Pontorson, Commune in Manche department, Normandy, France.
Pontorson is a French commune located in the Manche department of northwestern France, covering an area of 161.47 square kilometers with approximately 4,319 residents, positioned strategically about ten kilometers from the Mont-Saint-Michel abbey.
Founded in the 12th century following a vow by William the Conqueror, Pontorson once hosted a fortress demolished in 1623 under King Louis XIII's orders, and played a strategic role during World War II when American forces established airfield A-28 nearby.
The cultural landscape features the Notre-Dame church from the 11th and 12th centuries showcasing Romanesque-Gothic architecture, the 16th-century Old Protestant Temple, and the Guischard de la Ménardière house reflecting Norman architectural heritage throughout different historical periods.
The town provides limited railway services with approximately three to four daily trains connecting to other French regions, serving as the closest station to Mont-Saint-Michel, accessible via departmental highways and walking paths crossing the Couesnon river.
Frantz Fanon, the renowned psychiatrist and revolutionary theorist, practiced psychiatry in Pontorson during the early 1950s, adding a remarkable intellectual chapter to the history of this small Norman commune.
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