Manche is a French département in Normandy named after La Manche ("the sleeve"), which is the French name of the English Channel.
History
Manche was one of the original 83 departments created during the French Revolution on March 4, 1790. It was created from part of the province of Normandie.
The first capital was Coutances until 1796, and it resumed that role after World War II because of the almost complete destruction of Saint-Lô during the D-Day invastion of Normandy. When Saint-Lô was rebuilt, it again became the capital.
Geography
The department includes the Cotentin Peninsula and the islands of Chausey. It is part of the region of Basse-Normandie and is surrounded on three sides by the English Channel and on the other by the departments of Calvados, Orme, Mayenne, and Ille-et-Vilaine.
Demographics
Inhabitants of the department are called Manchots or Manchois.
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