Clécy () is a

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

in the

Calvados Calvados (, , ) is a brandy from Normandy in France, made from apples or pears, or from apples with pears. History In France Apple orchards and brewers are mentioned as far back as the 8th century by Charlemagne. The first known record of Nor ...

department 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 an ...

in northwestern

France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans. Its metropolitan area ...

. In 1932 it was awarded the title The Capital of

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 Or ...

by the Tourism Minister Monsieur Gourdeau.

Geography

Clécy is on the

River Orne The Orne () is a river in Normandy, within northwestern France. It is long. It discharges into the English Channel at the port of Ouistreham. Its source is in Aunou-sur-Orne, east of Sées. Its main tributaries are the Odon and the Rouvre. The ...

, in the middle of

, about s south of Caen. Covering it is the largest commune in the canton of

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 ...

. Called the "Capital of Norman Switzerland", this village owes its fame to the rugged and verdant

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 Dov ...

, with valleys through which the Orne flows. Plenty of outdoor activities are available: kayaking,

paragliding Paragliding is the recreational and competitive adventure sport of flying paragliders: lightweight, free-flying, foot-launched glider aircraft with no rigid primary structure. The pilot sits in a harness or lies supine in a cocoon-like 'p ...

climbing Climbing is the activity of using one's hands, feet, or any other part of the body to ascend a steep topographical object that can range from the world's tallest mountains (e.g. the eight thousanders), to small boulders. Climbing is done ...

hill walking Walking is one of the most popular outdoor recreational activities in the United Kingdom, and within England and Wales there is a comprehensive network of rights of way that permits access to the countryside. Furthermore, access to much uncultiv ...

and mountain biking, taking advantage of the geology of Norman Switzerland.

History

The name "Clécy" is mentioned in 860 in the reign of

Charles the Bald Charles the Bald (french: Charles le Chauve; 13 June 823 – 6 October 877), also known as Charles II, was a 9th-century king of West Francia (843–877), king of Italy (875–877) and emperor of the Carolingian Empire (875–877). After a ...

. When French cantons were created, Clécy was the capital of the canton. This ceased to be the case after restructuring in 1801. Clécy has a wealth of historical treasures:

Château A château (; plural: châteaux) is a manor house or residence of the lord of the manor, or a fine country house of nobility or gentry, with or without fortifications, originally, and still most frequently, in French-speaking regions. Now ...

x and manor houses are spread all over Clécy and its surroundings. The Château de la Landelle is one of the oldest. More recently, painters such as Paul-Émile Pissarro, Moteley and Hardy have painted landscapes around Clécy.

Administration

Population

Its inhabitants are called ''Clécyens''.

Economy

* Fromagerie Vallée (Valley Cheesemaker)

Sights

* The Château de La Landelle is one of the oldest monuments in the village. At its base it is in the form of a cross, originally on one floor, but was changed to two floors when the wings were reworked. In the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposi ...

it was occupied by the Germans. * Rochers des Parcs (Park rocks) * Pain de sucre (Sugarloaf) * Musée Hardy (Hardy Museum) * Musée du chemin de fer miniature (Museum of miniature trains) * Manoir de Placy (Placy Manor) (16th century) * Eglise St Pierre (St Paul's church) (15th century) * Clécy Viaduct (1866)

Personalities

* Paul-Émile Pissarro prolific landscape painter who moved to Clécy in 1936.

References

External links

Clécy sur le site de la communauté de communes

Chemin de fer miniature de Clécy
Communes of Calvados (department) {{Calvados-geo-stub