Villers-Faucon

Villers-Faucon
Commune
The road into Sainte-Emilie

Coat of arms
Villers-Faucon
Location within Hauts-de-France region
Villers-Faucon
Coordinates: 49°58′39″N 3°06′00″E / 49.9775°N 3.1°E / 49.9775; 3.1Coordinates: 49°58′39″N 3°06′00″E / 49.9775°N 3.1°E / 49.9775; 3.1
Country France
Region Hauts-de-France
Department Somme
Arrondissement Péronne
Canton Péronne
Intercommunality Haute Somme
Government
 • Mayor (2001–2008) André Brouette
Area1 11.42 km2 (4.41 sq mi)
Population (2006)2 673
 • Density 59/km2 (150/sq mi)
Time zone UTC+1 (CET)
 • Summer (DST) UTC+2 (CEST)
INSEE/Postal code 80802 /80240
Elevation 75–144 m (246–472 ft)
(avg. 104 m or 341 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.

Villers-Faucon is a commune in the Somme department in Hauts-de-France in northern France.

Geography

The commune is situated 15 miles (24 km) northwest of Saint Quentin, at the D72 and D101 crossroads, in the far east of the département. The commune also includes the hamlet of Sainte-Emilie.

Population

Historical population of Villers-Faucon
Year1962196819751982199019992006
Population904916803704662625673
From the year 1962 on: No double counting—residents of multiple communes (e.g. students and military personnel) are counted only once.

History

According to Abbot Decagny of Roisel, Villers-Faucon was originally Villers-Falcon and previously Villare Falconis, which means,in Latin, villa of the hawks. Villers-Faucon’s original puprpose was that of a falconry, located in the heart of the forest of Arrouaise.
The village was almost totally destroyed in 1916, during the First World War. Following a withdrawal of German troops around the Hindenburg line, the inhabitants were evacuated to the north to Denain, tons of dynamite were set off around all of the buildings in the town (including the sugar refinery at St. Emilie) and all the trees were cut down, to leave the field open for the approach of troops. The village was destroyed, but the cemetery was left untouched.
After the conflict, reconstruction began, which lasted almost a decade, led by a rebuilding cooperative led by Louis Faille.

Sites and monuments

  • Notre Dame church was rebuilt in 1932 by architect Louis Faille. It's one of many public buildings completed by the architect in his work during the period of reconstruction of the eastern part of the Somme.

See also

References

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