Coutances

Coutances
Subprefecture and commune
Coutances Cathedral
Coat of arms
Location of Coutances
Coutances Show map of France Coutances Show map of Normandy
Coordinates: 49°03′N 1°26′W
Country	France
Region	Normandy
Department	Manche
Arrondissement	Coutances
Canton	Coutances
Intercommunality	Coutances Mer et Bocage
Government
• Mayor (2020–2026)	Jean-Dominique Bourdin[1]
Area ^1	12.51 km^2 (4.83 sq mi)
Population  (2021)[2]	8,353
• Density	670/km^2 (1,700/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC+01:00 (CET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+02:00 (CEST)
INSEE/Postal code	50147 /50200
Elevation	12–150 m (39–492 ft)
^1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km^2 (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries.

Coutances (French pronunciation: [kutɑ̃s] ^ⓘ) is a commune in the Manche department in Normandy in north-western France.

History

American armored and infantry forces pass through Coutances, France, in July 1944

The capital of the Unelli, a Gaulish tribe, the town was given the name of Constantia in 298 during the reign of Roman Emperor Constantius Chlorus. The surrounding region, called in Latin the pagus Constantinus, subsequently became known as the Cotentin Peninsula.

The town was destroyed by the invading Normans in 866; they later established settlements and incorporated the whole peninsula into the Duchy of Normandy in 933.

On 17 July 1944, during the Battle of Normandy during World War II, the city was bombed during the Allied offensive against the occupying Germans.

Geography

Climate

Coutances has an oceanic climate (Köppen climate classification Cfb). The average annual temperature in Coutances is 11.2 °C (52.2 °F). The average annual rainfall is 1,061.2 mm (41.78 in) with December as the wettest month. The temperatures are highest on average in August, at around 17.5 °C (63.5 °F), and lowest in January, at around 5.5 °C (41.9 °F). The highest temperature ever recorded in Coutances was 38.9 °C (102.0 °F) on 5 August 2003; the coldest temperature ever recorded was −14.4 °C (6.1 °F) on 17 January 1985.

Climate data for Coutances (1991–2020 normals, extremes 1974–present)
Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Year
Record high °C (°F)	15.5 (59.9)	21.5 (70.7)	24.6 (76.3)	26.9 (80.4)	30.5 (86.9)	34.4 (93.9)	39.5 (103.1)	38.9 (102.0)	33.0 (91.4)	28.6 (83.5)	21.9 (71.4)	16.6 (61.9)	39.5 (103.1)
Mean daily maximum °C (°F)	8.8 (47.8)	9.6 (49.3)	12.0 (53.6)	14.7 (58.5)	17.8 (64.0)	20.6 (69.1)	22.5 (72.5)	22.5 (72.5)	20.3 (68.5)	16.4 (61.5)	12.3 (54.1)	9.4 (48.9)	15.6 (60.1)
Daily mean °C (°F)	6.0 (42.8)	6.3 (43.3)	8.2 (46.8)	10.3 (50.5)	13.3 (55.9)	16.1 (61.0)	17.9 (64.2)	17.9 (64.2)	15.8 (60.4)	12.7 (54.9)	9.2 (48.6)	6.5 (43.7)	11.7 (53.1)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F)	3.2 (37.8)	3.0 (37.4)	4.4 (39.9)	5.9 (42.6)	8.8 (47.8)	11.6 (52.9)	13.4 (56.1)	13.4 (56.1)	11.3 (52.3)	9.1 (48.4)	6.0 (42.8)	3.6 (38.5)	7.8 (46.0)
Record low °C (°F)	−14.4 (6.1)	−13.0 (8.6)	−5.4 (22.3)	−2.5 (27.5)	−1.1 (30.0)	2.7 (36.9)	4.6 (40.3)	3.9 (39.0)	0.5 (32.9)	−2.8 (27.0)	−5.5 (22.1)	−7.1 (19.2)	−14.4 (6.1)
Average precipitation mm (inches)	109.6 (4.31)	86.5 (3.41)	75.6 (2.98)	71.7 (2.82)	68.9 (2.71)	64.5 (2.54)	67.3 (2.65)	79.6 (3.13)	82.4 (3.24)	120.0 (4.72)	122.3 (4.81)	144.4 (5.69)	1,092.8 (43.02)
Average precipitation days (≥ 1.0 mm)	16.6	13.5	12.6	11.4	9.9	9.7	10.1	10.1	11.0	14.6	16.8	17.2	153.5
Source: Meteociel[3]

Population

Historical population

Year	Pop.	±% p.a.
1968	9,061	—
1975	9,869	+1.23%
1982	9,930	+0.09%
1990	9,715	−0.27%
1999	9,522	−0.22%
2007	9,483	−0.05%
2012	9,114	−0.79%
2017	8,501	−1.38%
Source: INSEE[4]

Sights

Coutances Cathedral is one of the major buildings of Norman architecture and contains a chapel and stained glass dedicated to Saint Marcouf. The bishop of Coutances exercised ecclesiastical jurisdiction over the Channel Islands until the Reformation, despite the secular division of Normandy in 1204. The final rupture occurred definitively in 1569.

Coutances houses a well-known botanical garden and an art museum.

Jazz festival

Coutances is the location of Jazz sous les pommiers ("Jazz under the apple trees"), an annual jazz festival held since 1982. The festival traditionally takes place during the week of Ascension.

International relations

See also: List of twin towns and sister cities in France

Coutances is twinned with:

Ochsenfurt in Germany Troina in Sicily, Italy Ilkley in England, United Kingdom[5][6]

Saint Ouen in Jersey, Channel Islands La Pocatière in Québec, Canada

Heraldry

Arms of Coutances

The arms of Coutances are blazoned : Azure, in fess 3 columns argent, and on a chief gules, a leopard Or armed and langued azure.

See also

• Roman Catholic Diocese of Coutances

References

1. "Répertoire national des élus: les maires" (in French). data.gouv.fr, Plateforme ouverte des données publiques françaises. 13 September 2022.
2. "Populations légales 2021" (in French). The National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies. 28 December 2023.
3. "Normales et records pour Coutances (50)". Meteociel. Retrieved 16 November 2024.
4. Population en historique depuis 1968, INSEE
5. "British towns twinned with French towns [via WaybackMachine.com]". Archant Community Media Ltd. Archived from the original on 5 July 2013. Retrieved 20 July 2013.
6. "Ilkley and Coutances celebrate twin-ship". Ilkley Gazette. Newsquest Media Group. 29 May 2009. Retrieved 27 June 2009.