Villers-Bocage, Calvados

Villers-Bocage (French pronunciation: [vilɛʁ bɔkaʒ] ) is a commune in the Calvados department in the Normandy region in Northern France.

Villers-Bocage
Town hall
Town hall
Coat of arms of Villers-Bocage
Location of Villers-Bocage
Map
Villers-Bocage is located in France
Villers-Bocage
Villers-Bocage
Villers-Bocage is located in Normandy
Villers-Bocage
Villers-Bocage
Coordinates: 49°05′N 0°40′W / 49.08°N 0.66°W / 49.08; -0.66
CountryFrance
RegionNormandy
DepartmentCalvados
ArrondissementVire
CantonLes Monts d'Aunay
IntercommunalityPré-Bocage Intercom
Government
 • Mayor (2020–2026) Stéphanie Leberrurier[1]
Area
1
5.76 km2 (2.22 sq mi)
Population
 (2021)[2]
3,130
 • Density540/km2 (1,400/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+01:00 (CET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+02:00 (CEST)
INSEE/Postal code
14752 /14310
Elevation95–217 m (312–712 ft)
(avg. 170 m or 560 ft)
1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km2 (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries.

History

edit

Second World War

edit

The Battle of Villers-Bocage was a significant battle between British and German forces on 13 June 1944 during the Battle of Normandy.[3] Further fighting occurred two weeks later during Operation Epsom, during which the village was destroyed by 250 RAF heavy bombers.

Population

edit
Historical population
YearPop.±% p.a.
1793 1,121—    
1800 1,010−1.48%
1806 1,223+3.24%
1821 1,177−0.26%
1831 1,178+0.01%
1836 1,178+0.00%
1841 1,146−0.55%
1846 1,134−0.21%
1851 1,127−0.12%
1856 1,105−0.39%
1861 1,156+0.91%
1866 1,155−0.02%
1872 1,147−0.12%
1876 1,139−0.17%
1881 1,084−0.98%
1886 1,147+1.14%
1891 1,057−1.62%
1896 1,104+0.87%
YearPop.±% p.a.
1901 1,047−1.05%
1906 1,073+0.49%
1911 1,141+1.24%
1921 1,039−0.93%
1926 1,060+0.40%
1931 1,093+0.62%
1936 1,202+1.92%
1946 743−4.70%
1954 1,431+8.54%
1962 1,825+3.09%
1968 1,985+1.41%
1975 2,317+2.23%
1982 2,623+1.79%
1990 2,845+1.02%
1999 2,904+0.23%
2007 2,894−0.04%
2012 3,072+1.20%
2017 3,108+0.23%
Source: EHESS[4] and INSEE (1968-2017)[5]

International relations

edit

The commune is twinned with:

See also

edit

References

edit
  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. ^ Daniel Taylor: Villers-Bocage through the Lens. 1999, ISBN 978-1870067072.
  4. ^ Des villages de Cassini aux communes d'aujourd'hui: Commune data sheet Villers-Bocage, EHESS (in French).
  5. ^ Population en historique depuis 1968, INSEE
edit