Fécamp

Fécamp is a commune in the Seine-Maritime department in the Haute-Normandie region in northern France.

Geography

Fécamp is situated in the valley of the river Valmont, at the heart of the Pays de Caux, on the Albaster Coast.

History

Origin of the name

According to its late medieval founding legend, the trunk of a fig tree (ficus) carrying the Precious Blood of Christ collected by Joseph of Arimathea was washed ashore on the riverbank at Fécamp in the first century. Immediately, a fountain of holy blood gushed from the site; the relic attracted many medieval pilgrims, enhancing the reputation of the city.

The monks' legend justified the artifical etymology of the name to Fici-campus, the camp of the fig tree. Fécamp, however, is mentioned in 875 as Fiscannum and in 990 as Fiscannus and as late as 1496Under 1496 Richard, duke of Normany apud Fiscannum sepulto, "buried at Fescamp", in Roger of Wendover, Flores historiarum. which stem from the Germanic root fisc (English "fish") with an unknown suffix. It used to be the name of the Valmont River.

Pre-history

The prehistoric site, on the high ground inland from the port of Fécamp, reveals human occupation dating back to Neolithic times. Spreading over 21 hectares, surrounded by walls and ditches for a length of nearly 2000 meters, including a praetorian door. Objects recovered range in date from the Neolithic until Roman times.

Roman times

Many items of the Gallo-Roman...
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