Ouistreham

Ouistreham (French pronunciation: ​[wistʁe.am]) is a commune in the Calvados department in Normandy region in northwestern France.

Ouistreham
Commune
Ouistreham locks
Coat of arms
Location of Ouistreham
Ouistreham
Ouistreham
Coordinates: 49°17′N 0°16′W
CountryFrance
RegionNormandy
DepartmentCalvados
ArrondissementCaen
CantonOuistreham
IntercommunalityCU Caen la Mer
Government
 • Mayor (2014-) Romain Bail
Area
1
9.95 km2 (3.84 sq mi)
Population
 (2017-01-01)[1]
9,081
 • Density910/km2 (2,400/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+01:00 (CET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+02:00 (CEST)
INSEE/Postal code
14488 /14150
Websitehttp://ouistreham-rivabella.fr/
1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km2 (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries.

Ouistreham is a small port with fishing boats, leisure craft and a ferry harbour. It serves as the port of the city of Caen. The town borders the mouth of the Canal de Caen à la Mer.

History

The name Ouistreham derives from Middle French ouistre (Old French oystre), meaning 'oyster', and Saxon ham, 'village'. It has been a trading port since the Middle Ages. The harbour is now a part of "Port de Caen-Ouistreham". Since the beginning of the 20th century, it has been a bathing beach on the "Riva Bella".

On 6 June 1944, No. 4 Commando landed at Ouistreham (codenamed Sword) and fought their way to Pegasus Bridge, with the 177 Free French of the No. 10 (Inter-Allied) Commando given the honour of spearheading the advance.[2] The assault on Ouistreham was featured in the movie The Longest Day, although the film location for Ouistreham was at the nearby village of Port-en-Bessin.

German bunker in Ouistreham, fitted with the turret of a Renault FT tank.

Population
Historical population
YearPop.±%
1793854—    
1800796−6.8%
18061,050+31.9%
18211,104+5.1%
18311,162+5.3%
18361,149−1.1%
18411,359+18.3%
18461,194−12.1%
18511,133−5.1%
18561,221+7.8%
18611,259+3.1%
18661,243−1.3%
18721,249+0.5%
18761,196−4.2%
18811,222+2.2%
18861,206−1.3%
18911,194−1.0%
18961,354+13.4%
19011,688+24.7%
19061,523−9.8%
19111,574+3.3%
19212,013+27.9%
19262,220+10.3%
19312,584+16.4%
19362,790+8.0%
19463,527+26.4%
19544,342+23.1%
19624,780+10.1%
19685,223+9.3%
19756,140+17.6%
19826,310+2.8%
19906,709+6.3%
19998,674+29.3%
20089,322+7.5%

Transportation

The port of Ouistreham has a scheduled cross-Channel ferry service to Portsmouth, operated by Brittany Ferries. During 2017, Ouistreham became a new focal point for migrants and refugees trying to cross the Channel, leading the British government to contribute to improved security there.[3][4][5]

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

Twin towns – Sister cities

Ouistreham is twinned with:[6]

See also

References
  1. "Populations légales 2017". INSEE. Retrieved 6 January 2020.
  2. Dunning, James (2003). The Fighting Fourth - No. 4 Commando at War 1940-45. Stroud: Sutton Publishing. p. 133. ISBN 0-7509-3095-0.
  3. "France town becomes transit point for refugees trying to reach UK". www.aljazeera.com. Retrieved 2018-03-22.
  4. Paris, Adam Sage (2017-10-07). "Migrant influx risks turning French port of Ouistreham into second Calais". The Times. ISSN 0140-0460. Retrieved 2018-03-22.
  5. "Ouistreham, nouvelle étape dans le rêve anglais des migrants". Le Monde.fr (in French). Retrieved 2018-03-22.
  6. "National Commission for Decentralised cooperation". Délégation pour l’Action Extérieure des Collectivités Territoriales (Ministère des Affaires étrangères) (in French). Archived from the original on 2013-11-27. Retrieved 2013-12-26.
  7. "British towns twinned with French towns". Archant Community Media Ltd. Retrieved 2013-07-11.
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