Isigny-sur-Mer

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Administration
Commune of Isigny-sur-Mer Image:Isigny harbor.jpg Vire River at Isigny
Location
Longitude	01° 06' 03" W
Latitude	49° 19' 07" N
Country	France
Région	Basse-Normandie
Département	Calvados
Arrondissement	Bayeux
Canton	Isigny-sur-Mer</br>(chief town)
Intercommunality	Isigny Grandcamp Intercom
Statistics
Altitude	0 m–37 m (avg. 30 m)
Land area¹	17.44 km²
Population² (1999)	2,920
- Density (1999)	167/km²
Miscellaneous
INSEE/Postal code	14342/ 14230
¹ French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km² (0.386 sq. mi. or 247 acres) and river estuaries.
² Population sans doubles comptes: single count of residents of multiple communes (e.g. students and military personnel).
Image:Flag of France.svg

Isigny-sur-Mer is a commune of the northwestern France, chief town of a canton of the Calvados département.

1 Geography
2 History
3 Administration
4 References

[edit] Geography

Positioned at the bottom of the baie des Veys, Isigny is an important milk production area, known for its AOC butter and cream, as well as its cheeses (Mimolette, Pont-l’Évêque, Camembert, Trésor d’Isigny, etc.) made by the Isigny Sainte Mère co-operative. Since the second half of the 20th century, oysters have been extensively cultivated nearby in the baie des Veys. A river, the Vire, passes through the commune.

[edit] History

The town is well positioned and owes its significance to its industrial history. The industrialisation of milk processing began at the start of the 19th century: many factories were built, especially by the Dupont d'Isigny family, which then diversified and created the famous Isigny caramels. More recently, the co-operative Isigny dairy has dominated. Meanwhile, the agricultural fairs and markets have also contributed to Isigny's reputation.

The port, often overlooked, was important in facilitating inshore nagivation, allowing commercial and industrial activity to be developed and maintained (import of wood from the North; export coal from the mine at Littry and butter). Fishing was important until the end of the 1970s (mussel fishing and small vessels crewed by fishermen from the Hogues quarter). The famous "Caïeu d'Isigny" is a hymn to Isigny's sailors and fishermen, created in 1869 by Alfred Rossel.

Isigny was more than 60% destroyed by two bombardments on June 8 1944 and has since been almost entirely rebuilt. Charles de Gaulle paid its inhabitants visits on June 14 1944 and June 16 1946.

The Disney surname derives from the canton of Isigny, the earliest ancestor of Walt Disney being Jean-Christophe d'Isigny ("of Isigny"). "d'Isigny" was, over the generations, transformed into "Disney".

[edit] Administration

The canton of Isigny-sur-Mer includes 24 communes and has a population of 9,935 inhabitants. The communes are: Asnières-en-Bessin, La Cambe, Canchy, Cardonville, Cartigny-l'Épinay, Castilly, Cricqueville-en-Bessin, Deux-Jumeaux, Englesqueville-la-Percée, La Folie, Géfosse-Fontenay, Grandcamp-Maisy, Isigny-sur-Mer, Lison, Longueville, Monfréville, Neuilly-la-Forêt, Osmanville, Les Oubeaux, Sainte-Marguerite-d'Elle, Saint-Germain-du-Pert, Saint-Marcouf, Saint-Pierre du Mont and Vouilly.

The communauté de communes Isigny Grandcamp Intercom includes 21 communes (9,023 inhabitants) of the canton. Asnières-en-Bessin, La Folie and Sainte-Marguerite-d'Elle do not form part of it.