Lion-sur-Mer

Coordinates: 49°18′07″N, 0°19′03″E

Lion-sur-Mer
The beach along the English Channel.
Location
Time Zone	CET (GMT +1)
Coordinates	49°18′07″N, 0°19′03″E
Administration
Country	France
Region	Basse-Normandie
Department	Calvados (14)
Mayor	Jean-Marc Gilles (PS) (2001-2008)
Statistics
Land area¹	4.75 km²
Population² (1999)	2,401
- Density	505/km² (1999)
Miscellaneous
INSEE/Postal code	14365/ 14780
1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km² (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries.
2 Population sans doubles comptes: single count of residents of multiple communes (e.g. students and military personnel).

Lion-sur-Mer is a commune of the Calvados département, in the Basse-Normandie région, in France.

Its inhabitants are called the lionnais (and lionnaise(s) for women).

Geography

Lion-sur-Mer is located on the edge of the English Channel, more precisely on the Côte de Nacre (Coast of nacre), about 15 km North of Caen.

The beach is made of fine sand and is bordered, to the West, by middle-sized cliffes.

The town is served by 2 bus services : line #1 of the Bus Verts du Calvados and line #62 of Twisto. A ferry of Brittany Ferries links Ouistreham (5 km from Lion-sur-Mer) to Portsmouth in England.

History

• June 6, 1944 : The D-Day of the Battle of Normandy during World War II. British soldiers landed on the beach of Lion-sur-Mer which was a part of the Sword Beach sector.

Places and landmarks

• The beach, its promenade (La digue) and its villas from the beginning of the 20^th century

To the East, the beach with the promenade (in the foreground, the SNSM look-out post)

The promenade as seen from the beach

To the West, the coast with the cliffes in the background

• Saint-Pierre church (Tower from the 11^th century)

Façade of the church

• Lion-sur-Mer castle (Closed to the public)

Events

• "Les terrasses de l’été" ("The summer terraces") : about 40 free animations and concerts in july and august.
• Flea markets several times per year.

Museums

• "Maison du fossile" ("House of the Fossil").

Sport

• Hermanville sporting club (8 tennis clay courts)
• Municipal sailing school
• Sport complex (Gymnasium, tennis courts and soccer field)

Miscellaneous

Lion-sur-Mer is twinned with:

• Kiebingen in Baden-Württemberg, Germany

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