Falaise

Falaise may refer to:

Falaise, Calvados

Falaise is a commune in the Calvados department in the Basse-Normandie region in northwestern France.

Geography

Falaise lies on the river Ante, a tributary of the river Dives, about 30 kilometres (19 miles) southeast of Caen.

History

Falaise region was inhabited from prehistoric times but it wasn't until the end of the prehistoric period and the beginning of the gallo-roman era that the area, and Falaise in particular, was regularly inhabited. Evidence of settlement from this time has been found at Vaston, an agricultural area just north-east of the modern town.

Falaise as it is sited today, probably came into being around the castle.

The town was the birthplace of William the Conqueror, first of the Norman Kings of England. The Château de Falaise (12th-13th century), which overlooks the town from a high crag (French: falaise), was formerly the seat of the Dukes of Normandy. Also, the Treaty of Falaise was signed at the castle in December 1174 between the captive William I, King of Scots, and the Plantagenet King of England, Henry II .