Airan facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Airan
Part of Valambray
Chateau of Coupigny
Airan Location in France Show map of France Airan Location in Normandy Show map of Normandy
Country	France
Region	Normandy
Department	Calvados
Arrondissement	Caen
Canton	Troarn
Commune	Valambray
Area 1	13.5 km2 (5.2 sq mi)
Population  (2021)	648
• Density	48.00/km2 (124.3/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC+01:00 (CET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+02:00 (CEST)
Postal code	14370
Elevation	22–64 m (72–210 ft) (avg. 30 m or 98 ft)
1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km2 (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries.

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

Where is Airan Located?

Airan is found about 17 kilometers (about 10.5 miles) southeast of a bigger city called Caen. It's also about 25 kilometers (about 15.5 miles) east of Lisieux. You can get to Airan by several roads, like the D40 or the D47, which connect it to other villages.

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

Two small rivers, the Muance and the Douet, flow near Airan. The Muance river forms part of the western edge of the town. The Douet river starts in the north and flows northwards. Both rivers eventually join the larger Dives river.

Neighbouring communes and villages

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

What Does the Name Airan Mean?

The name Airan comes from an old Germanic language. It might have come from a personal name like Heidrammus. This type of name origin is quite rare in this part of France.

A Look Back: Airan's History

People have lived in the Airan area for a very long time. Archaeologists have found ancient burial sites from the Merovingian period, which was a long time ago, around the 5th to 8th centuries. There's also an old story about a famous "Treasure of Airan," though its exact location is a mystery!

During World War II, in 1942, the French Resistance group carried out two important actions in Airan. They caused two train derailments (when a train goes off its tracks). These events were part of the Resistance's efforts against the occupation. After these events, there were difficult times for many local people.

Who Governed Airan?

Airan, like any town, had mayors who helped run things. Here is a list of some of the people who served as mayor:

How Many People Live in Airan?

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

Airan's Special Buildings and History

Old Buildings and Structures

Airan has several interesting old buildings that are protected as historical monuments. This means they are very important and are kept safe for future generations to see. Some of these include:

• A Water Mill built in 1682. This mill is a great example of the old buildings found in the Caen region.
• The Chateau of Coupigny, a large old castle-like house from the 18th century.
• The Chateau of Coupigny Park, the beautiful gardens and grounds around the Chateau.

Churches and Religious Sites

There are also important religious buildings in Airan that are considered historical monuments:

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

Picture Gallery

• 

  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