Saint-Lô (Municipality, Manche, France)

Last modified: 2003-06-14 by ivan sache
Keywords: manche | saint-lo | unicorn (white) | lions: 4 (yellow) | leopards: 4 (yellow) | fleurs-de-lys: 3 (yellow) | cross (white) | cross (yellow) |
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by Pascal Vagnat

• Presentation of the municipality
• Description of the flag
• Simplified versions of the flag

See also:

• France
• Manche (Department, France)

Presentation of the municipality

Saint-Lô is a municipality of 20,000 inhabitants (Saint-Lois), préfecture of the department of Manche.

The ancient Gaul city of Briovere was built on a schistose spur dominating the valley of the river Vire. The Gaulish root briov-, which means "bridge" and is also found in Brive (in Limousin) and Brioude (in Auvergne), indicates the strategic location of the city. In the VIth century, the city belonged to Saint Lô, Bishop of Coutances, and was renamed after him. Saint Lô was said to have cured a blind woman and was invoked in case of eye disease. Saint Lô, along with Saint Pé, is also the prefered saint of the cruciverbists, if not their patron saint.

Saint-Lô is an important crossroads. Roads to Britanny (Rennes), northern Lower-Normandy (Coutances,