Villers-sur-Mer - Revision history

~2025-40492-80: /* Paleontology */

2025-12-17T20:03:07Z

Paleontology

← Previous revision		Revision as of 20:03, 17 December 2025
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	The commune is located on the French coast of the [[English Channel]], on the [[Côte Fleurie]], between [[Deauville]] and [[Houlgate]], approximately 200 km from Paris.		The commune is located on the French coast of the [[English Channel]], on the [[Côte Fleurie]], between [[Deauville]] and [[Houlgate]], approximately 200 km from Paris.

	It is the northernmost [[Communes of France\|French commune]] through which falls the [[Prime Meridian (Greenwich)\|Prime meridian]]. The latter is represented on the seafront promenade with a blue mark on the ground and on the parapet. This mark is positioned 32 metres west of the actual meridian in use today, the [[IERS Reference Meridian]].		It is the northernmost [[Communes of France\|French commune]] through which falls the [[Prime Meridian (Greenwich)\|Prime meridian]] of the world. The latter is represented on the seafront promenade with a blue mark on the ground and on the parapet. This mark is positioned 32 metres west of the actual meridian in use today, the [[IERS Reference Meridian]].

	== Paleontology ==		== Paleontology ==
	[[File:Villers-sur-mer Les dinosaures.jpg\|200px\|left\|thumb\|Topiary dinosaurs address the sea]]		[[File:Villers-sur-mer Les dinosaures.jpg\|200px\|left\|thumb\|Topiary dinosaurs address the sea]]
	Numerous [[fossil]]s of vertebrates were found in the [[Jurassic]] (Upper [[Callovian]]) Vaches-Noires cliffs in Villers-sur-Mer. Remains include marine reptiles, in particular [[teleosaurids]] (''[[~~Steneosaurus~~ heberti]]'') and [[metriorhynchids]], [[coelacanths]], a huge suspension-feeding fish ''[[Leedsichthys]]'' and [[dinosaurs]].<ref name=Hua2024/> A 2.5 m-long metriorhynchid skeleton, assigned to [[~~Metriorhynchus superciliosus~~\|''~~Metriorhynchus'' cf. ''~~superciliosus'']], is unique due to the preserved undigested food in its stomach: the remains of invertebrates and gill apparatus of ''Leedsichthys''. This content indicates that large fishes were not the main diet of these thalattosuchians and this individual likely devoured already dead ''Leedsichthys''.<ref name=Hua2024>{{cite journal\|author=Stéphane Hua, Jeff Liston, Jérôme Tabouelle\|date=February 2024\|url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/378391210\|title=The Diet of ''Metriorhynchus'' (Thalattosuchia, Metriorhynchidae): Additional Discoveries and Paleoecological Implications\|journal=Fossils\|volume=2\|issue=1\|pages=66–76\|doi=10.3390/fossils2010002\|doi-access=free }}</ref> It is also widely known by [[ammonite]] specialists.		Numerous [[fossil]]s of vertebrates were found in the [[Jurassic]] (Upper [[Callovian]]) Vaches-Noires cliffs in Villers-sur-Mer. Remains include marine reptiles, in particular [[Teleosauridae\|teleosaurids]] (''[[Proexochokefalos\|Proexochokefalos heberti]]'') and [[Metriorhynchidae\|metriorhynchids]], [[Coelacanth\|coelacanths]], a huge suspension-feeding fish ''[[Leedsichthys]]'' and [[Dinosaur\|dinosaurs]].<ref name=Hua2024/> A 2.5 m-long metriorhynchid skeleton, assigned to [[Thalattosuchus\|''Thalattosuchus superciliosus'']], is unique due to the preserved undigested food in its stomach: the remains of invertebrates and gill apparatus of ''Leedsichthys''. This content indicates that large fishes were not the main diet of these thalattosuchians and this individual likely devoured already dead ''Leedsichthys''.<ref name=Hua2024>{{cite journal\|author=Stéphane Hua, Jeff Liston, Jérôme Tabouelle\|date=February 2024\|url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/378391210\|title=The Diet of ''Metriorhynchus'' (Thalattosuchia, Metriorhynchidae): Additional Discoveries and Paleoecological Implications\|journal=Fossils\|volume=2\|issue=1\|pages=66–76\|doi=10.3390/fossils2010002\|doi-access=free }}</ref> It is also widely known by [[ammonite]] specialists.

	Villers-sur-Mere is known for the large topiary dinosaurs facing the sea from the garden of the office of tourism. In certain years, a baby dinosaur is added to the garden. There is a small museum in the enclosure of the office of tourism, which has an outline of the resources and discoveries, along with the Paléospace l'Odyssée, which covers topics as varied as the [[Greenwich Meridian]], the nature and history of the marshland surrounding the town, and fossils found in the nearby Vaches Noires cliffs.		Villers-sur-Mere is known for the large topiary dinosaurs facing the sea from the garden of the office of tourism. In certain years, a baby dinosaur is added to the garden. There is a small museum in the enclosure of the office of tourism, which has an outline of the resources and discoveries, along with the Paléospace l'Odyssée, which covers topics as varied as the [[Greenwich Meridian]], the nature and history of the marshland surrounding the town, and fossils found in the nearby Vaches Noires cliffs.
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	== History ==		== History ==
	It seems that Villers-sur-Mer (then known as ''Villers'') was more akin to a group of [[Hamlet (place)\|hamlets]]<ref>{{Cite web\|url=http://www.levillare-villerssurmer.com/lv/lv.php?page=aflv&limite=24\|title=Le Villare Espace associatif et Culturel {{!}} Les lettres de Villers\|website=www.levillare-villerssurmer.com\|access-date=12 February 2019}}</ref> during the early 19th century. According to the [[Cassini map]] (drawn in the 18th century), Villers at that time was made up of a church, two farms (''La Motte'' and ''Fontaine''), and a castle.<ref>{{Cite web\|url=https://www.geoportail.gouv.fr.ignipq.local.oshimae.rie.agri/\|title=Géoportail\|website=www.geoportail.gouv.fr.ignipq.local.oshimae.rie.agri\|access-date=12 February 2019}}</ref>		It seems that Villers-sur-Mer (then known as ''Villers'') was more akin to a group of [[Hamlet (place)\|hamlets]]<ref>{{Cite web\|url=http://www.levillare-villerssurmer.com/lv/lv.php?page=aflv&limite=24\|title=Le Villare Espace associatif et Culturel {{!}} Les lettres de Villers\|website=www.levillare-villerssurmer.com\|access-date=12 February 2019}}{{Dead link\|date=August 2025 \|bot=InternetArchiveBot \|fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> during the early 19th century. According to the [[Cassini map]] (drawn in the 18th century), Villers at that time was made up of a church, two farms (''La Motte'' and ''Fontaine''), and a castle.<ref>{{Cite web\|url=https://www.geoportail.gouv.fr.ignipq.local.oshimae.rie.agri/\|title=Géoportail\|website=www.geoportail.gouv.fr.ignipq.local.oshimae.rie.agri\|access-date=12 February 2019}}{{Dead link\|date=August 2025 \|bot=InternetArchiveBot \|fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>

	==Population==		==Population==
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	==External links==		==External links==
	{{commons category}}		{{commons category}}
	*[http://www.mairie-villers-sur-mer.fr Official site]		*[http://www.mairie-villers-sur-mer.fr Official site] {{Webarchive\|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050323023031/http://www.mairie-villers-sur-mer.fr/ \|date=23 March 2005 }}

	{{Calvados communes}}		{{Calvados communes}}

2A00:23C7:C8BC:C501:507C:445E:62F7:256D: /* History */Changed tense

2025-06-14T09:47:44Z

History: Changed tense

New page

{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2021}}
{{Expand French|date=December 2008|Villers-sur-Mer|topic = geo}}
{{Infobox French commune
|name = Villers-sur-mer
|commune status = [[Communes of France|Commune]]
|image = Villers-sur-Mer_-_Avenue_de_la_Republique_et_la_Digue_06-08-04.jpg
|caption = Avenue de la République
|image coat of arms = Blason Villers-sur-Mer.svg
|arrondissement = Lisieux
|canton = Pont-l'Évêque
|INSEE = 14754
|postal code = 14640
|mayor = Chhun-Na Lenglart<ref>{{cite web|title=Répertoire national des élus: les maires|url=https://www.data.gouv.fr/fr/datasets/r/2876a346-d50c-4911-934e-19ee07b0e503|publisher=data.gouv.fr, Plateforme ouverte des données publiques françaises|date=12 March 2025|language=fr}}</ref>
|term = 2024–2026
|intercommunality = [[Communauté de communes Cœur Côte Fleurie|CC Cœur Côte Fleurie]]
|coordinates = {{coord|49.3214|-0.005|format=dms|display=inline,title}}
|elevation m = 38
|elevation min m = 3
|elevation max m = 136
|area km2 = 8.99
|population = {{France metadata Wikidata|population_total}}
|population date = {{France metadata Wikidata|population_as_of}}
|population footnotes = {{France metadata Wikidata|population_footnotes}}
}}

'''Villers-sur-Mer''' ({{IPA|fr|vilɛʁ syʁ mɛʁ|-|Fr-Paris--Villers-sur-Mer.ogg}}) is a [[Communes of France|commune]] in the [[Calvados (department)|Calvados]] [[Departments of France|department]] in Normandy, northwestern France, with a population of 2,644 as of 2017.<ref name=pophist/>

== Geography ==
The commune is located on the French coast of the [[English Channel]], on the [[Côte Fleurie]], between [[Deauville]] and [[Houlgate]], approximately 200 km from Paris.

It is the northernmost [[Communes of France|French commune]] through which falls the [[Prime Meridian (Greenwich)|Prime meridian]]. The latter is represented on the seafront promenade with a blue mark on the ground and on the parapet. This mark is positioned 32 metres west of the actual meridian in use today, the [[IERS Reference Meridian]].

== Paleontology ==
[[File:Villers-sur-mer Les dinosaures.jpg|200px|left|thumb|Topiary dinosaurs address the sea]]
Numerous [[fossil]]s of vertebrates were found in the [[Jurassic]] (Upper [[Callovian]]) Vaches-Noires cliffs in Villers-sur-Mer. Remains include marine reptiles, in particular [[teleosaurids]] (''[[Steneosaurus heberti]]'') and [[metriorhynchids]], [[coelacanths]], a huge suspension-feeding fish ''[[Leedsichthys]]'' and [[dinosaurs]].<ref name=Hua2024/> A 2.5 m-long metriorhynchid skeleton, assigned to [[Metriorhynchus superciliosus|''Metriorhynchus'' cf. ''superciliosus'']], is unique due to the preserved undigested food in its stomach: the remains of invertebrates and gill apparatus of ''Leedsichthys''. This content indicates that large fishes were not the main diet of these thalattosuchians and this individual likely devoured already dead ''Leedsichthys''.<ref name=Hua2024>{{cite journal|author=Stéphane Hua, Jeff Liston, Jérôme Tabouelle|date=February 2024|url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/378391210|title=The Diet of ''Metriorhynchus'' (Thalattosuchia, Metriorhynchidae): Additional Discoveries and Paleoecological Implications|journal=Fossils|volume=2|issue=1|pages=66–76|doi=10.3390/fossils2010002|doi-access=free }}</ref> It is also widely known by [[ammonite]] specialists.

Villers-sur-Mere is known for the large topiary dinosaurs facing the sea from the garden of the office of tourism. In certain years, a baby dinosaur is added to the garden. There is a small museum in the enclosure of the office of tourism, which has an outline of the resources and discoveries, along with the Paléospace l'Odyssée, which covers topics as varied as the [[Greenwich Meridian]], the nature and history of the marshland surrounding the town, and fossils found in the nearby Vaches Noires cliffs.

.

== History ==
It seems that Villers-sur-Mer (then known as ''Villers'') was more akin to a group of [[Hamlet (place)|hamlets]]<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.levillare-villerssurmer.com/lv/lv.php?page=aflv&limite=24|title=Le Villare Espace associatif et Culturel {{!}} Les lettres de Villers|website=www.levillare-villerssurmer.com|access-date=12 February 2019}}</ref> during the early 19th century. According to the [[Cassini map]] (drawn in the 18th century), Villers at that time was made up of a church, two farms (''La Motte'' and ''Fontaine''), and a castle.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.geoportail.gouv.fr.ignipq.local.oshimae.rie.agri/|title=Géoportail|website=www.geoportail.gouv.fr.ignipq.local.oshimae.rie.agri|access-date=12 February 2019}}</ref>

==Population==
The town had a population of 2,644 in 2017, posting a growth of just under 50 residents between then and 2007.<ref name=pophist>[https://www.insee.fr/fr/statistiques/4515315?geo=COM-14754#ancre-POP_T1 Population en historique depuis 1968], INSEE</ref>

==Curiosity==
On the beach of Villers-sur-Mer (last stretch of rue Alfred Feine), the famous last scene of the first film by [[François Truffaut]] was shot: ''[[The 400 Blows|Les Quatre Cent Coups]]'' ends with a [[Freeze-frame shot|freeze frame]] of its boy hero running towards the sea.

n 1978, Villiers-Sur-Mer was twinned with the English village of [[Wickham,_Hampshire|Wickham]].

==Transportation==
[[File:Gare de Villers-sur-Mer.jpg|200px|left|thumb|Railway station]]
[[Gare de Villers-sur-Mer|Villers-sur-Mer station]] is on the line from [[Gare de Trouville-Deauville|Deauville]] to [[Gare de Dives-Cabourg|Dives-sur-Mer]]. The station building is no longer open but train services operate year-round on weekends, and also on weekdays during the summer.

==See also==
* [[Communes of the Calvados department]]
* [[Adélaïde-Louise d'Eckmühl de Blocqueville]] (1815–1892), salon holder, died in Villers-sur-Mer.
{{Clear}}

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{commons category}}
*[http://www.mairie-villers-sur-mer.fr Official site]

{{Calvados communes}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Villerssurmer}}
[[Category:Communes of Calvados (department)]]
[[Category:Seaside resorts in France]]
[[Category:Calvados communes articles needing translation from French Wikipedia]]