Falaise

Falaise is a town (population 9,000) on the Ante River in the French region of Lower Normandy, south of the regional center Caen. It is famous as the birthplace of William the Conqueror and as the scene of remarkably fierce fighting in August 1944 during the Battle of Normandy, after the D-Day landings on the coast north of Caen.

Understand
In August 1944, two German armies were encircled in the area west of Falaise and mostly destroyed by the Allies, though they fought hard to escape via the Falaise gap to the east. Some 10,000 German troops were killed and 50,000 taken prisoner. Two-thirds of Falaise was destroyed by Allied bombing before the town was eventually taken by Canadian and Polish troops. Falaise was largely restored after the war.

By road
From Paris, Falaise is a 262 km (3 h) drive west of the French capital by the A13, then south from Caen.

Located in the southern reaches of Normandy, Falaise represents half a day's excursion from the other major towns of Normandy:


 * from Caen: 40 km (30 min)
 * from Bayeux: 69 km (1 h)
 * from Cherbourg: 159 km (2 h)
 * from Rouen: 156 km (2 h)

Go next
Having visited Falaise, you might like an excursion to other places that were important in the life of William the Conqueror. Caen and Bayeux lie less than 1 h to the north of the city.