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factoids

|term = 2020–2026|intercommunality = Coutances Mer et Bocage49.05format=dms|display=inline,title}}|elevation m =|elevation min m = 12|elevation max m = 150|area km2 = 12.51population_total}}population_as_of}}population_footnotes}}}}Coutances ({{IPA-fr|kutɑ̃s|-|Fr-Paris--Coutances.ogg}}) is a commune in the Manche department in Normandy in north-western France.

History

(File:Cobra Coutances.jpg|thumb|left|American armored and infantry forces pass through Coutances, France, in July 1944)The capital of the Unelli, a Gaulish tribe, the town was given the name of Constantia in 298 during the reign of Roman Emperor Constantius Chlorus. The surrounding region, called in Latin the pagus Constantinus, subsequently became known as the Cotentin Peninsula.The town was destroyed by the invading Normans in 866; they later established settlements and incorporated the whole peninsula into the Duchy of Normandy in 933.On 17 July 1944, during the Battle of Normandy during World War II, the city was bombed during the Allied offensive against the occupying Germans.

Geography

Climate

Coutances has a oceanic climate (Köppen climate classification Cfb). The average annual temperature in Coutances is {{cvt|11.2|C}}. The average annual rainfall is {{cvt|1061.2|mm}} with December as the wettest month. The temperatures are highest on average in August, at around {{cvt|17.5|C}}, and lowest in January, at around {{convert|5.5|C}}. The highest temperature ever recorded in Coutances was {{cvt|38.9|C}} on 5 August 2003; the coldest temperature ever recorded was {{cvt|-14.4|C}} on 17 January 1985.{{Weather box|collapsed = y|location= Coutances (1981–2010 averages, extremes 1974−present)|metric first= Y|single line= Y|Jan record high C = 15.5|Feb record high C = 21.5|Mar record high C = 24.6|Apr record high C = 26.9|May record high C = 30.5|Jun record high C = 34.4|Jul record high C = 37.0|Aug record high C = 38.9|Sep record high C = 33.0|Oct record high C = 28.5|Nov record high C = 21.9|Dec record high C = 16.6|year record high C = 38.9|Jan high C = 8.4|Feb high C = 8.9|Mar high C = 11.5|Apr high C = 13.7|May high C = 17.3|Jun high C = 20.1|Jul high C = 22.0|Aug high C = 22.1|Sep high C = 19.9|Oct high C = 16.1|Nov high C = 11.9|Dec high C = 8.9|year high C = 15.1|Jan mean C = 5.5|Feb mean C = 5.7|Mar mean C = 7.8|Apr mean C = 9.6|May mean C = 12.9|Jun mean C = 15.5|Jul mean C = 17.5|Aug mean C = 17.5|Sep mean C = 15.4|Oct mean C = 12.4|Nov mean C = 8.7|Dec mean C = 6.0|year mean C = 11.2|Jan low C = 2.6|Feb low C = 2.4|Mar low C = 4.1|Apr low C = 5.5|May low C = 8.5|Jun low C = 11.0|Jul low C = 13.1|Aug low C = 12.9|Sep low C = 10.9|Oct low C = 8.6|Nov low C = 5.4|Dec low C = 3.1|year low C = 7.4|Jan record low C = -14.4|Feb record low C = -13.0|Mar record low C = -5.4|Apr record low C = -2.5|May record low C = -1.1|Jun record low C = 2.7|Jul record low C = 4.6|Aug record low C = 3.9|Sep record low C = 0.5|Oct record low C = -2.8|Nov record low C = -5.5|Dec record low C = -7.1|year record low C = -14.4|precipitation colour = green|Jan precipitation mm = 105.0|Feb precipitation mm = 82.6|Mar precipitation mm = 79.8|Apr precipitation mm = 71.3|May precipitation mm = 69.2|Jun precipitation mm = 67.1|Jul precipitation mm = 68.4|Aug precipitation mm = 70.2|Sep precipitation mm = 86.9|Oct precipitation mm = 118.6|Nov precipitation mm = 115.8|Dec precipitation mm = 126.3|year precipitation mm = 1061.2|unit precipitation days = 1.0 mm|Jan precipitation days = 16.4|Feb precipitation days = 12.9|Mar precipitation days = 13.5|Apr precipitation days = 11.5|May precipitation days = 10.1|Jun precipitation days = 9.5|Jul precipitation days = 10.1|Aug precipitation days = 9.6|Sep precipitation days = 11.4|Oct precipitation days = 14.8|Nov precipitation days = 16.3|Dec precipitation days = 16.3|year precipitation days = 152.5PUBLISHER=METEOCIEL, 7 June 2022, }}

Population

{{Historical populations|source = INSEEPopulation en historique depuis 1968, INSEE|percentages = pagr|align = none90619869993097159522948391148501}}

Sights

Coutances Cathedral is one of the major buildings of Norman architecture and contains a chapel and stained glass dedicated to Saint Marcouf. The bishop of Coutances exercised ecclesiastical jurisdiction over the Channel Islands until the Reformation, despite the secular division of Normandy in 1204. The final rupture occurred definitively in 1569.Coutances houses a well-known botanical garden and an art museum.

Jazz festival

Coutances is the location of Jazz sous les pommiers ("Jazz under the apple trees"), an annual jazz festival held since 1982. The festival traditionally takes place during the week of Ascension.

International relations

{{See also|List of twin towns and sister cities in France}}Coutances is twinned with:{| class="wikitable" valign="top"|

• {{flagicon|GER}} Ochsenfurt in Germany
• {{flagicon|ITA}} Troina in Sicily, Italy
• {{flagicon|UK}} Ilkley in England, United KingdomWEB,weblinkweblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20130705094933weblink">weblink British towns twinned with French towns [via WaybackMachine.com], 2013-07-20, 5 July 2013, Archant Community Media Ltd, WEB,weblink Ilkley and Coutances celebrate twin-ship, 29 May 2009, Ilkley Gazette, Newsquest Media Group, 2009-06-27,

• {{flagicon|UK}} Saint Ouen in Jersey, Channel Islands
• {{flagicon|CAN}} La Pocatière in Québec, Canada

Heraldry

{{Blazon-arms|img1=Blason Coutances.svg|legend1=Arms of Coutances|text=The arms of Coutances are blazoned :Azure, in fess 3 columns argent, and on a chief gules, a leopard Or armed and langued azure.}}

See also

{{Commons category|Coutances}}

• Roman Catholic Diocese of Coutances

References

{{Reflist}}{{Manche communes}}{{Authority control}}{{Manche-geo-stub}}