Airan facts for kids

Airan was a small town, called a commune, located in the Calvados area of Normandy, in northwestern France. On January 1, 2017, Airan joined with other towns to form a new, larger commune called Valambray.

Exploring Airan's Location

Airan is about 17 kilometers (about 10 miles) southeast of a city called Caen. It's also about 25 kilometers (about 15 miles) east of Lisieux. You can reach Airan by roads that connect it to nearby towns like Vimont and Moult.

The area around Airan is mostly farmland, with a few small forests. Besides the main village, there are also small groups of houses called hamlets, such as Le Haute-des-Pedouzes, Le Ruel, Valmeray, and Coupigny.

Two rivers flow near Airan. The Muance river forms part of the western edge of the area. The Douet river starts in the north and flows north to join the Dives river.

Neighbouring communes and villages

	Moult	Argences	Méry-Corbon
	Chicheboville		Magny-le-Freule
		Airan
	Billy	Vieux-Fumé	Cesny-aux-Vignes

What's in a Name?

The name "Airan" comes from an old Germanic language. It might have come from a personal name like Heidrammus, or it could be related to an old word for a place.

A Glimpse into Airan's Past

Archeologists have found old burial sites in Airan from a very early period in French history called the Merovingian era. There's also a local legend about a famous "Treasure of Airan."

During World War II, in 1942, a group called the Resistance caused two train accidents in Airan. These events led to difficult times for many local people.

Who Governed Airan?

Airan was led by a mayor. Here are some of the people who served as mayor:

How Many People Lived There?

The people who lived in Airan were called Airannais (for boys and men) or Airannaises (for girls and women). The number of people living in Airan changed over the years:

• In 2006, there were 594 people.
• In 2011, the population grew to 688 people.
• In 2021, there were 648 people.

Cool Places to See

Airan has some interesting old buildings and places that are protected as historical monuments.

Old Buildings and Structures

• A Water Mill from 1682, which shows how mills were built in the Caen area.
• The Chateau of Coupigny, a large old house from the 18th century.
• The Chateau of Coupigny Park, the beautiful gardens around the Chateau.

Historic Churches

• The Church of Saint Germain was built in the 12th century. It has a special front part, called a facade, built in a style called Romanesque.

Images for kids

• 

  Valmeray Tower

• 

  The Church of Saint-Germain

• 

  Coupigny Castle

• 

  The Watermill

• 

  The Lavoir (Public laundry) on the Muance river

• 

  Gargoyle on the Church

See also

In Spanish: Airan para niños