Avenay () is a commune in the Calvados department in the Normandy region of north-western France.
Geography Avenay is located some 12 km south-west of Caen just east of Évrecy. Access to the commune is by the D36 road from Sainte-Honorine-du-Fay in the south-west which passes through the heart of the commune and the village and continues north to join the D8. Apart from the village there is the hamlet of La Coquerie on the eastern border. The commune consists entirely of farmland.Google Maps
The Guigne river flows along the northern border of the commune towards the east where it joins the Orne south of Bully.
History The oldest traces of Avenay village date from Gallo-Roman times. In 1820-1821 some remains of Gallo-Roman houses were found. In the Middle Ages, the village depended on the Bishop of Bayeux.Arcisse de Caumont, Monumental Statistic of Calvados, Hardel, Caen, 1846, Vol. 1, p. 129-131
In 1827 Avenay (336 inhabitants in 1821) absorbed Fierville-en-Bessin (68 people) in the east of its territory.
Administration
List of Successive Mayors From To Name 1850 Louis Touraille 1850 1860 Jean Labbé 1860 1863 Adolphe Viel 1863 1870 Pierre Gallet 1870 1872 Jean-Louis Londe 1872 1875 Edouard Accard 1875 1881 Gustave Feron 1881 1883 Pierre Sauvage 1883 1902 Jean-Louis Londe 1902 1909 Louis Lebrun 1909 1923 Émile Lemoine 1923 1937 Louis Lemonnier 1937 1945 Jean Barbot 1945 1977 Pierre Lecorsu 1977 1989 François Lecorsu 1989 1995 Lucien Martin 1995 2014 Gérard Lemoine 2014 2020 Jean-Louis Lechevalier 2020 2026 Françoise Paris
Demography This table includes the population of Fierville-en-Bassin prior to 1827.
Sites and Monuments
The Church of Mary of the Assumption (Reconstruction). Ruins of the Church of Fierville.Photo of the Church of Fierville on Ministry of Culture Memoire database The Chateau of Fierville (16th century). Pompierre Manor (15th century).
Activities and events Each year, during the 3rd weekend in June, the Festival Committee of Avenay organises an inter-regional competition of bread.
One hundred bakers are judged every year. The competition focuses on different types of bread: Pain brié, Pain de campagne, traditional Baguettes, Croissants etc.
The jury, composed of baking professionals and consumers, use many criteria of quality and presentation.
The results are announced on Sunday afternoon at the fair in the village. The fair begins with a snack of Tripe at 9 am which brings hundreds of gourmands. The day continues with Mass and an exceptional sale of gold tripe.
On this day, the bakers make bread and pastries using bakery equipment and ovens installed specially for the festival. Visitors can buy bread made before their eyes.
The school fair is also held on the same day. On this occasion the students of the school perform several Norman dances in traditional costumes.
Twin towns – sister cities
Avenay, along with eight other communes, Amayé-sur-Orne, Maizet, Montigny, Préaux-Bocage, Maisoncelles-sur-Ajon, Sainte-Honorine-du-Fay, Vacognes-Neuilly and Montillières-sur-Orne, is a member of The ICL Val Orne, which has organised being twinned with: Johannesberg, Bavaria.
See also Communes of the Calvados department
References
External links Avenay on Géoportail, National Geographic Institute (IGN) website Avenay on the 1750 Cassini Map