Montivilliers (French pronunciation: [mɔ̃tivilje] or [mɔ̃tivije]) is a commune in the Seine-Maritime department in the Normandy region in northern France.

Geography

A large light industrial and farming town by the banks of the river Lézarde in the Pays de Caux, situated just 4 miles (6.4 km) north of Le Havre, at the junction of the D489, D52, D926 and D31 roads.

History

Pre-Roman archaeological discoveries include Bronze Age axes and jade jewelry. The old Roman road from here to Harfleur was destroyed by the English in 1415.
The Abbey Church of Notre-Dame, sometimes referred to as the Montivilliers Abbey dates back to 684, although it was destroyed by a Viking raid in 850, and rebuilt as a church in both the Romanesque and Gothic styles.

Heraldry

The arms of Montivilliers are blazoned : Gules, a church argent, the door open, and the bell tower pierced of the field, topped with the head of a crozier Or, between 2 inescutcheons of France, and in base a lizard fesswise vert. (France=Azure, 3 fleurs-de-lys Or)

Population

Historical population

Year	Pop.	±% p.a.
1968	8,910	—
1975	10,563	+2.46%
1982	15,030	+5.17%
1990	17,067	+1.60%
1999	16,556	−0.34%
2007	16,241	−0.24%
2012	16,243	+0.00%
2017	15,612	−0.79%
Source: INSEE

Places of interest

• The nineteenth-century chateau de Colmoulins.
• The church of St. Germain, dating from the fourteenth century.
• The abbey church of Notre-Dame, dating from the eleventh century.
• The abbey museum
• A Protestant church (1787)
• The medieval ramparts.
• The Arboretum du parc de Rouelles is an arboretum set within the Parc de Rouelles.

People

• Isaac de Larrey (1639–1719), French historian was born in Montvilliers
• René Bihel, French footballer was born here in 1916.
• Arthur Good (1853–1928), French engineer, science educator, author, and caricaturist who wrote under the pen-name "Tom Tit".
• Sébastien Lepape, short track speed skater, born here in 1991.
• Lys Mousset, professional footballer for VfL Bochum
• Édouard Mendy, professional footballer for Chelsea F.C.
• Jean Prévost, writer, lived here when his father was principal of a local school.

Twin towns

• Nordhorn, Germany since 1963

See also

• Communes of the Seine-Maritime department