Villerville (French pronunciation: [vilɛʁvil] ) is a commune in the Calvados department in the Normandy region in northwestern France. The commune is located towards the eastern end of the 40 km (25 mi) coastline called the Côte Fleurie (Flowery Coast).

Villerville
The church in Villerville
The church in Villerville
Coat of arms of Villerville
Location of Villerville
Map
Villerville is located in France
Villerville
Villerville
Villerville is located in Normandy
Villerville
Villerville
Coordinates: 49°24′06″N 0°07′46″E / 49.4017°N 0.1294°E / 49.4017; 0.1294
CountryFrance
RegionNormandy
DepartmentCalvados
ArrondissementLisieux
CantonHonfleur-Deauville
IntercommunalityCœur Côte Fleurie
Government
 • Mayor (2020–2026) Michel Marescot[1]
Area
1
3.30 km2 (1.27 sq mi)
Population
 (2021)[2]
591
 • Density180/km2 (460/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+01:00 (CET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+02:00 (CEST)
INSEE/Postal code
14755 /14113
Elevation0–144 m (0–472 ft)
(avg. 60 m or 200 ft)
1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km2 (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries.

In entertainment

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In the summer of 1923 the American art collector and patron Peggy Guggenheim rented a villa in the village and entertained, amongst others, the American photographer Man Ray and his partner, the French model, singer, artist and 'Queen of Montparnasse' Alice Prin, also known as 'Kiki'. According the recently published biography of Kiki, Peggy would encourage her guests to paint in the villa's garden, and Peggy "picked up a brush for the first and last time of her life."[3]

Composer Francis Bayer (1938–2004) was born in Villerville.

The film A Monkey in Winter Un singe en hiver, starring Jean Gabin and Jean-Paul Belmondo, was shot there in 1962.[4] Villerville celebrated the film's 50th anniversary with special events from 30 June to 20 October 2012.[5]

La Baleine Theatre (The Whale Theater) operated between July and November 1894. The brainchild of Simon-Max, who managed Villerville's Casino for a time, he purchased the remains of a beached whale at auction and had it converted into a theater seating 80–100, where he himself performed in various revues.[6][circular reference]

The attraction was so successful it was moved first to Trouville, then to the Casino de Paris, where it served the dual function of a museum and theater. It was destroyed by fire on the night of February 25–26, 1895, causing the Casino substantial damage.[7][circular reference]

The "Friends of the Villerville Whale" was founded in 2013 with the aim of reviving the town's casino. In July 2014 they commemorated the 120th anniversary of The Whale Theater.[8]

Population

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Historical population
YearPop.±% p.a.
1968 728—    
1975 722−0.12%
1982 733+0.22%
1990 686−0.82%
1999 676−0.16%
2009 772+1.34%
2014 694−2.11%
2020 591−2.64%
Source: INSEE[9]

International relations

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Villerville is twinned with:

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Répertoire national des élus: les maires". data.gouv.fr, Plateforme ouverte des données publiques françaises (in French). 2 December 2020.
  2. ^ "Populations légales 2021" (in French). The National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies. 28 December 2023.
  3. ^ Braude, Mark (2023). Kiki Man Ray: Art, Love and Rivalry in 1920s Paris. W.W. Norton & Co. p. 77.
  4. ^ "Bienvenue sur le site de Villerville". Villerville site. Archived from the original on 20 July 2011. Retrieved 24 December 2012. C'est aussi dans ce village que Henri Verneuil a posé ses cameras pour la réalisation du Film Un Singe en Hiver, il y a 50 ans. In French
  5. ^ "Villerville fête les 50 ans du film d'Henri Verneuil "Un singe en hiver"". francetv.fr. Retrieved 24 December 2012. In French.
  6. ^ Baleine de Villerville, in French.
  7. ^ Baleine de Villerville in French.
  8. ^ Where there’s a whale there’s a way, in Villerville
  9. ^ Population en historique depuis 1968, INSEE
 
Near Villerville, Charles-François Daubigny, 1873.
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