Briouze (French pronunciation: [bʁijuz] ) is a commune in the Orne department of Normandy in northwestern France. It is considered the capital of the pays d'Houlme at the western end of the Orne in the Norman bocage.[3]

Briouze
The town hall in Briouze
The town hall in Briouze
Coat of arms of Briouze
Location of Briouze
Map
Briouze is located in France
Briouze
Briouze
Briouze is located in Normandy
Briouze
Briouze
Coordinates: 48°42′00″N 0°21′57″W / 48.7°N .3658333333°W / 48.7; -.3658333333
CountryFrance
RegionNormandy
DepartmentOrne
ArrondissementArgentan
CantonAthis-Val de Rouvre
IntercommunalityCA Flers Agglo
Government
 • Mayor (2020–2026) Jacques Fortis[1]
Area
1
17.15 km2 (6.62 sq mi)
Population
 (2021)[2]
1,513
 • Density88/km2 (230/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC 01:00 (CET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC 02:00 (CEST)
INSEE/Postal code
61063 /61220
Elevation197–254 m (646–833 ft)
(avg. 212 m or 696 ft)
1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km2 (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries.

William de Braose, First Lord of Bramber (Guillaume de Briouze) was granted lands in England after the Norman conquest and used his wealth to build a priory in his home town.

The name Briouze probably comes from an older Norman form of the word "boue", or "mud".

Geography

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The commune is made up of the following collection of villages and hamlets, La Bougonnière,La Grivagère, Saint-Gervais and Briouze.[4]

The commune has 9 watercourses running through it, the rivers Rouvre and the Val du Breuil, plus 7 streams. The seven streams are known as the Maufy, the Roussieres, la Haie, the Arthan, la Prevostiere, the Lange and la Source Philippe.

Briouze also has the largest marsh in the Orne department, shared with Bellou-en-Houlme at 167.41 Ha, called the Grand-Hazé.[5]

Population

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Historical population
YearPop.±% p.a.
1968 1,685—    
1975 1,703 0.15%
1982 1,690−0.11%
1990 1,658−0.24%
1999 1,620−0.26%
2009 1,599−0.13%
2014 1,541−0.74%
2020 1,510−0.34%
Source: INSEE[6]

Heraldry

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Arms of Briouze
The arms of Briouze are blazoned :
Azure, in base 2 clasped hands Or, and in chief a bird argent on waves couped sable from which issue reeds argent; all within a bordure argent semy of lozenges gules and ermine spots sable.



Transport

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Briouze station has rail connections to Argentan, Paris and Granville.[7]

Points of Interest

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Grand-Hazé is a 500 acres of Marshland that has been under the protection of the Natura 2000 since 2002, that is shared with Bellou-en-Houlme.[8][5] The Marshland features Camargue horses and Highland cattle.[9]

National heritage sites

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Notable People

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Twin towns – sister cities

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Briouze is twinned with:[15]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Répertoire national des élus: les maires" (in French). data.gouv.fr, Plateforme ouverte des données publiques françaises. 13 September 2022.
  2. ^ "Populations légales 2021" (in French). The National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies. 28 December 2023.
  3. ^ "Voyager en train vers Briouze". SNCF Connect.
  4. ^ a b "Briouze · 61220, France". Briouze · 61220, France.
  5. ^ a b "INPN - FSD Natura 2000 - FR2500092 - Marais du Grand Hazé - Description".
  6. ^ Population en historique depuis 1968, INSEE
  7. ^ Plan du réseau, TER Normandie, accessed 24 September 2023.
  8. ^ "Le Marais du Grand-Hazé BRIOUZE : Normandy Tourism". Normandy Tourism, France.
  9. ^ "Le Marais du Grand-Hazé - Patrimoine naturel - BRIOUZE". Orne Tourisme.
  10. ^ FRANÇOIS, Emmanuelle (13 November 2022). "Près de Flers. Une association pour sauvegarder la chapelle Saint-Gervais". Ouest-France.fr.
  11. ^ "Chapelle Saint-Gervais à Briouze - PA00110755". monumentum.fr.
  12. ^ The Origins of Some Anglo-Norman Families, Lewis Christopher Loyd, David C. Douglas, The Harleian Society, Leeds, Reprinted by Genealogical Publishing Company, 1975, ISBN 0-8063-0649-1, ISBN 978-0-8063-0649-0
  13. ^ Louis de La Roque, Catalog historique des généraux français, connétables, maréchaux de France, lieutenants généraux, maréchaux de camp. Connétables et maréchaux de France depuis les premiers temps de la monarchie jusqu'à la fin du règne de Louis XIV (Paris, A. Desaide, 1896-1902), p.25.
  14. ^ "Alexandre Bisson | Writer". IMDb.
  15. ^ "24 jumelages franco-allemands dans l'Orne". Ouest-France.fr. 21 January 2013.