Falaise is best known as the birthplace of William the Conqueror (Guillaume le Conquérant). The town is located on the edge of a rocky massif. It was not until the end of prehistory and the beginning of the Christian era that the area, and Falaise in particular, became permanently inhabited. In 911 AD, the town became part of the Duchy of Normandy.

William the Conqueror (born 1027) was the first Norman king of England. At the end of the 12th century, Philippe II of France took control of Normandy and Falaise. During the Hundred Years' War (1337–1453), the town remained under English control until 1450, when the French conquered Falaise.

From the Middle Ages onwards, Falaise expanded around the castle. In 1590, the castle was besieged by the troops of Henri IV of France. The damage caused by cannons during this last siege marked the end of Falaise as an important military strategic point.

Falaise was an important centre for trade and craft products, which is why it became a prosperous town early on. At the height of its power, the town was protected by impressive fortifications: a 2-kilometre-long city wall with 50 towers and 6 defensive gates. Today, more than two-thirds of the wall have been preserved.

In 1851, a statue of William the Conqueror was unveiled in the square in front of the castle (PiP4).
In August 1944, Falaise was the town where the last major battle for the liberation of Normandy was fought in what became known as the “Batlle of the Falaise Pocket”.