Saint-Sauveur-le-Vicomte

Saint-Sauveur-le-Vicomte
Commune
The chateau in Saint-Sauveur-le-Vicomte
Coat of arms of Saint-Sauveur-le-Vicomte Coat of arms
Country	France
Region	Normandy
Department	Manche
Arrondissement	Cherbourg
Canton	Bricquebec-en-Cotentin
Intercommunality	CA Cotentin
Government
• Mayor (2020–2026)	Eric Briens
Area1	34.27 km2 (13.23 sq mi)
Population (Jan. 2018)2
INSEE/Postal code	50551 / 50390
1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km² (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries. 2 Population without double counting: residents of multiple communes (e.g., students and military personnel) only counted once.

Saint-Sauveur-le-Vicomte (French pronunciation: ​[sɛ̃ sovœʁ lə vikɔ̃t]) is a commune in the Manche department in Normandy in north-western France. It is situated in the Cotentin Peninsula near Valognes. Its population was 2,099 in 2018.

History

The Château de Saint-Sauveur-le-Vicomte, an ancient castle with massive 14th century towers, and a 12-15th century abbey still mark a vivid history during the Middle Ages.

The city walls were breached by cannon during a siege in 1374. This is believed to have been among the first successful uses of guns against city walls in history.

The fortress

Heraldry

Arms of Saint-Sauveur-le-Vicomte

The arms of Saint-Sauveur-le-Vicomte are blazoned : Gules, 2 fesses, in center point a triple towered castle, all between 3 pairs of sea-bass adorsed Or.

Notable people

The English knight Sir John Chandos (died 1369) held the title Viscount of Saint-Sauveur-le Vicomte in the Cotentin.

The Blessed Catherine of St. Augustine, O.S.A., was born here in 1632. She was sent by her Order as a missionary nurse to New France, serving at the Hôtel-Dieu de Québec, where she died in 1668. She was beatified by Pope John Paul II in 1989.

The novelist Jules Amédée Barbey d'Aurevilly was born there on 2 November 1808. A museum is now dedicated to him.

Sister Marie-Madeleine Postel acquired the derelict Benedictine monastery at St-Sauveur-le-Vicomte in 1830 which became the headquarters of the Sisters of the Christian Schools of Mercy; in 1846 she died in the town.

Medieval knight Geoffroy d'Harcourt who fought for both the French, and the English, during the 100 years war.

See also

• Communes of the Manche department

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  Saint-Sauveur-le Vicomte (fortress)

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  Saint-Sauveur-le Vicomte (abbey)

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  Saint-Sauveur-le Vicomte (stronghold)

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  Saint-Sauveur-le Vicomte (stronghold)

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  Saint-Sauveur-le Vicomte (cemetery)

• Saint-Sauveur-le Vicomte (Château) cimetière 2.jpg

  Saint-Sauveur-le Vicomte (cemetery)