Argences is a town in Calvados, in the Normandy region, 15 km south-east of Caen.
Its territory of nearly 10 km² is located at the limit between the plain of Caen and the Pays d'Auge, and despite the proximity of the Caen agglomeration which has boosted its demography (3,700 inhabitants), the locality has preserved an environment and therefore a green living environment.
It is on Argences and the neighboring villages that the battle of Val ès Dunes took place in 1047, which gave its name to the current intercommunality. William the Conqueror and his ally, the King of France Henry I, subdued rebels led by Gui of Burgundy there. This success ensured the authority of the Duke of Normandy and was synonymous with prosperity for the region, particularly in Argences which then turned out to be an active seigneury in the Middle Ages and then under the Ancien Régime. The cultivation of cereals led to the establishment of mills and the town developed thanks to trade.
In the 19th century, industrial units were created, specializing in the production of tiles or blown glass beads.
In the summer of 1944, the Liberation battles led to the destruction of 80% of homes, but during the following decades, Argences recovered and developed, thanks to the growth of the metropolis of Caen. Its preserved heritage elements, its environment and its leisure offer make it a quality stopover in the heart of Normandy.
Regarding heritage, despite the bombings of 1944, a few sites still bear witness to the prosperity of Argences under the Ancien Régime. This is the case of the Château du Fresne, built in the 17th century, protected as historical monuments, the old factories of the Tuileries de Beauvais or even the Château Saint-Gilles. The church of Saint-Jean, on the other hand, which served a priory from the thirteenth century and which had been rebuilt by the abbey of Fécamp in the eighteenth, was very affected by the war. The bell tower was dynamited by the Germans and the rest destroyed by the bombardments, apart from the wall of the apse... It was therefore rebuilt at the turn of the 1960s on a new square and then dedicated to Saint John the Baptist.
Another heritage element testifying to the days when agriculture and flour production were flourishing is the Porte mill. It was built on the course of the Muance at the initiative of the abbey of Fécamp from the 11th century. Redesigned and consolidated, it has survived the centuries and was bought by the town in 1999. An association ensures its management and animation: the third weekend of June and in September during Heritage Days, the mill operated by an oak paddle wheel is open to visitors and "organic" flour is produced there!
Finally, we will also mention the old washhouse in the rue de la Morte Eau and the Docteur-Paul Derrien square where a bust pays homage to this courageous resistance fighter who was shot in June 1944 by the Nazis.
On the cultural side, it should be noted that the municipal library regularly offers activities, especially for young audiences, and has a digital point. Information on +33 2 31 26 20 45.
For athletes, there are indoor or outdoor tennis courts available (reservation at the local club on +33 6 30 77 58 95), and, on the Place des Marronniers, a bowling alley and an exercise field allowing the practice of leisure sports such as skateboarding, basketball and table tennis. Picnic areas adjoin the site.
However, it is the Dunéo aquatic center inaugurated in 2013 that is the most impressive equipment. It includes a water fun area for swimming and having fun with a sports pool, a leisure pool at 30 ° C with geysers, streams, a large 71 m slide, a pentagliss with three tracks... Not to mention from April to October 20 m long exterior "ventrigliss". In addition, a wellness area has a balneotherapy pool, a Jacuzzi and even hammams. Open all year. Information on +33 9 71 00 14 14.
In another register, fishermen can enjoy the course of the Muance (tributary of the Dives). A course dedicated to young people has also been set up. Information on +33 2 31 44 63 00.
For hiking enthusiasts, many routes have been marked out on Argences and the nearby towns. A circuit is thus dedicated to the battle of Val ès Dunes won by William the Conqueror, dotted with educational panels. Others allow you to grasp the landscape that announces the Pays d'Auge… Cyclists are not forgotten: shared lanes are set up in urban areas and specific routes in rural areas. Maps and information on +33 2 31 85 38 82.
During the last week of April, festival of "Theaters in Val ès Dunes".
From May to September, concerts as part of the Musicales (all genres for all audiences).
On the second Sunday of September, in odd-numbered years, medieval festival with evocation of the battle of William the Conqueror in the 11th century, reenactments, costumed parades, falconry shows, medieval market, musical entertainment...
