Two prominent themes lead into Estry’s local history: its liberation in August 1944 and the thousand-year-old yew tree in the cemetery. The tree is estimated to be between 1,000 and 1,600 years old; explanatory panels are located on the cemetery wall near the yew. There are also stories from the feudal period and the 18th century, as well as the “Itinéraire du souvenir,” which connects Estry with other named places. The perspective thus ranges from local places of remembrance to a route with a broader regional scope.
Liberation and Remembrance
Estry was liberated on 15 August 1944 after twelve days of fierce fighting. During the Second World War, 80% of the commune’s houses were destroyed. The date identifies the specific day of liberation, while the figure indicates the extent of destruction across the commune as a whole.
A stele in Estry commemorates the King’s Scottish Borderers as the liberators of Estry in August 1944. The yew tree is also connected with the liberation bombings: it survived them as if by a miracle, while the church just three metres away was badly damaged. The proximity of the tree and church illustrates the different effects of the bombings at two specific locations.
The Yew Tree of Estry
The yew is described as one of France’s oldest trees; its age is estimated at between 1,000 and 1,600 years. It stands in the middle of Estry cemetery. The explanatory panels are also useful for finding your way: they are on the cemetery wall near the tree. Natural heritage and remembrance of the liberation bombings offer different, but interconnected, ways of exploring local history here.
The Association des Amis de l’If holds an annual exhibition about yew wood and its various uses. Dates are set separately; if you would like to plan your visit around this event, check the dates before travelling. At Christmas, the Association des Amis de l’If presents a nativity scene exhibition inside the yew tree’s trunk. The exhibition about the wood and its uses therefore has a different focus from the seasonal display inside the trunk.
Stories from Estry’s Past
During the feudal period, the area of Estry was divided into five main fiefs. This division offers a different perspective on local history from the events of the Second World War: it tells the story of the area’s historical division, not of a single liberation event.
Another local story takes us back to the 18th century. Jacques Olivier, a resident of Estry, made a fortune in Versailles. In 1755, he paid an annuity to establish a public school in Estry, where children learned to read and write. The story connects the village with Versailles and complements the themes of war and natural heritage with the founding of a school and its educational purpose.
The “Itinéraire du souvenir”
The “Itinéraire du souvenir” runs from Rully via Chênedollé and Estry to Saint Charles de Percy. The route follows in the footsteps of the men who liberated Calvados and the communes of Valdallière. Its historical scope thus extends beyond Estry, encompassing both Calvados and the communes of Valdallière.
This distinction is useful when planning a themed visit: the stories of the yew tree, the school and the five main fiefs focus on Estry’s own local history; the “Itinéraire du souvenir” places the liberation in a broader regional context. Those interested in the liberation can therefore distinguish between remembrance in Estry and the route’s wider regional connection.
Discover more destinations: Amfreville, Saint-Arnoult, Glanville, Sainte-Marie-Outre-l'Eau, Roucamps, Colombelles, Genneville, Argences.
For the overall travel guide: Calvados.
