Destruction and reconstruction of private buildings in Vierville
Beach and descent to the sea
4 - The beach (Boulevard de Cauvigny)
from villa Clairefontaine M (included) to villa Les Hortensias V (included)
L - Brise Caline (Roger)
M - Clairefontaine (Parmentier)
NA - Clairefontaine guard
NB - guard La Source
O - The Source (Mathy)
OA - Chicken Coop La Source
P - Heuline (future Robert Lebrec)
Q - SchaefferR - Schaeffer
S - Grain of Sand
T - Richard (printer)
U - The Sauvagère (Dr Létienne then Chevalier)
V - Hydrangeas (Hardelay)
Before the war, plan of Vierville beach, in its central part, from the Clairefontaine property (M) to the Hortensias property (V)
(Based on a plan for the needs of the 1944 landings)
Below is a sketch established around 1945/46 by the War Damage Service
Below photo 2006 showing the current state
Below, the villas in the center of the beach seen on August 10, 1944
Below is a photo from the summer of 1947, from the Hardelay villa on the left to the Roger villa on the right, all are ruined, only 2 will be rebuilt identically (Hardelay and Mathy villas)
Panorama seen from the cliff above Villa Mathy, around 1911?
August 10, 44, during the operation of the port
Above, the postcards of all the villas in the center, from the villa Clairefontaine to the villa Les Hortensias, before the war
1930, from g to d: villas Clairefontaine M, La Source O, villa P, villa R, villa Grain de Sable S (barely visible), villa T, and on the right the villa N on the edge of the boulevard
1935, from g to d: villas Clairefontaine M, La Source O, and villa P
from d to g: villas Clairefontaine M, La Source O, villa P, villa Grain de Sable S, villa T
Around 1925, from g to d at the foot of the cliff: villa Grain de Sable S, villa R, villa P, villa La Source O, villa Clairefontaine M.
From g to d on the edge of the boulevard: villa N, then villa H, then at the bottom villas A B D F G, the last villas in the territory of Vierville.
Around 1914, from g to d: villa P, villa R, villa S Grain de Sable, villa 3 levels (which was replaced before the war by the large villa T ), villa Sauvagère U
Around 1911, the Heuline villa and the neighbors to the west
Villas OA, P, Q, R, S (Grain de Sable), T (Richard), U (Knivalier) (June 30, 43)
Villas T, Sauvagère U, Les Hortensias V (June 30, 43)
Around 1914, Clairefontaine villas and neighbors to the west
Around 1905, villas Sauvagère (Chevalier) and Grain de Sable (Colin)
1930, from d to g: villas Clairefontaine M, La Source O, villa P, villa Grain de Sable S, villa T
From g to d: roof of villa T, villa Grain de Sable S, villa R, villa Q, villa P, villas La Source O and Clairefontaine M.
On the edge of the boulevard we see the villa N
1930 from g to d: villa T, villa Grain de Sable S, villa R, villa Q, villa P, villa La Source O, villa Clairefontaine M
Same point of view below
from g to d: villa Sauvagère U, villa T, villa Grain de Sable S, villa R. We see villa N on the edge of the boulevard.
From g to d: edge of the villa Sauvagère U, villa T, and on the right villa Grain de Sable S
From d to g: Villa Grain de Sable S, villa R (Schaeffer), villa P (Heuline), villa La Source O (Mathy), villa Clairefontaine M (Parmentier), villa Brise Câline L (Jean ROGER called Sainteny)
From g to d: villas Clairefontaine M, La Source O, villa P, then villa R
Villa Clairefontaine M on the left, then villa La Source O, a void that will be filled later by villa P, villa R, villa Grain de Sable S, villa T, and on the right on the edge of the boulevard la villa N.
On the right, villa Les Hortensias V, 1st period. Further to the left the villa La Sauvagère U
Same point of view below
From g to d: villa Grain de Sable S, villa 3 level that gave way to villa T, villa U Chevalier on the right
On the right, the villa T, (currently Defortescu just east of the villa Sauvagère) with basin, which replaced the 3-level house.
Further to the East: villa Grain de sable S, villa R, villa P, villa La Source O, villa Clairefontaine M.
(The original postcard is presented inside out)
1945, villas T, villa Grain de Sable S, villa R
1965, villas in the center rebuilt
Below, photos of each villa taken separately
Villa Clairefontaine (M)
(Parmentier family)
completed around 1910
(details) Before the war, the largest villa on the beach: (M) "Clairefontaine", by Professor Parmentier, doctor at the Hôtel-Dieu in Paris, built around 1910, destroyed in 1944 by the Germans, rebuilt in the 1980s in the form of a modern double villa, by the grandchildren Parmentier (Parmentier and Helleboid families)
(details) Villas NB and NA, on the edge of the boulevard, 2 dwellings for the guards of the villas La Source and Clairefontaine. Destroyed after 1944
Around 1910, Boulevard de Cauvigny in front of Clairefontaine
(details) The greenhouse and garden of Villa Clairefontaine, with German military music, around 1941
1956, land of Clairefontaine
Around 1923, villa Clairefontaine in the background behind the "cabannettes" of the property of La Source
August 45, Parmentier greenhouse
The new Clairefontaine villa, built on the land of the old one, in the 80s?
Villa "The Source" (O)
This villa was built in 1906 on land purchased by Mr. Théodore Mathy. These lands, bought in 3 times, were lots of the former communal property of the cliffs and swampy land below, shared in 1846 among the 85 homes of Vierville (they were called "fires").
A 1st lot No. 53 of 36ares02 was bought from the Conseil family (of Vierville) in 1902 at the price of 700F+ about 100F of debts to be paid to the municipality.
A 2nd lot N°52 of 35a was purchased from Mrs. Vve Joliet of Neuilly-sur-Seine in 1904 at the price of 2500F.
It is on these 2 lots that the villa La Source was built in 1906.
A 3rd lot N°51.de 30a44 was bought from Mr. and Mrs. Coulmain de Longueville in 1910 at the price of 2000F and was used for the subsequent construction in 1963 of Mrs. Haxo's villa (see below)
[1 franc-gold of 1905/1910, is worth very approximately 3 current euros]
La Source around 1910, the house was completed in 1906, while the neighboring villa Clairefontaine was not yet built.
The gardens of the villa La Source, around 1910
Around 1912, portal of the villa La Source
La Source, around 1922
The photos presented here originate from the collection of the Mathy family
Construction of annexes
1907/1912
1908 - Completion of the guard house of the villa La Source
Around 1911, "La Source" greenhouse under construction, in the NO corner of the land
1923 - House of the guards of "La Source". That of "Clairefontaine" is leaning against the adjoining wall
1927, construction of the workshop of La Source
La Source around 2010, the guard house was not rebuilt, nor the workshops and the greenhouse.
1945, from g to d: the guard house and La Source, uninhabitable after 4 1/2 years of various occupations. This guard house would have been used in June 1944 to serve as PC of the 6th Special Engineer Brigade, in charge of the operation of the Omaha Beach Bridge Head (West Half). Subsequently, this general staff settled further offshore at the castle of Gruchy.
1957, on the left, villa La Source (O) is rebuilt.
(On the right, the villa Heuline (P) in ruins)
1965, villas La Source (O), Haxo (OA), Robert Lebrec (ex P or Heuline), ruin Q (ex annex Schaeffer, future annex Voisin), Voisin (ex R Schaeffer)
(details) On the plateau, the 2 pine hedges above the Mathy villa (around 2000). These hedges date from the beginning of the century and survived the sea winds and the war, they are now protected by the municipality
Villa built in 1963 for Mrs. Haxo
(On a land near La Source and designated by "OA", land purchased in 1910 by Mr. Mathy, from lot No. 51 of the division of cliffs in 1846)
The first building, built in the 1930s, was a chicken coop, an annex to the villa La Source. It was destroyed in 1944.
In 1962/64, on this same land, a villa was built by the Haxo family, then subsequently sold to Mrs. Gulminelli in 1997.
June 1943, the chicken coop of the villa "La Source", in the center the OA building, on the land of the future (around 19662/63) villa Haxo then Gulminelli/Bougaut since 1997),
On the right we see the Heuline villa rebuilt and transformed (1962/63) by the Robert Lebrec family
August 1945, the ruins of the chicken coop are visible between the villas La Source and Heuline. They were then uninhabitable.
1962/63, in the middle, Mrs. Haxo's villa under construction.
On the left the villa "La Source" is rebuilt.
On the right the villa Lebrec is under reconstruction on the lower walls of the villa Heuline.
1964, in the middle, Mrs. Haxo's villa is finished
In the middle a little to the right, the Gulminelli/Bougaut villa, around 2010, on the far right the Lebrec villa, in the left center "La Source"
Villa P, Heuline family, then Robert Lebrec after the war
Villa P (Heuline) - Below in 1928
details Before 1939, Villa "P" (Heuline property) large Norman-style villa, built west of villa O (Mathy), disappeared in 1944.
In the foreground the Mathy gardens.
August 1945, on the right, we see the Heuline villa, very damaged and uninhabitable after the departure of the soldiers, transformed into a terraced villa by Robert Lebrec after the war. The roof of the Heuline villa, must not be an illusion, it was irrecoverable
Villas R and Q, Schaeffer family then Voisin family after the war
Villa R and Q (Schaeffer properties) large fairly recent villa (30s?), with double-sloping roof, gable facing the sea, accompanied by an annex, buildings disappeared in 1944.
This house was rebuilt after the war on different levels by the Voisin family. The annex that was just to the east was also completely rebuilt. See below
This picture shows the situation before the war:
---Villas P Heuline,
--- Villa Q small newer villa with low slope double roof, annex of the Schaeffer property,
--- Villa R Schaeffer.
All disappeared after 1944, replaced by the Lebrec villa (P) and 2 Voisins villas (Q and R)
Before the war, the Schaeffer and Colin lands
(Now Voisin, and Marchal Jacques)
Villa S "Grain de Sable"
Colin family?, then Jacques Marchal family after the war
(details) Villa "Le Grain de Sable" S
Built before the war (Colin family), destroyed in 1944, resold after the war to an owner who rebuilt, then sold to Jacques Marchal's family
(details) Villa "The Grain of Sand"
1945, villa Grain de Sable on the right and villa T (Richard) on the left, without a roof. These houses were uninhabitable in 1945
This villa was rebuilt after the war on different levels.
Villa T (Richard, printer)
Before war, on the right the villa "T" (property Richard, Parisian printer) large villa built around 1928-29, which seems to have replaced a 3-level house (see photo below with the villa La Sauvagère). She had a large pool in the garden facing the sea. There was also a small house (guardian?) On the edge of the boulevard.
The house was sold to Mr. Gougenheim around 1936, when the Richard family left France for Belgium. Destroyed in 1944 by the Germans.
1945 On the right the Richard villa half destroyed
(On the left Villa Grain de Sable)
On its site, the Gougenheim and Fortescue families built 2 modern houses after the war. The pool has been transformed into a swimming pool and covered.
Villa U La Sauvagère, built by Doctor Létienne
Built by Dr. Létienne (doctor in Trévières?) Around 1910, bought by the Chevalier family around 1930 or 31. Destroyed by the Germans in 1944. Rebuilt and modernized after the war by the Chevalier family.
details Villa "U" "La Sauvagère".
(details) Villa La Sauvagère, on the left we see a 3-level villa that had to be destroyed to build the villa T of the Richard family (see above)
(details) Villa U "La Sauvagère" (Kniver)
In the foreground, the staircase, the garden and the basin of the neighboring villa T
Around 1910, villa La Sauvagère (Létienne then Chevalier)
Villa Les Hortensias V, Hardelay family
details Villa "V", Les Hortensias, in its original form, around 1890?
Built from the 19th century (from the Second Empire??) By Mrs. Delahaye, grandmother of Michel Hardelay. Its architecture was completely modernized in 1937
Opposite, the same beach, figured in 1823, 1878? And 1939. It seems that in 1878 (if this date is correct) the Hardelay villa existed. Or the photo dates from the 1890s, which seems more likely to me
details the entrance of the Hydrangeas
details Villa V"Les Hortensias" (Hardelay) first era, before 1937 it seems
Villa "V" "Les Hortensias" (Hardelay) in June 43. We see it here with its modernized architecture around 1937
The villa V "les Hortensias" in the summer of 1944, it no longer has a roof.
Villa Hardelay (V) around 1937
The Germans undertook the destruction in 1944 of the large villa Hardelay, but slowly, systematically recovering the beams for use in their shelters. It could be saved and rebuilt around its walls after the war
See Michel Hardelay's memories on this subject
1955, reconstruction in progress of the Hardelay villa, in its form of 1937
The annex house of the Hardelay villa, built in the 1950s to house Michel Hardelay's mother, to the west of the main house. It served as a cottage after the death of Suzanne Hardelay and before being sold recently (2010)
Abow, post-war aerial views
Photographic history of this beach area since 1939
Panoramic in 2000
Panoramic in 2007
On the right the villas Richard and Chevalier
Coastal profiles established around January 44 for the preparation of the Landing
The coast of the villa Mathy on the left, at the villa Hardelay in the center
Taken on March 24, 1944, the photo shows the fortified area of the WN70, above the Hardelay and Chevalier villas.
We see the villas Mathy, Parmentier and Roger in the center right part of the photo
The villa "Brise Caline" visible in the center
(Villa Roger, called "Sainteny" in the Resistance), today, his land is next to the land of the villa Raymond Marchal at 136 boulevard de Cauvigny
June 6, 1944, at 12:15 p.m., from villa Les Hortensias (left, without roof), to villa Roger (far right). At this time the Americans have been occupying this part of the beach since 7:00 a.m. and climbed the cliff in the morning to occupy the village of Vierville
Photo from August 10, 1944, showing the beach between the Hardelay and Roger villas. We see Landing Crafts on the sand, and DCA dam balloons on the Schaeffer field (now Voisin family)
IGN photo of August 28, 1947. Nothing has yet been rebuilt. On the right, the American return road of the ducks (amphibious trucks) is still clearly visible above the ruins of the Vila Roger, the future Raymond Marchal field.
Photo IGN April 1955, from the Hardelay villa on the left, in reconstruction around its walls, on the American road on the right, always clearly visible
IGN photo of July 1972, most of the villas are rebuilt, from the Hardelay property to that of Raymond Marchal. The Parmentier villa is still missing. We see in particular the villas Chevalier, Fortescue, Jacques Marchal, Voisin, Robert Lebrec, Haxo, Mathy
IGN photo of September 1980, the Parmentier villa is not yet rebuilt.
IGn photo of June 1984, the Parmentier double villa is being completed
IGN photo from 1991, the eastern part of the sector is missing, the last visible villas are those of the Neighboring land on the right
Geoportal Photo from 2009. This website allows you to see the optional cadastral limits on the photos presented. It does not give the number of parcels or the owners.