Calvados (Department, France)

Last modified: 2004-07-17 by ivan sache
Keywords: calvados | basse-normandie | apple (white) |
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by Ivan Sache

Flag of the General Council

• Administrative data
• Flag of the General Council

See also:

• France
• France: Metropolitan departments
  • Clickable map of France (departments)
• Calvados (Department, France): Municipal flags
  • Courseulles-sur-Mer
  • Deauville
  • Honfleur
  • Houlgate
  • Trouville-sur-Mer
  • Villers-sur-Mer
• Calvados (Department, France): Yacht clubs
• The Bayeux Tapestry

Administrative data

Code: 14
Region: Basse-Normandie
Traditional provinces: Normandy
Bordering departments: Eure, Manche, Orne

Area: 5,548 km²
Population (1995): 633,800 inhabitants

Préfecture: Caen
Sous-préfectures: Bayeux, Lisieux, Vire
Subdivisions: 4 arrondissements, 49 cantons, 704 communes.

Flag of the General Council

The General Council of Calvados uses a white flag with the logo of the General Council in the middle. The flag can be seen for instance during events sponsored by the General Council (e.g., the Marathon of Liberty in Caen).

The logo is made of two approximate square fields placed side by side, on the left a green square with a white apple, on the right a blue square with two white waves. Conseil Général is written above the logo, Calvados below it. That writing is in blue.

The department has a nearly rectangular shape, which might have been reproduced on the logo.

The green square with the apple symbolizes the agricultural tradition of the department, and more generally of Normandy, which is often represented by pastures planted with apple trees. Apples are used to produce cider, calvados and pommeau. Cider has been produced in Normandy since the Middle Ages. One metric ton of cider apples can yield 650 to 750 liters of cider, classified as doux (sweet) when below 3° or brut (raw) when between 4 and 5°. Traditional cider (more than 5°) is a farm production. In the past, cider presses had circular millstones made of wood or granite and were powered by a horse. Distilation of cider gives calvados. The oldest mention of calvados distilling dates back to the XVIth century. There are now two protected brands of calvados called calvados and calvados du pays d'Auge, respectively. Since the XVIth century, apple juice was preserved in calvados. That mixture (16-18°) is now a protected brand called pommeau. Calvados was traditionnally used in the trou normand</