Duclair

For other uses, see Duclair (disambiguation).

Duclair (French pronunciation: [dyklɛʁ]) is a commune in the Seine-Maritime department in the Normandy region in northern France.^[3] The Duclair duck is named after the town, of which pressed duck (canard à la presse) is invented.

Duclair
Commune
The Seine riverside at Duclair
Coat of arms
Location of Duclair
Duclair Show map of France Duclair Show map of Normandy
Coordinates: 49°29′08″N 0°52′34″E
Country	France
Region	Normandy
Department	Seine-Maritime
Arrondissement	Rouen
Canton	Barentin
Intercommunality	Métropole Rouen Normandie
Government
• Mayor (2020–2026)	Jean Delalandre[1]
Area 1	10.02 km2 (3.87 sq mi)
Population  (2022)[2]	4,017
• Density	400/km2 (1,000/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC+01:00 (CET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+02:00 (CEST)
INSEE/Postal code	76222 /76480
Elevation	1–122 m (3.3–400.3 ft) (avg. 10 m or 33 ft)
1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km2 (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries.

Geography

Duclair is a farming and light industrial town situated some 11 miles (18 km) west of the centre of Rouen at the junction of the D43, D5 and the D982 roads. The river Austreberthe joins the Seine at Duclair.^[4] There is a ferry to Berville-sur-Seine on the south bank of the Seine.

Heraldry

Arms of Duclair

The arms of Duclair are blazoned : Per fess 1: per pale I: Azure, a duck volant contourny both wings pointing down argent; II: Or, an apple tree fructed proper on a base vert; 2: Azure, 3 fish contourny argent.

Population

Historical population

Year	Pop.	±% p.a.
1968	2,705	—
1975	2,975	+1.37%
1982	3,487	+2.29%
1990	3,822	+1.15%
1999	4,163	+0.95%
2007	4,094	−0.21%
2012	4,094	+0.00%
2017	4,198	+0.50%
Source: INSEE[5]

Cuisine

Duclair is known for its duck, which evolved from a crossbreeding of domestic and migratory wild ducks. Beginning in the 17th century, these ducks would be hunted for their tender and tasty flesh. As farmers would protect their ducks from the rainy and windy weather of Normandy, sometimes these ducks would suffocate to death. In the late 19th century, an innkeeper named Henri "Père" Denise realized that suffocated ducks with intact blood make for more tender meat, and began purchasing suffocated ducks at discounted prices. He is credited with the invention of a new dish called pressed duck (canard à la presse), which involves serving the duck in its own blood. Since then, this has been the specialty dish of the commune, albeit an elaborate and macabre one.^[6]

A serving of canard à la presse.

Places of interest

Ferry between Berville-sur-Seine and Duclair

• The church of St. Denis, dating to the 12th century.
• Traces of a feudal castle.
• Remains of a 13th-century presbytery.
• The Château du Taillis, dating to medieval times.
• The 18th-century Château du Vaurouy.
• La Cour-du-Mont manor house with parts dating to the 13th century.
• A 17th-century chapel.

Notable people

• Musician Pierre Villette (1926–1998) was born here.

Twin towns

Ronnenberg, Germany

See also

• Communes of the Seine-Maritime department