Carpiquet

Carpiquet
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Carpiquet
Location within Lower Normandy region Carpiquet
Coordinates:
Country	France
Region	Normandy
Department	Calvados
Arrondissement	Caen
Canton	Caen-2
Intercommunality	Caen la Mer
Government
• Mayor (2008–2014)	Pascal Sérard
Area1	5.88 km2 (2.27 sq mi)
Population (2008)2	2,248
• Density	380/km2 (990/sq mi)
INSEE/Postal code	14137 / 14650
Elevation	45–74 m (148–243 ft) (avg. 64 m or 210 ft)
1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km² (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries. 2 Population without double counting: residents of multiple communes (e.g., students and military personnel) only counted once.

Carpiquet is a commune in the Calvados department in the Basse-Normandie region in northwestern France. Caen – Carpiquet Airport is located in Carpiquet.

Geography

Carpiquet is on the western side of the Caen metropolitan area. The town is divided into four distinct areas:

• the town centre;
• the commercial area along the Ligne de Paris - Caen and Route nationale 13 to the north;
• the Bellevue area to the east;
• the Caen - Carpiquet Airport to the west.

History

File:Bombed Out Church in Carpiquet, near Caen, July 12, 1944..png

Unidentified Canadian Infantry in a Bombed Out Church in Carpiquet, near Caen, July 12, 1944. Photo: Ken Bell

The Carpiquet Airport was one of the objectives of the 3rd Canadian Infantry Division during the Normandy Campaign. The village was fought over between June and July 1944 in several battles, notably during the Battle for Caen. It and the airport were finally taken in early July during Operation Windsor.

Population

Historical population
Year	Pop.	±%
1962	1,129	—
1968	1,315	+16.5%
1975	1,207	−8.2%
1982	1,650	+36.7%
1990	1,519	−7.9%
1999	1,861	+22.5%
2008	2,248	+20.8%

Attractions

• Parc Festyland, an amusement park in Carpiquet. The park lies next to the Caen ring road and receives 110,000 visitors per year.

Economy

Chalair Aviation, an airline, has its head office on the grounds of Caen – Carpiquet Airport in Carpiquet.

International relations

See also: List of twin towns and sister cities in France

Twin towns – Sister cities

Carpiquet is twinned with:

• North Baddesley, United Kingdom

See also

• Communes of the Calvados department

References

• INSEE