Le Hamel, Somme

Le Hamel
Commune
The church in Le Hamel

Coat of arms
Le Hamel
Location within Hauts-de-France region
Le Hamel
Coordinates: 49°53′00″N 2°34′00″E / 49.8833°N 2.5667°E / 49.8833; 2.5667Coordinates: 49°53′00″N 2°34′00″E / 49.8833°N 2.5667°E / 49.8833; 2.5667
Country France
Region Hauts-de-France
Department Somme
Arrondissement Amiens
Canton Corbie
Intercommunality Val de Somme
Government
 • Mayor (2014–2020) Stéphane Chevin
Area1 9.12 km2 (3.52 sq mi)
Population (2014)2 510
 • Density 56/km2 (140/sq mi)
Time zone UTC+1 (CET)
 • Summer (DST) UTC+2 (CEST)
INSEE/Postal code 80411 /80800
Elevation 28–101 m (92–331 ft)
(avg. 83 m or 272 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.

Le Hamel is a commune in the Somme department and Hauts-de-France region of northern France.

Geography

Le Hamel is situated some 20 km east of Amiens in the valley of the Somme. The surrounding district is the historical Santerre, a lightly wooded and agricultural plateau.

History

The settlement is first documented in 1184 as belonging to the powerful abbey of Corbie. The name has the same root as hameau ("hamlet"), a small rural settlement.

Like many places in the region, Le Hamel has experienced the ravages of war through the ages, from the conflicts between the French kings and their English, Burgundian, and Spanish adversaries to the battles of the First World War. It was a pivotal place in the latter conflict as the site of the Battle of Hamel which took place on 4 July 1918 and was a prelude to the summer offensive of 8 August later in the same year.

Places of interest

  • A park commemorating the 1000+ Australian troops who died in the Battle of Hamel was inaugurated on 4 July 1998, exactly 80 years after the date of the event. The site symbolises the friendship between France and Australia.
  • The lakes of the Somme valley.

Population

Historical population of Le Hamel, Somme
Year179418001831185118761901192119361946195419621968197519821990199920062014
Population5956229601256961869386466453495448472469451489519526510
From the year 1962 on: No double counting—residents of multiple communes (e.g. students and military personnel) are counted only once.

See also

References


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