Upper Normandy

I

Introduction

Upper Normandy or Haute-Normandie, administrative region, northern France. Located on the coast of the English Channel, Upper Normandy is bounded by the region of Picardy to the east, Île-de-France on the south-east, Centre to the south, and Lower Normandy on the west. The region consists of two departments (départements): Eure in the south and Seine-Maritime in the north. Upper Normandy has an area of 12,318 sq km (4,756 sq mi).

II

Physical Geography

The Seine bisects the region, winding across from the south-east to the north-west to its estuary near Le Havre. Other rivers include the Risle, Eure, and Charentonne. Although a low-lying region, Upper Normandy has high chalk cliffs along its coastline. Cliffs, ravines, and forests mark the meandering course of the rich valley of the Seine. In the south-west are the Perche Ranges.

III

Population

The region has 1,811,000 inhabitants (2005 estimate), with an average population density of 147 people per sq km (381 per sq mi). The main cities of Upper Normandy are Rouen, the capital (population, 2005 estimate, 109,600) and the seaport Le Havre (2005 estimate, 183,900). Other well-known towns include Évreux (2005 estimate, 50,900); Dieppe (2005 estimate, 34,300); and Fécamp (2005 estimate, 19,900).

Much of the region sustained heavy damage in bombing raids during World War II. Le Havre’s city centre was largely destroyed and was rebuilt after the war according to designs by French architect Auguste Perret; the rebuilt city was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2005. Rouen Cathedral (begun 1202) is one of the finest examples of Gothic architecture in the country. Giverny, the home and gardens of Impressionist painter Claude Monet, and the scene of some of the artist's best-known works, is in the south-east of the region, on the border with Île-de-France. Higher education institutions in the region include the University of Rouen (1966), in Mont-St-Aignan, to the north of the centre of Rouen and the University of Le Havre (1984), in Le Havre.

IV

Economy

Upper Normandy is heavily industrialized, with 30 per cent of the population employed in manufacturing, most of them in numerous small factories along the Seine. The region’s proximity to Paris has been an important factor in its growth. Vehicle manufacture is the dominant industry; Seine-Maritime is the centre for France’s petrochemical and refining industry. Approximately 4 per cent of the region’s population is involved in agriculture, particularly in the Eure department in the south of the region. Upper Normandy has mixed farming, primarily cattle, with flax and cereals the main crops. The region is known for its milk, cheese, and beef. Dieppe is an important fishing port, while Le Havre is France’s largest container port.