Cavillon (; pcd, Cavion) is a

commune A commune is an alternative term for an intentional community. Commune or comună or comune or other derivations may also refer to: Administrative-territorial entities * Commune (administrative division), a municipality or township ** Communes of ...

in the Somme department in Hauts-de-France in northern

France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans. Its metropolitan area ...

Geography

Cavillon is a small village surrounded by fields and woods, situated on the D121, D156 and D95 crossroads, about northwest of

Amiens Amiens (English: or ; ; pcd, Anmien, or ) is a city and commune in northern France, located north of Paris and south-west of Lille. It is the capital of the Somme department in the region of Hauts-de-France. In 2021, the population of ...

. Predominantly a farming area raising dairy cows, pigs and free-range chickens. A project to create a large pig-rearing facility is currently undergoing discussion and planning approval, much to the disgruntlement of the local population.

Population

History

Cavillon has existed since

Gallo-Roman Gallo-Roman culture was a consequence of the Romanization of Gauls under the rule of the Roman Empire. It was characterized by the Gaulish adoption or adaptation of Roman culture, language, morals and way of life in a uniquely Gaulish context ...

times. During

ploughing A plough or plow ( US; both ) is a farm tool for loosening or turning the soil before sowing seed or planting. Ploughs were traditionally drawn by oxen and horses, but in modern farms are drawn by tractors. A plough may have a wooden, iron or ...

, archaeologists regularly find artifacts in the ground between the town and the place known as "''The Brickyard''", where a

Roman Roman or Romans most often refers to: *Rome, the capital city of Italy *Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD *Roman people, the people of ancient Rome *'' Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a lette ...

villa once stood. Found under the written form "''Cavellon''" as early as 1166, this town was mentioned again as "''Caveillon''" in 1301 and appeared under its current name of "''Cavillon''" in 1567.

Places of note

* The church of St. Nicolas, is in stone with a low

steeple In architecture, a steeple is a tall tower on a building, topped by a spire and often incorporating a belfry and other components. Steeples are very common on Christian churches and cathedrals and the use of the term generally connotes a religi ...

covered with slates. On the

apse In architecture, an apse (plural apses; from Latin 'arch, vault' from Ancient Greek 'arch'; sometimes written apsis, plural apsides) is a semicircular recess covered with a hemispherical vault or semi-dome, also known as an '' exedra''. ...

, one can read the date of 1781, but the

nave The nave () is the central part of a church, stretching from the (normally western) main entrance or rear wall, to the transepts, or in a church without transepts, to the chancel. When a church contains side aisles, as in a basilica-type ...

is from the end of the 16th century. * Cavaillon Synagogue and Jewish Museum, a 16th-century synagogue, with 18th century rococo interior renovations * The château, near the church, in a beautiful

woodland A woodland () is, in the broad sense, land covered with trees, or in a narrow sense, synonymous with wood (or in the U.S., the ''plurale tantum'' woods), a low-density forest forming open habitats with plenty of sunlight and limited shade (se ...

park, was built of bricks and stone in 1648. Two lower wings were added in 1698 and 1830. In the 1950s, it was the property of the Abbaye du Gard (on the left bank of the river Somme, downstream of

Picquigny Picquigny () is a commune in the Somme department in Hauts-de-France in northern France. Geography Picquigny is situated at the junction of the N235, the D141 and D3 roads, on the banks of the river Somme, some northwest (and downstream) o ...

). * The old school and mayor's office was built in 1868. The school closed in 1960. In 1996, the building was restored and laid out as a meeting room and commune secretary's office. * On the other side of the D95, that crosses the town, is the '' 'old cemetery, surrounded by a brick wall, where rest the remains of five soldiers of the

British Commonwealth The Commonwealth of Nations, simply referred to as the Commonwealth, is a political association of 56 member states, the vast majority of which are former territories of the British Empire. The chief institutions of the organisation are the Co ...

. * Chapelle Notre-Dame des Victoires, on the road leading to Oissy.

Leisure, cultural and tourist activities

* The town centre has a newly laid out square with flowering plants, benches and a

pétanque Pétanque (, ; oc, petanca, , also or ) is a sport that falls into the category of boules sports, along with raffa, bocce, boule lyonnaise, lawn bowls, and crown green bowling. In all of these sports, players or teams play their boules/balls ...

piste. The biggest of Cavillon's three ponds is shaded by trees and the nests of

moorhen Moorhens—sometimes called marsh hens—are medium-sized water birds that are members of the rail family (Rallidae). Most species are placed in the genus ''Gallinula'', Latin for "little hen". They are close relatives of coots. They are of ...

s and

duck Duck is the common name for numerous species of waterfowl in the family Anatidae. Ducks are generally smaller and shorter-necked than swans and geese, which are members of the same family. Divided among several subfamilies, they are a form ...

s can be seen on its flowery banks. * The attractiveness of the town of Cavillon, well maintained despite the municipal worker having to divide his time with neighbouring towns, is also attributed to the residents, encouraged by the wife of the current mayor, to grow flowers in their own gardens. * Several walking routes pass through the commune of Cavillon, with directional panels provided by the C.C.O.A.

References