Vimoutiers

Vimoutiers is a commune in the Orne department in north-western France.

Vimoutiers
Commune
The church in Vimoutiers
Coat of arms
Location of Vimoutiers
Vimoutiers
Vimoutiers
Coordinates: 48°56′N 0°12′E
CountryFrance
RegionNormandy
DepartmentOrne
ArrondissementMortagne-au-Perche
CantonVimoutiers
Area
1
16.15 km2 (6.24 sq mi)
Population
 (2017-01-01)[1]
3,332
 • Density210/km2 (530/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+01:00 (CET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+02:00 (CEST)
INSEE/Postal code
61508 /61120
Elevation92–236 m (302–774 ft)
(avg. 134 m or 440 ft)
1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km2 (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries.

The finish line of the Paris–Camembert bicycle race is Vimoutiers.

History

In 1040 while besieging a nearby Norman castle, Alan III, Duke of Brittany died suddenly in Vimoutiers, then a possession of the Duchy of Normandy. His death was thought to be caused by poisoning.

Damaged statue to Marie Harel "inventor" of Camembert cheese

On 14 June 1944, during the Battle of Normandy, Vimoutiers was bombarded by Allied forces. The village was destroyed and 220 people died. 400 people of Van Wert, Ohio contributed in the costs of reconstruction and reparation of the town. They volunteered to pay for the replacement of Marie Harel's statue in 1953. This is recorded by a plaque in the market square of Vimoutiers.[2]

A German Tiger I tank is on display on the outskirts of the city after being retrieved from abandonment in a roadside ditch in 1975. It is one of the world's remaining seven Tiger I tanks.

The beautiful and strategic location of Vimoutiers attracts numerous tourists for sporting events, recreation and overnight rest. Modern hotels and small restaurants cater to visitors.

Heraldry
Arms of Vimoutiers
 The arms of Vimoutiers are blazoned :
Azure, a cross Or, between 4 keys addorsed argent.

Name

The name 'Vimoutiers' is a contraction of 'Vie', the name of the small river which runs through the town ('vie' means 'life'), and 'Moutiers', a French word which means 'Monastery'. This name is derived from the fact that there was once a monastery present on the site, near the banks of the river 'Vie.

Notable people

Vimoutiers was the birthplace of Joseph Laniel (1889–1975), politician of the Fourth Republic.

Twin towns

Vimoutiers is twinned with:

See also

References
  1. "Populations légales 2017". INSEE. Retrieved 6 January 2020.
  2. The new statue and plaque, Wikimedia Commons, Retrieved 29 April 2017


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