VIRE, a town of north-western France, capital of an arron dissement in the department of Calvados, 47 m. S.W. of Caen by rail. Pop. 5,345. Vire stands on a hill surrounded on three sides by thy Vire and crowned by the remains of a 12th-century château. The church of Notre Dame (13th to 15th century), and the picturesque Tour de l'Horloge (13th century), be neath which runs the chief street, are the principal buildings. Vire grew up around a castle built in the 12th century by Henry I. of England, and in the middle ages was one of the important
strongholds of Normandy. South-west of the town is the gorge called Vaux-de-Vire, where stood the mill of Olivier Basselin ( 15th century), the fuller and reputed author of the satiric songs, hence known as "vaudevilles." (See BASSELIN, OLIVIER.) Vire is an important market town, with trade in horses and cattle, and has various small manufactures. It is the seat of a sub-prefect and a tribunal of commerce.