Beaufour-Druval () is a commune in the Calvados department in the Normandy region of north-western France.INSEE commune file
The inhabitants of the commune are known as Beaufourquais-Druvalais or Beaufourquaises-Druvalaises.Inhabitants of Calvados
Geography Beaufour-Druval is located some 25 km east by north-east of Caen and 12 km south-east of Cabourg. Access to the commune is by the D287 road from Angerville in the north-west, the D276 from Cresseveuille in the north which continues south-east to Auvillars, and the D146 from Beuvron-en-Auge in the south-west which continues to join the D45 in the north-east. The D85 from Saint-Léger-Dubosq in the west to Rumesnil in the south forms part of the south-western border of the commune. Apart from the village, there are the hamlets of Saint-Aubin-Lebizay and La Ruelle. The commune is entirely farmland.
The Ruisseau de Druval forms the south-eastern border of the commune as it flows south-west to join the Doigt west of Rumesnil. Several unnamed tributaries rise in the commune and flow south-east to join the Ruisseau de Druval.
Toponymy Beaufour was attested in its Romanesque form Belfou in 1040 and 1066 then badly Latinized to Bellafagus in 1195.Ernest Nègre, General Toponymy of France, Librairie Droz, 1990, Vol II, 676 pages, p. 1236, .
The name has no relationship with "un four" as shown in the old forms but comes from the beech tree, which was formerly called fou in the west.
Druval comes from Drudo plus the Latin suffix vallem.Ernest Nègre, General Toponymy of France, Librairie Droz, 1990, Vol II, 676 pages, p. 920, .
Beaufour appears as Beaufou on the 1750 Cassini Map and the same on the 1790 version.
Druval appears as Druval on the 1750 Cassini Map and the same on the 1790 version.
History The commune was created in 1972 from the merger of Beaufour, Druval, and Saint-Aubin-Lebizay.
The commune is probably the birthplace of William de Beaufeu, Bishop of Thetford from 1086 to 1091. It is also the probable birthplace of Richard de Beaufou, bishop of Avranches from 1134 to 1142 who is probably related to William de Beaufou.
Administration
List of Successive MayorsList of Mayors of France From To Name 2001 2008 Gérard Desvoye 2008 2026 Jean-Pierre Mercher
Demography
Culture and heritage
Civil heritage The commune has a number of buildings and sites that are registered as historical monuments: A Chateau (19th century)Ministry of Culture, Mérimée
Religious heritage The Church of Notre-Dame-de-Druval (13th century) is registered as an historical monument.Ministry of Culture, Mérimée It contains a large number of items that are registered as historical objects.
See also Communes of the Calvados department
References