Briouze
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2023}}
{{Infobox French commune
|name = Briouze
|commune status = Commune
|image = Mairie briouze.jpg
|caption = The town hall in Briouze
|image coat of arms = Blason Briouze.svg
|arrondissement = Argentan
|canton = Athis-Val de Rouvre
|INSEE = 61063
|postal code = 61220
|term = 2020–2026
|intercommunality = CA Flers Agglo
|coordinates = {{coord|48.7|-.3658333333|format=dms|display=inline,title}}
|elevation m = 212
|elevation min m = 197
|elevation max m = 254
|area km2 = 17.15
|population = {{France metadata Wikidata|population_total}}
|population date = {{France metadata Wikidata|population_as_of}}
|population footnotes = {{France metadata Wikidata|population_footnotes}}
}}
Briouze ({{IPA|fr|bʁijuz|-|Fr-Paris--Briouze.ogg}}) 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.{{cite web|title=Voyager en train vers Briouze|url=https://www.sncf-connect.com/fr-be/train/france/normandie/briouze|website=SNCF Connect}}
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
The commune is made up of the following collection of villages and hamlets, La Bougonnière,La Grivagère, Saint-Gervais and Briouze.{{Cite web|url=https://www.google.com/maps/place/61220+Briouze,+France/@48.7084222,-0.426448,13z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m6!3m5!1s0x48098a62b5c4ccfd:0x40c14484fb820c0!8m2!3d48.697941!4d-0.366119!16s/m/03qgqmb?entry=ttu|title=Briouze · 61220, France|website=Briouze · 61220, France}}
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.{{Cite web|url=https://inpn.mnhn.fr/site/natura2000/FR2500092|title=INPN - FSD Natura 2000 - FR2500092 - Marais du Grand Hazé - Description}}
{{Geographic location
| title = Neighbouring communes
|width=auto
|state=expanded
|Centre = Briouze
|North = Craménil
|Northeast = Saint-André-de-Briouze
|East = Pointel
|Southeast =
|South = Le Ménil-de-Briouze
|Southwest =
|West = Bellou-en-Houlme
|Northwest = Sainte-Opportune
}}
=Climate=
Briouze has an oceanic climate with mild winters and temperate summers.{{Cite web|url=https://www.mindat.org/feature-3029991.html|title=Mindat.org|website=www.mindat.org}}
{{Weather box|width=auto
|metric first=y
|single line=y
|collapsed = Y
|location = Briouze (1991–2012 normals, extremes 1974–2012)
|Jan record high C = 14.8
|Feb record high C = 18.8
|Mar record high C = 23.0
|Apr record high C = 28.2
|May record high C = 30.8
|Jun record high C = 35.8
|Jul record high C = 36.0
|Aug record high C = 39.0
|Sep record high C = 32.8
|Oct record high C = 29.2
|Nov record high C = 19.5
|Dec record high C = 15.5
|Jan record low C = -23.5
|Feb record low C = -14.5
|Mar record low C = -9.5
|Apr record low C = -5.8
|May record low C = -3.5
|Jun record low C = -0.2
|Jul record low C = 3.5
|Aug record low C = 1.2
|Sep record low C = -0.9
|Oct record low C = -6.0
|Nov record low C = -8.5
|Dec record low C = -12
|Jan high C = 7.2
|Feb high C = 8.5
|Mar high C = 11.8
|Apr high C = 14.7
|May high C = 18.5
|Jun high C = 21.7
|Jul high C = 23.6
|Aug high C = 23.9
|Sep high C = 20.3
|Oct high C = 15.6
|Nov high C = 10.7
|Dec high C = 7.3
| year high C = 15.3
|Jan mean C = 4.6
|Feb mean C = 5.1
|Mar mean C = 7.5
|Apr mean C = 9.7
|May mean C = 13.3
|Jun mean C = 16.1
|Jul mean C = 17.9
|Aug mean C = 18.1
|Sep mean C = 14.9
|Oct mean C = 11.7
|Nov mean C = 7.6
|Dec mean C = 4.6
| year mean C = 10.9
|Jan low C = 2.0
|Feb low C = 1.7
|Mar low C = 3.2
|Apr low C = 4.6
|May low C = 8.0
|Jun low C = 10.6
|Jul low C = 12.3
|Aug low C = 12.3
|Sep low C = 9.6
|Oct low C = 7.8
|Nov low C = 4.6
|Dec low C = 1.9
| year low C = 6.6
|precipitation colour = green
|Jan precipitation mm = 99.9
|Feb precipitation mm = 77.3
|Mar precipitation mm = 66.7
|Apr precipitation mm = 60.9
|May precipitation mm = 70.9
|Jun precipitation mm = 55.5
|Jul precipitation mm = 57.6
|Aug precipitation mm = 64.2
|Sep precipitation mm = 64.7
|Oct precipitation mm = 92.7
|Nov precipitation mm = 94.9
|Dec precipitation mm = 115.2
|year precipitation mm = 920.5
|unit precipitation days = 1.0 mm
| Jan precipitation days = 14.4
| Feb precipitation days = 12.3
| Mar precipitation days = 11.5
| Apr precipitation days = 10.1
| May precipitation days = 9.6
| Jun precipitation days = 8.6
| Jul precipitation days = 8.4
| Aug precipitation days = 9.2
| Sep precipitation days = 9.4
| Oct precipitation days = 13.1
| Nov precipitation days = 14.2
| Dec precipitation days = 15.7
| year precipitation days =136.4
|source 1 = Meteociel{{Cite web|url=https://www.meteociel.fr/obs/clim/normales_records.php?code=61063001|title=Meteociel - Normales et records pour Briouze (61)|website=www.meteociel.fr}}}}
Population
{{Historical populations
|source = INSEE[https://www.insee.fr/fr/statistiques/7633058?geo=COM-61063#ancre-POP_T1 Population en historique depuis 1968], INSEE
|percentages = pagr
|align = none
|1968 |1685
|1975 |1703
|1982 |1690
|1990 |1658
|1999 |1620
|2009 |1599
|2014 |1541
|2020 |1510
}}
Heraldry
{{Blazon-arms
|img1=Blason Briouze.svg
|legend1=Arms of Briouze
|text=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
Points of Interest
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.{{Cite web|url=https://en.normandie-tourisme.fr/museums-and-heritage-sites/le-marais-du-grand-haze/|title=Le Marais du Grand-Hazé BRIOUZE : Normandy Tourism|website=Normandy Tourism, France}} The Marshland features Camargue horses and Highland cattle.{{Cite web|url=https://www.ornetourisme.com/visites-loisirs/le-marais-du-grand-haze/|title=Le Marais du Grand-Hazé - Patrimoine naturel - BRIOUZE|website=Orne Tourisme}}
=National heritage sites=
- Saint-Gervais Chapel is an eleventh century chapel built between 1080 and 1093 by Guillaume de Briouze.{{Cite web|url=https://www.ouest-france.fr/normandie/briouze-61220/pres-de-flers-une-association-pour-sauvegarder-la-chapelle-saint-gervais-142213e4-61e5-11ed-80dd-16ff5f0ae27e|title=Près de Flers. Une association pour sauvegarder la chapelle Saint-Gervais|first=Emmanuelle|last=FRANÇOIS|date=13 November 2022|website=Ouest-France.fr}} It was listed as a Monument historique in 1975.{{Cite web|url=https://monumentum.fr/monument-historique/pa00110755/briouze-chapelle-saint-gervais|title=Chapelle Saint-Gervais à Briouze - PA00110755|website=monumentum.fr}}
File:Extérieure de la Chapelle Saint-Gervais Saint-Protais, Briouze.jpg|Chapel of Saint-Gervais
File:FranceNormandieBriouzeEglise.jpg|Briouze Church
File:Chapelle de la communauté des Soeurs de Notre-Dame de Briouze.jpg|Chapel of the community of the Sisters of Notre-Dame de Briouze
File:Gare de briouze.JPG|Briouze station
Culture
Since 1996, each year the commune hosts a music festival, Festival Art Sonic at the end of July.{{Cite web|url=https://alencon.maville.com/sortir/artsonic.php|title=Art Sonic|website=alencon.maville.com}} The festival attracts about 20,000 people featuring Contemporary music.{{Cite web|url=https://www.ouest-france.fr/festivals/art-sonic/le-festival-art-sonic-revient-avec-une-programmation-eclectique-dinos-et-jeanne-added-a-laffiche-9e4dce24-e0e2-11ed-88d5-e9de6c339278|title=Le festival Art Sonic revient avec une programmation éclectique, Dinos et Jeanne Added à l’affiche|website=ouest-france.fr}}
Notable People
- William de Braose, 1st Lord of Bramber (died 1093-1096) lord of Briouze.[https://books.google.com/books?id=2J5rkqos7wAC&q=%22the+origins+of+some+anglo-norman+families%22&pg=PA20 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}}
- Foulques du Merle - (1239 - 1314) was Seigneur of Gacé and Bellou-en-Houlme, and Baron of Le Merlerault, Briouze and Messei.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.
- Alexandre Bisson - (1848 - 1912) French playwright, vaudeville creator, and novelist was born here.{{Cite web|url=https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0084352/|title=Alexandre Bisson | Writer|website=IMDb}}
Twin towns – sister cities
{{See also|List of twin towns and sister cities in France}}
Briouze is twinned with:{{Cite web|url=https://www.ouest-france.fr/normandie/24-jumelages-franco-allemands-dans-lorne-1506706|title=24 jumelages franco-allemands dans l'Orne|date=21 January 2013|website=Ouest-France.fr}}
- {{flagicon|GER}} Beverungen, Germany
See also
References
{{reflist}}
{{commons category|Briouze}}
{{Orne communes}}
{{authority control}}
Category:Natura 2000 in France