Auchel

Auchel
Commune
The mining memorial

Coat of arms
Auchel
Location within Hauts-de-France region
Auchel
Coordinates: 50°30′31″N 2°28′28″E / 50.5086°N 2.4744°E / 50.5086; 2.4744Coordinates: 50°30′31″N 2°28′28″E / 50.5086°N 2.4744°E / 50.5086; 2.4744
Country France
Region Hauts-de-France
Department Pas-de-Calais
Arrondissement Béthune
Canton Auchel
Intercommunality CA Béthune-Bruay, Artois-Lys Romane
Government
 • Mayor (2014-2020) Richard Jarrett
Area1 6 km2 (2 sq mi)
Population (2015)2 10,574
 • Density 1,800/km2 (4,600/sq mi)
Time zone UTC+1 (CET)
 • Summer (DST) UTC+2 (CEST)
INSEE/Postal code 62048 /62260
Elevation 68–157 m (223–515 ft)
(avg. 99 m or 325 ft)

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 (Picard: Auchez) 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
YearPop.±%
196213,770—    
196814,091+2.3%
197513,329−5.4%
198212,535−6.0%
199011,813−5.8%
199911,392−3.6%
200911,204−1.7%
201210,991−1.9%
201510,574−3.8%

Sights

  • The church of St. Martin, dating from the sixteenth century.
  • A museum about coal mining.

International relations

Auchel is twinned with:

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


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