Auchel
| Auchel | ||
|---|---|---|
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  Auchel | ||
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Location within Hauts-de-France region  Auchel | ||
| Coordinates: 50°30′31″N 2°28′28″E / 50.5086°N 2.4744°ECoordinates: 50°30′31″N 2°28′28″E / 50.5086°N 2.4744°E | ||
| Country | France | |
| Region | Hauts-de-France | |
| Department | Pas-de-Calais | |
| Arrondissement | Béthune | |
| Canton | Auchel | |
| Intercommunality | Artois | |
| Government | ||
| • Mayor (2008–2014) | Richard Jarrett | |
| Area1 | 6 km2 (2 sq mi) | |
| Population (2012)2 | 10,991 | |
| • Density | 1,800/km2 (4,700/sq mi) | |
| Time zone | CET (UTC+1) | |
| • Summer (DST) | CEST (UTC+2) | |
| INSEE/Postal code | 62048 / 62260 | |
| Elevation |
68–157 m (223–515 ft) (avg. 99 m or 325 ft) | |
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1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km² (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries. 2 Population without double counting: residents of multiple communes (e.g., students and military personnel) only counted once. | ||
Auchel is a commune in the Pas-de-Calais department in the Hauts-de-France region in northern France.
Geography
An ex-mining town, nowadays a light industrial & farming commune, situated 8 miles (12.9 km) southwest of Béthune and 34 miles (54.7 km) southwest of Lille, at the junction of the D183 and the D183E roads.
History
Following the discovery of coal deposits in the area in 1851, the town grew as the demand for
coal increased in France. This old mining town had close to 15,000 inhabitants in the 1950s.
The coal recession in the late 1960s lead to a constant decline in population, despite the efforts of the municipality to attract and keep people here during and after the recession.
Population
The inhabitants are called Auchellois.
| Historical population | ||
|---|---|---|
| Year | Pop. | ±% |
| 1962 | 13,770 | — |
| 1968 | 14,091 | +2.3% |
| 1975 | 13,329 | −5.4% |
| 1982 | 12,535 | −6.0% |
| 1990 | 11,813 | −5.8% |
| 1999 | 11,392 | −3.6% |
| 2009 | 11,204 | −1.7% |
Sights
- The church of St. Martin, dating from the sixteenth century.
- A museum about coal mining.
International relations
Auchel is twinned with:
-
West Malling, in the county of Kent, England. -
Iserlohn, in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany.
Personalities
Auchel is the birthplace of:
- Augustin Lesage, French spiritualist artist. Lesage is one of the most fascinating figures associated with Art Brut
- Fred Personne, actor
- Xavier Beauvois, actor, director and screenwriter.
- Pierre Laigle, football player
See also
External links
 |
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Auchel. |
- The Communauté d'agglomération de l'Artois regional website (French)
- Auchel on the Quid website (French)
- An history of Auchel (French)
- Harmonie municipale website (French)
- Auchel town hall website (French)