Vir (Calvados)

In 1123, Henry I , king of England and duke of Normandy, decided to build a fort on top of a rocky hill surrounded by the River Vir . The fort, whose base was made of stone, was designed to repel the attack on Normandy from Brittany and Maine . A century later, under Louis the Holy , he was surrounded by outer ramparts.

At the end of the Middle Ages, the city ​​flourished thanks to leather and then textiles. During the Hundred Years War, Vir was looted in 1368, and in 1418 occupied by the British. The occupation of the city lasted until 1450 and brought many troubles to local residents. In particular, they remember the story of South Vaud, the owner of the largest local farm, who was executed by the British for refusing to supply them with the products of his farm. During the Religious Wars, the fort was actively used by the local Huguenots and was eventually torn down by order of Cardinal Richelieu . In the XIX century, the city lost to competitors during the Industrial Revolution and lost its significance.

On June 6, 1944, Vir, like many other Norman cities, was practically destroyed during the massive bombardment by British aircraft and was completely restored only by the mid-60s.

• 12th Century Fort Ruins
• The clock gate (Porte Horloge), the surviving part of the city fortifications of the XIII century, the former main gate, is now a symbol of the city
• 13th Century Rennes (Tour aux Raines) and 14th Century Saint-Sauveur
• Church of Notre Dame of the XIII — XVI centuries, restored from ruins in 1948 in the Gothic style
• Church of St. Anne of the XIX century in neo-Romanesque style

Employment structure:

• agriculture - 1.2%
• industry - 27.5%
• construction - 4.1%
• trade, transport and services - 38.8%
• state and municipal services - 28.4%

The unemployment rate (2013) is 16.4% (France as a whole - 13.6%, Calvados department - 12.6%).
The average annual income per person, Euro (2013) - 18 259 (France as a whole - 19 786, Calvados department - 19 850).

Population dynamics, people

Since 2016, the post of mayor delegate of Vir has been occupied by Marc Andreu Sabater, member of the Radical Left Party , member of the Council of the Calvados Department of the canton of Vir . In the 2014 municipal elections, the left list he heads won in the 1st round, receiving 59.19% of the vote. Sabater served as mayor until December 31, 2015, and after Vir entered the new commune, Vir-Normandy became its mayor, retaining the post of mayor-delegate of Vir.

•   Baunatal , Germany
•   Totnes , UK
•   Santa Fe , Spain
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•   Sechele , Romania

• Francois Thurpin (1775-1840), botanist and botanical artist
• Valerie Clement Octavé Grear (1828–1904), writer and teacher
• Raymond Lefebvre (1891-1920), writer, journalist, publicist

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  Clock tower

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  Notre Dame Church

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  Fort ruins

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  Saint-Sauveur Tower

• List of counties in France

• National Institute of Statistics
• 2014 municipal election results