ELBEUF

town, Seine-Maritime dpartement, Haute-Normandie rgion, northwestern France. It lies on the left bank of the Seine River, 12 miles (19 km) south of Rouen. Wooded hills and high cliffs surround the town. Built on the site of a Roman city, it was occupied by the English during the Hundred Years' War (13371453) and then passed into the hands of the house of Lorraine. Raised to the rank of a duchy in the 16th century by Henry III of France, it kept that title until the French Revolution. Elbeuf is one of the traditional centres of wool and cloth manufacture in France. Since World War II, chemical, electrical, rubber, and automobile industries have been established in the region. The town was badly damaged during World War II. The Churches of Saint-Jean (16th century) and Saint-tienne (16th and 17th centuries) contain notable stained-glass windows. Pop. (1990) 16,750.