Coutances
Coutances is a commune in the Manche department in Normandy in north-western France.
History
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 invading Normans in 866, who later established settlements and incorporated the whole peninsula into the Duchy of Normandy in 933.
On 17 July 1944, during the Battle for Normandy in World War II, the city was bombed during the Allied offensive against the occupying Germans.
Sights
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, an annual jazz festival held since 1982. The festival traditionally takes place during the week of Ascension.International relations
Twin towns – sister cities
Coutances is twinned with:
|  Saint Ouen in Jersey, Channel Islands La Pocatière in Québec, Canada |
