Saint-Contest | |
|---|---|
 Church of Saint-Contest | |
 Location of Saint-Contest | |
  Saint-Contest  Saint-Contest | |
| Coordinates: 49°12′52″N 0°24′01″W / 49.2144°N 0.4003°W | |
| Country | France |
| Region | Normandy |
| Department | Calvados |
| Arrondissement | Caen |
| Canton | Caen-2 |
| Intercommunality | Caen la Mer |
| Government | |
| • Mayor (2020–2026) | Jean-Marc Philippe[1] |
Area 1 | 8.05 km2 (3.11 sq mi) |
| Population (2023)[2] | 2,465 |
| • Density | 306/km2 (793/sq mi) |
| Time zone | UTC+01:00 (CET) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+02:00 (CEST) |
| INSEE/Postal code | 14566 /14280 |
| Elevation | 54–77 m (177–253 ft) (avg. 77 m or 253 ft) |
| 1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km2 (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries. | |
Saint-Contest (French pronunciation: [sɛ̃ kɔ̃tɛ]) is a commune in the Calvados department in the Normandy region in northwestern France.
History
[edit]Excavations at the Clos de Bitot site in 1984 uncovered four Gaulish kilns and evidence of domestic animal use, particularly dogs. Additionally, a Roman villa was identified through aerial photography in 1987, suggesting significant historical occupation.
The name Saint-Contest is derived from Saint Contest, who served as the Bishop of Bayeux between 480 and 513. The local church, dating back to the 11th century, was granted to the Abbey of Ardenne in 1207 by Gautier d'Aignaux, the then lord of Saint-Contest.
The commune was a strategic point during Operation Charnwood in July 1944, leading to extensive damage and loss of life.
Population
[edit]Historical population | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Source: EHESS[3] and INSEE (1968-2017)[4] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Administration
[edit]Mayors of Saint-Contest
[edit]| From | To | Name | Party |
|---|---|---|---|
2001
|
2008
|
Michel Charpentier | Independent |
2008
|
2014
|
Denis Desynder | Independent |
2014
|
2020
|
Stéphanie Yon-Courtin | DVD |
International relations
[edit]Saint-Contest is twinned with:
Marchwood, near Southampton, Hampshire, United Kingdom.
Notable people
[edit]- François-Dominique Barberie de Saint-Contest (1701–1754): Marquis of Saint-Contest and Minister of Foreign Affairs from 1751 to 1754.
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ "Répertoire national des élus: les maires" (in French). data.gouv.fr, Plateforme ouverte des données publiques françaises. 13 September 2022.
- ^ "Populations de référence 2023" (in French). National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies. 29 December 2025.
- ^ Des villages de Cassini aux communes d'aujourd'hui: Commune data sheet Saint-Contest, EHESS (in French).
- ^ Population en historique depuis 1968, INSEE
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