# Airan

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For the Iranian drink, see [Ayran](/source/Ayran).

**Airan** (ɛʁɑ̃) is a former [commune](/source/Communes_of_France) in the [Calvados](/source/Calvados_(department)) [department](/source/Departments_of_France) in the [Normandy](/source/Normandy_(administrative_region)) [region](/source/Regions_of_France) of northwestern [France](/source/France). On 1 January 2017, it was merged into the new commune [Valambray](/source/Valambray).[2]

## Geography

Airan is located some 17 km south-east of [Caen](/source/Caen) and 25 km east by south-east of [Lisieux](/source/Lisieux). It can be accessed from the D40 from [Vimont](/source/Vimont,_Calvados) in the north-west, passing through the south of the commune and continuing south-east to [Vieux-Fumé](/source/Vieux-Fum%C3%A9). The D613 (Route de Paris) also from Vimont passes through the north of the commune and continues east to [Crèvecœur-en-Auge](/source/Cr%C3%A8vec%C5%93ur-en-Auge). Neither road passes the village which can be accessed by the D47 road from [Moult](/source/Moult,_Calvados) in the west which passes through the village then the heart of the commune before continuing south-east to [Cesny-aux-Vignes](/source/Cesny-aux-Vignes). There is also the D43 road coming from the north through the village and continuing south to [Fierville-Bray](/source/Fierville-Bray). The railway from Caen to [Mézidon-Canon](/source/M%C3%A9zidon-Canon) passes through the commune from west to east but there is no station in the commune. The nearest station is Bonafini to the west. The commune is quite large in extent and consists almost entirely of farmland with a few small patches of forest. Apart from the village there are also the hamlets of Le Haute-des-Pedouzes, Le Ruel, Valmeray, and Coupigny.[3]

The *Muance* river forms part of the western border of the commune before it flows west then north to join the [Dives river](/source/Dives_(river)) through a network of canals near Bures-sur-Dives. The *Douet* also rises in the north of the commune and forms part of the northern border before continuing north to join the Dives near Hernetot.[3]

## Toponymy

The name is of Continental Germanic origin in an area where such origins are rare (*Heidram* from the 9th century), possibly a personal name taken from *Heidrammus* or alternatively the name *-ham* preceded by an appellative or an unidentified person's name.

## History

Archaeological excavations have uncovered the remains of a [Merovingian](/source/Merovingian) [necropolis](/source/Necropolis). There is a legend of the famous *Treasure of Airan*.

In 1942, the [resistance](/source/French_Resistance) caused two derailments in the commune - on the night of 15 to 16 April and also on 30 April to 1 May. These two derailments left a total of forty dead and fifty wounded German soldiers who were on leave in these trains. Following this Nazi repression was brutal for many hostages: some were shot, others deported.

## Administration

**List of Successive Mayors of Airan**[4]

From To Name Party Position 1850 1862 M. Borgarelli d'Ison Colonel of Infantry E.R. 1862 1869 Jules Alfred Le Tourneur du Coudray First Secretary for the Minister of Finance 1869 1903 Stanislas Le Tourneur d'Ison Attached to the Taxation Administration of France ? ? Yves le Tourneur d'Ison Doctor of Juridical Science 1966 1989 Maurice Lecoq Market gardener 1989 2008 Michel Deuzet SE Farmer 2008 2017 Patrice Martin SE Bank Officer

## Population

The inhabitants of the commune are known as *Airannais* or *Airannaises* in French.[5]

Historical population Year Pop. ±% 2006 594 — 2011 688 +15.8% 2021 648 −5.8%

INSEE[6][1]

## Culture and heritage

### Civil heritage

The commune has a number of buildings and structures that are registered as historical monuments:

- A **Water Mill** (1682) is typical of the Caen region.[7]
- The **Chateau of Coupigny** (18th century)[8]
- The **Chateau of Coupigny Park** (18th century)[9]

**Other sites of interest**

- **Valmeray Tower** and its surroundings are classified by DREAL Lower Normandy as an historical monument.[10] The ruined tower is located in a hamlet near Airan. An old legend tells of a [secret passage](/source/Secret_passage) connecting the tower to the church at Airan. The legend also says that the old [bell](/source/Church_bell) in [gold](/source/Gold) from the [church](/source/Church_(building)) is hidden in the secret passage. Many people have tried to find it but without success.
- The **Alley of Lime Trees** along the D43 is also registered with DREAL.[11]

### Religious heritage

The commune has several religious buildings and structures that are registered as historical monuments:

- The **Church of Saint Germain** (12th century)[12] has a [Romanesque](/source/Romanesque_architecture) facade.

## See also

- [Communes of the Calvados department](/source/Communes_of_the_Calvados_department)

### External links

- [*Airan* on the 1750 Cassini Map](http://rumsey.geogarage.com/maps/cassinige.html?lat=49.1019&lon=-0.1506&zoom=13)

## Notes and references

### References

1. ["Populations légales 2021"](https://www.insee.fr/fr/statistiques/fichier/7739582/ensemble.pdf) [Legal populations 2021] (in French). [INSEE](/source/Institut_national_de_la_statistique_et_des_%C3%A9tudes_%C3%A9conomiques). December 2023.

1. [Arrêté préfectoral](https://www.legifrance.gouv.fr/eli/arrete/2016/9/8/INTB1629565A/jo/texte) 8 September 2016 (in French)

1. [Google Maps](https://www.google.com/maps/place/Airan,+France/@49.0872694,-0.138444,11935m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m2!3m1!1s0x480a7240e9dee7b3:0x40c14484fbcfdd0?hl=en)

1. [List of Mayors of Airan](http://www.francegenweb.org/mairesgenweb/resultcommune.php?id=18569)

1. [Le nom des habitants du 14 - Calvados](https://www.habitants.fr/calvados-14), habitants.fr

1. [Populations légales 2011](https://www.insee.fr/fr/statistiques/2123937?geo=COM-14005), INSEE

1. Ministry of Culture, Mérimée (in French)

1. Ministry of Culture, Mérimée (in French)

1. Ministry of Culture, Mérimée (in French)

1. [DREAL Basse-Normandie](http://www.donnees.basse-normandie.developpement-durable.gouv.fr/pdf/SITES/14036f.pdf) (in French)

1. [DREAL Basse-Normandie](http://www.donnees.basse-normandie.developpement-durable.gouv.fr/pdf/SITES/14105c.pdf) [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20140905073341/http://www.donnees.basse-normandie.developpement-durable.gouv.fr/pdf/SITES/14105c.pdf) 2014-09-05 at the Wayback Machine (in French)

1. Ministry of Culture, Mérimée (in French)

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Airan](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Airan) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Airan?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.