiatric hospital *The John XXIII Chapel in the Dollée quarter The city also has a temple of the Protestant Reformed Church of France. It was built by architect Verrey with the glazing of Max Ingrand and was inaugurated on 23 October 1955.

Historical civil heritage

Several sites are registered as historic monuments: *The Madeleine Chapel. *The Château de la Vaucelle, registered on 11 July 1975. *Notre-Dame church, recorded in 1840, contains ten objects registered in respect of objects classified as historical monuments. *The Sainte-Croix church. *The National Stud and its park, registered on 18 February 1993. *The wards and the lobby of the . *The Manor of Bosdel, constructed between the 16th and 18th centuries, registered as an historic monument on 1 April 1946. *The remains of the walls recorded on 12 December 1945 but the ''Rue de la poterne'' and the ''Place des Beaux-Regards'' had been registered as early as 22 October 1937. The Maison-Dieu ouse of God(not to be confused with the

) located opposite the church and built in the second half of the 15th century was razed during the bombings of 1944. This bourgeois construction presented a half-timbered façade with corbels and sculptures. Another House, called ''Poids Royal'', located in the quad at 11 ''Rue Thiers'' in the ''Enclos'' had been included in historical monuments on 3 October 1929, it was also destroyed.

Ramparts

Remparts de Saint-Lô (Tour Beaux-Regards)

Saint-Lô also has remains of its medieval line of walls. Ramparts still exist on three of the four sides of the ''Enclos''. The remains include: ''Tour des Beaux-Regards'' ("Tower of Beautiful Glances"), commanding the steepest part of the spur of the town, and the ''Tour de la Poudrière'' ("Tower of the Gunpowder Store"), an impressive military relic of the old citadel, are the two most notable elements of the ramparts. On the south side, the wartime disaster of 1944 had the paradoxical effect of clearing the base, where houses had grown around the ''Rue du Torteron''.

National Stud

Saint-Lô is home to the largest of the 23 national stud farms in France. In 1806,

Napoleon Napoleon Bonaparte ; it, Napoleone Bonaparte, ; co, Napulione Buonaparte. (born Napoleone Buonaparte; 15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821), later known by his regnal name Napoleon I, was a French military commander and political leader who ...

provided Saint-Lô with a deposit of stallions by the . From its origin, the deposit was installed on buildings and abandoned land of the old Abbey of Sainte-Croix ( first leased and then owned from 22 September 1807). The stud then recruited from the breeding of the

Haras du Pin Haras may refer to: * Al-Haras or the Haras, a bodyguard unit in service of caliphs during the Umayyad and the Abbasid caliphates * Haras Fyre (born 1953), an American songwriter, singer and multi-instrumentalist * Oleh Haras Oleh Haras ( uk, � ...

. In 1826, the military remount depot moved premises which the stud had given to it; most stallions were taken from the stud to provide cavalry. On 28 May 1874, the Boscher Law enabled supervision of the allocations of the regiments and allowed to provide the stud with over 230 horses. On 28 June 1881, the municipal council decided to transfer the stud to adjoin the ''Route de Bayeux''. Thus, the current stud farm buildings date from 1884 (the first stone was laid on 11 June 1884), and the transfer was finished three years later. During World War I, five mares out of six were requisitioned, but no stallions.

Grooms A bridegroom (often shortened to groom) is a man who is about to be married or who is newlywed. When marrying, the bridegroom's future spouse (if female) is usually referred to as the bride. A bridegroom is typically attended by a best man an ...

fought at the front, and German prisoners dug a pond. In 1939, the old stable housed the staff of the Haras de

Strasbourg Strasbourg (, , ; german: Straßburg ; gsw, label=Bas Rhin Alsatian, Strossburi , gsw, label=Haut Rhin Alsatian, Strossburig ) is the prefecture and largest city of the Grand Est region of eastern France and the official seat of the Eu ...

(40 stallions and staff) at the time of the German breakthrough. Then, in 1944, fifty horses were killed by the bombing and other stallions were stolen by German soldiers in flight. The old stud was destroyed and claimed by the city. Thus, there only remains the street of the same name and the Normandy building which was previously the former riding school. The new stud was then built. General de Gaulle offered to the Sultan of Morocco ''Bois de Rose'', a thoroughbred which had been stationed at the stud for two years. The stud then grew gradually in the field of reproduction, by investing in an artificial insemination centre, a centre for the freezing of semen and an embryo transfer unit. Thus, the electoral district of Saint-Lô has the highest density of breeding deposits of France.

Château de la Vaucelle

Located on the bank of the Vire, the belongs to the Saint-Lois descendants of the 17th century diarist Luc Duchemin. The Sainte-Pernelle Chapel is the work of a Lord of the Vaucelle Jean Boucart, confessor of Louis XI and founder of the parish library of Saint-Lô, which was at the time the second library of Normandy by importance. Three kings resided at the Vaucelle:

in 1346, at the beginning of the

the king found that it was not a safe city,

during his visit in 1532 and Charles IX. The dovecote and the northern wall niche are listed as protected elements.

Museums

Museum of Fine Arts

Built by the architect Eugène Leseney, the Jean-Lurçat Cultural Centre is situated on the ''Place du Champ-de-Mars'', opposite the Sainte-Croix Church. It houses the Museum of Fine Arts where, within the collections of the city since 1989, are found: The writings and sketches of

Jean Follain Jean Follain (29 August 1903 – 10 March 1971) was a French writer, poet and corporate lawyer. In the early days of his career he was a member of the "Sagesse" group.

, paintings by Corot, Guillaume Fouace, Eugène Boudin. Is also exposed the tapestries of the (16th century), composed of eight tapestries from the Bruges workshops including a draft with the theme of the '' Lai d'Aristote''.

Museum of the Norman Bocage

Boisjugan farm is a farmhouse from the 17th century which was in use until 1970. Converted into a museum, it traces the history and ethnography of agriculture in the Norman bocage since the 18th century with agricultural practices, horse and cattle breeding. Typical sites are reconstructed (workshop, stable, barn and creamery).

Chapel of Madeleine

Chapelle de la Madeleine de Saint-Lô, 2013

The is located right next to the national stud, on the road to Bayeux. It is a relic of a former leprosarium from the 14th century. It was classified as an historical monument on 3 August 1974 and was restored between 1988 and 1994. A memorial was inaugurated in May 1995 in honour of the soldiers of the 29th and 35th divisions who liberated Saint-Lô in 1944. Photos, commemorative plaques, tables and flags are on display.

Other notable places

A memorial in the city honours Major Thomas Howie, Commander of the 3d Battalion, 116th Infantry Regiment of the U.S. Army's 29th Division; the unit that liberated the city on 18 July 1944. Howie was killed just before his unit entered the city and was so highly respected that his men placed his flag-draped body on the hood of a jeep at the front of the column so he could be the first American to enter the city. He became famous as the "Major of Saint-Lô".

Place de la Mairie

Redesigned in 1990, the city square is all black asphalt lit by spotlights on the ground. At night it has a resemblance to an airport runway. The statue of the dairywoman or ''Femme d'Isigny'' oman of Isignycan be seen at the top of the square. (1848–1918) introduced a plaster statue in 1887, a Norman woman marked by the hard work of the Earth, a milk rod (a typical Normandy container) on her shoulder. A few years later, the bronze arrived in Saint-Lô. It is set on a round plinth, surrounded by a basin, on the ''Place des Beaux-Regards'' in front of the Notre-Dame church. She moved a little further when the Poilu of the Great War was installed. It was then unbolted and melted on 8 February 1942, by the Germans, to recover the bronze for the arms industry. In January 1984, André Leplanquais, a merchant of Saint-Lô, wanted to create a replica of this statue. A fundraiser gained significant donations from residents. Once the money was together, the sculptor , the famous sculptor of Ernée, fashioned a new statue based on the original plans. Moved several times, one can find it near stairs of the square. The base and the granite basin are the original. Statue de la laitière normande

The Havin fountain also created by Arthur Le Duc in 1887 was located near the Museum of Saint-Lô; its statue was also melted by the Germans, however no replica has been created. Nearby is the prison entrance, a remnant of the bombing in 1944. An urn containing the ashes of deportees is placed at the foot of it. A memorial in honour of the victims of Nazi repression, it became the departmental monument to the

Resistance Resistance may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Comics * Either of two similarly named but otherwise unrelated comic book series, both published by Wildstorm: ** ''Resistance'' (comics), based on the video game of the same title ** ''T ...

. The belfry can also be observed from the square, which seems to spring from the heart of the city. Built in 1954, it was once used to dry the hoses of firefighters. Renovated several times since 1990, it is the symbol of the reconstruction of the city. At the top are a weathervane in the shape of Unicorn and a viewpoint, from which one can admire the entire region. Previously open to the public by the tourist office, its access is now forbidden.

The Caisse d'Épargne squirrel

A granite statue representing a squirrel can be seen in Saint-Lô, which is the logo of the

Caisse d'Épargne Caisse, a French word, may refer to: * Caisse Desjardins, an association of credit unions in Quebec * Caisse d'Epargne-Illes Balears, a road-bicycle racing team *Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec, a public pension fund in Quebec * Caisse n ...

banking group; It is located in the ''Rue Saint-Thomas''. What may seem incongruous, it is that there's no bank of this group nearby. However, the bank did have a branch in front, but it was moved in the 1990s. Then arose the question of whether or not to keep the statue for advertising purposes. The people of Saint-Lô had become attached to the squirrel, and it was finally decided to leave it in place.

Quarters

Saint-Lô - Val Saint-Jean - démolition d'immeuble

The town of Saint-Lô consists of a number of

quarter A quarter is one-fourth, , 25% or 0.25. Quarter or quarters may refer to: Places * Quarter (urban subdivision), a section or area, usually of a town Placenames * Quarter, South Lanarkshire, a settlement in Scotland * Le Quartier, a settlement i ...

s: *The Val Saint-Jean, composed mainly of buildings and apartment towers. *The Aurore, composed mostly of single family homes and social housing. One can discover, the ''Rue des Sycamores'' open school of Aurore. This modern architecture is a work of Eugène Leseney. *The Bois Ardent–Bois Jugan: Located on the south side of the city, these twp quarters include leisure spaces (urban golf, pool, and squash, etc.) as well as service spaces (employment service, retirement home) and a . *The Dollée composed mainly of a large number of social and private apartment buildings. *La Ferronnière *The Enclos, historic centre of the city within the walls with its prefectural administrative centre.

Parks and green spaces

The commune is a floral city, having obtained three flowers in the Concours des villes et villages fleuris ontest of floral cities and villages *The public garden: It is located in the ''Enclos'', between the ''Tour des Beaux-Regards'' and the administrative area. The view is breathtaking on the Vire and ''Rue Torteron''. *The ''Plage Verte'' reen Beach A green space created in 2001 on part of the old tangue wharf in the vicinity of the River Vire, between the ramparts and the railway station. The modern Henri Liébard footbridge connects the two banks of the river roughly at the location of the former which had been destroyed during the bombing of June 1944. It is also the setting of the festival of the Vire which is held annually during the last weekend of June. It also allows access to the piers for

boat tour A boat tour is a short trip in a relatively small boat taken for touristic reasons, typically starting and ending in the same place, and normally of a duration less than a day. This contrasts with river cruising, yacht cruising, and ocean cru ...

s. *The islands of the river Vire: Lebroussois island and Möselman Island are separated by the weir. An arboretum has been planted at the foot of the brick chimney, only remnant of the paper mill which was burned in the 1930s. *The towpath: Between the station and the Rocreuil bridge, many Saint-Lô people walk, do their jogging and cycling there. One can see the Château de la Vaucelle. *The Valley of the Dollée: At the foot of the ''Route de

'', there is a mill race and a watermill and a fitness trail. It is also part of the festival of ''"hétéroclites"''. *The Boisjugan Urban Park: A green area linking the new subdivisions, which border it, and the old farmland property of the city which borders the south ring road. This landscape with an area of is located behind the Museum of the Norman Bocage, of the Aquatic Centre and in the immediate vicinity of the golf course. It includes green spaces with ponds and wetlands, crossed by stone walkways overlooking the old paths, all exclusively for walkers. There is also a playground for children and a fitness trail. *The village of : In the middle of the Saint-Lô bocage, Le Hutrel has a village festival, in its square, every year on

Ascension Thursday The Solemnity of the Ascension of Jesus Christ, also called Ascension Day, Ascension Thursday, or sometimes Holy Thursday, commemorates the Christian belief of the bodily Ascension of Jesus into heaven. It is one of the ecumenical (i.e., shared b ...

. *The park of the Haras de Saint-Lô: Park and gardens protected as historical monuments since 18 February 1993. The city has also two according to th
CAUE 50
that are a saucer magnolia, located in a courtyard of the ''Rue du Neufbourg'', and a giant sequoia, located in the courtyard of the district school, on ''Rue du Général Dagobert''.

Twinning programmes and sponsorship

The town of Saint-Lô is twinned with: * Saint-Ghislain, Belgium, since 9 September 1962 *

Aalen Aalen () is a former Free Imperial City located in the eastern part of the German state of Baden-Württemberg, about east of Stuttgart and north of Ulm. It is the seat of the Ostalbkreis district and is its largest town. It is also the large ...

, Germany, since 3 June 1979 * Christchurch, since 20 April 1985 * Kervénanec, Lorient, France, since 11 September 1988 * Roanoke, USA, since 19 June 1999 Saint-Lô is the sponsor of the patrol vessel , a

P400-class patrol vessel The P400-class patrol vessels are small patrol boats of the French Navy. They were designed to accomplish police operations in the French exclusive economic zone (EEZ). They were built by the ''Constructions Mécaniques de Normandie'', which spec ...

of the French Navy, intended for protection tasks of exclusive economic zones or public service.

Philately

A French

stamp Stamp or Stamps or Stamping may refer to: Official documents and related impressions * Postage stamp, used to indicate prepayment of fees for public mail * Ration stamp, indicating the right to rationed goods * Revenue stamp, used on documents to ...

representing the coat of arms of the city was issued on 17 December 1966, the stamp was the sixth of the ''Arms of cities'' series. Its face value was 20 centimes. It was designed by Mireille Louis.

Notes

References

Bibliography

: Document used as a source for the drafting of this article. * * * * * * * Nuvola apps ksig horizonta

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* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * ; Digital media *

External links

Town council website

The heroic and painful memory of the summer of 1944
(In French)

(In French)
Map of the commune in 1749

Old views of Saint-Lô on the site of the Manche archives
(In French) * {{DEFAULTSORT:Saintlo Communes of Manche Prefectures in France Razed cities