# Saint-Valery-en-Caux

> commune in Seine-Maritime, France

**Wikidata**: [Q829711](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q829711)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint-Valery-en-Caux)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/saint-valery-en-caux

## Summary

Saint-Valery-en-Caux is a commune located in the Seine-Maritime department in the Normandy region of northern France, situated on the Alabaster Coast along the English Channel. It is part of the arrondissement of Dieppe and serves as a coastal town known for its maritime heritage and scenic harbor. The commune has a population of approximately 3,800 to 4,300 residents across recent census years.

## Key Facts

- **Location**: Normandy region, Seine-Maritime department, arrondissement of Dieppe
- **Country**: France
- **Coordinates**: 49.863055555556°N, 0.70694444444444°E
- **Population**: Approximately 3,851 to 4,254 residents (varying across census years)
- **Administrative Status**: Commune of France (municipal territorial subdivision since 1789)
- **Department Creation**: Seine-Maritime established March 4, 1790
- **Website**: https://saintvaleryencaux.fr/
- **Wikipedia Title**: Saint-Valery-en-Caux
- **Wikidata Description**: commune in Seine-Maritime, France
- **Aliases**: Port-le-Pelletier, Saint-Valery
- **Sitelink Count**: 43

## FAQs

**What type of administrative region is Saint-Valery-en-Caux?**

Saint-Valery-en-Caux is a commune, which is the lowest-level territorial subdivision in France for municipalities. It is located within the Seine-Maritime department in the Normandy region of northern France and is part of the arrondissement of Dieppe.

**Where exactly is Saint-Valery-en-Caux located?**

The commune is situated at coordinates 49.863055555556°N latitude and 0.70694444444444°E longitude, placing it on the Alabaster Coast (Côte d'Albâtre) along the English Channel in the Caux region of Normandy.

**What is the population of Saint-Valery-en-Caux?**

Population figures vary across recent census years, with recorded values ranging from approximately 3,851 to 4,254 residents, indicating a stable small coastal town population in the Normandy region.

**What is the historical origin of Saint-Valery-en-Caux as a commune?**

As a commune of France, Saint-Valery-en-Caux traces its municipal administrative status to 1789, following the French Revolution, which established the commune system as the fundamental territorial division for local governance in France.

**What is the website for Saint-Valery-en-Caux?**

The official website of the commune is https://saintvaleryencaux.fr/, providing information about local services, events, and municipal administration.

## Why It Matters

Saint-Valery-en-Caux matters as a representative example of the many communes that form the backbone of French local governance and territorial organization. As one of the approximately 34,000 communes in France, it embodies the French system of municipal administration that dates back to the revolutionary period of 1789. The commune's location on the Alabaster Coast places it within one of Normandy's most scenic coastal regions, known for its chalk cliffs and maritime significance. The town's historical existence as a commune within the Seine-Maritime department (established in 1790) reflects the enduring administrative structure of the French Republic. Its population of several thousand residents contributes to the demographic fabric of rural and semi-rural Normandy, balancing agricultural heritage with coastal tourism and maritime activities. The commune's inclusion in the arrondissement of Dieppe connects it to a broader administrative network that coordinates local services, governance, and regional planning across the department.

## Notable For

- **Coastal Location**: Situated on the Alabaster Coast (Côte d'Albâtre) along the English Channel
- **Historical Administrative Status**: Part of the Seine-Maritime department established during the French Revolution in 1790
- **Traditional Communal Structure**: One of the foundational territorial divisions of French local government dating to 1789
- **Norman Regional Identity**: Located in the Caux region of Normandy, known for its distinctive landscape and cultural heritage

## Body

### Geography and Location

Saint-Valery-en-Caux is positioned at coordinates 49.863055555556°N latitude and 0.70694444444444°E longitude, placing it in the northern part of France along the English Channel. The commune sits within the Caux region, a coastal area in Normandy renowned for its dramatic white chalk cliffs rising from the sea. This location on the Alabaster Coast has historically provided the town with maritime access and contributed to its regional identity. The coastal positioning has influenced local economic activities, including fishing, maritime trade, and more recently, tourism related to the scenic Normandy coastline.

### Administrative Structure

As a commune of France, Saint-Valery-en-Caux operates as the lowest level of territorial organization in the French administrative system. The commune structure was established during the French Revolution in 1789, replacing the previous system of parishes and villages. Saint-Valery-en-Caux is part of the Seine-Maritime department, which was created on March 4, 1790, during the initial reorganization of French territory following the Revolution. The department is itself part of the Normandy region, one of the 18 administrative regions of metropolitan France. Within the departmental structure, the commune belongs to the arrondissement of Dieppe, which coordinates administrative services and governance for multiple communes in the northwestern portion of Seine-Maritime.

### Demographics and Population

The commune has maintained a relatively stable population in recent decades, with census figures showing residents ranging between approximately 3,851 and 4,254 individuals across various counting periods. This population size is characteristic of small rural and semi-rural communes in the Normandy interior and coastal regions. The population figures indicate a community of modest size that maintains local services, schools, and commercial establishments sufficient for daily needs. The demographic profile reflects broader trends in rural Normandy, where many small communes experience population stability or gradual change depending on economic conditions and employment opportunities.

### Historical Context and Heritage

The commune's historical roots as an administrative entity trace to the revolutionary period that fundamentally restructured French territorial organization. The establishment of communes in 1789 created a standardized system of local governance that replaced the diverse territorial arrangements of the Ancien Régime. Saint-Valery-en-Caux, as part of this system, has evolved through over two centuries of French history, including periods of monarchy, republic, empire, and modern democratic governance. The department of Seine-Maritime, created in 1790, encompasses the historic territory of Normandy's coastal and river areas, with its name reflecting the Seine River's passage through the region to its mouth at the English Channel.

### Regional Context

Saint-Valery-en-Caux exists within the broader context of Normandy, a region with distinct cultural, historical, and geographical identity in northern France. The commune's position in the arrondissement of Dieppe connects it to a network of neighboring communes sharing administrative resources and regional coordination. The Caux region, where Saint-Valery-en-Caux is located, is named after the Celtic tribe (Caletes) that inhabited the area in Roman times and is characterized by its agricultural plains and dramatic coastal cliffs. The Alabaster Coast, extending along the English Channel, is one of Normandy's most recognizable geographical features, attracting visitors to towns like Étretat, Fécamp, and Saint-Valery-en-Caux for its natural beauty and maritime heritage.

### Local Infrastructure and Services

As a functioning commune, Saint-Valery-en-Caux provides local administrative services to its residents through its municipal government. The commune maintains a website at https://saintvaleryencaux.fr/, reflecting modern efforts to provide digital access to local government information and services. The presence of a municipal website indicates the commune's integration into contemporary e-governance practices while maintaining its traditional role as a unit of local administration in the French system.

### Connection to French Administrative System

Saint-Valery-en-Caux exemplifies the French commune system, which is unique in global administrative structures for its large number (approximately 34,000) and uniform organization across the national territory. Each commune, regardless of size, possesses legal personality and exercises certain competencies in local governance, urban planning, and municipal services. The commune's classification as part of the French territorial system connects it to the hierarchical structure of departments, regions, and national government while maintaining substantial local autonomy in matters affecting daily community life. This system, established during the Revolution and refined over more than two centuries, represents a fundamental aspect of French political organization and local democracy.

## References

1. Virtual International Authority File
2. BnF authorities
3. dataset of postal codes in France. 2018
4. INSEE code
5. répertoire géographique des communes
6. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013
7. Annuaire de service-public.fr
8. Recensement de la population 2015. National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies. 2017
9. Populations légales 2016
10. Populations légales 2017
11. Populations légales 2018
12. Populations légales 2019
13. Populations légales 2020
14. Populations légales 2021
15. Populations de référence 2022
16. Populations de référence 2023
17. [Code officiel géographique. 2017](https://www.insee.fr/fr/information/2560698)
18. [Code officiel géographique](https://www.insee.fr/fr/information/3363419)
19. [Source](http://cassini.ehess.fr/cassini/fr/html/fiche.php?select_resultat=34894)
20. National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies
21. GeoNames
22. [répertoire géographique des communes. 2015](https://wxs-telechargement.ign.fr/83edtfdyqte031y0ra49d2e3/telechargement/inspire/RGC-2015-01$RGC2015/file/RGC2015.7z)
23. [2016](https://data.geopf.fr/telechargement/download/GEOFLA/GEOFLA_2-2_COMMUNE_SHP_LAMB93_FXX_2016-06-28/GEOFLA_2-2_COMMUNE_SHP_LAMB93_FXX_2016-06-28.7z)
24. National Library of Israel Names and Subjects Authority File