Fourmies, Nord

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Coordinates: 50°01′05″N 4°03′14″E / 50.0180555556, 4.05388888889

Administration
Commune of Fourmies
Location

Country	France
Region	Nord-Pas-de-Calais
Department	Nord
Arrondissement	Avesnes-sur-Helpe
Canton	Trélon
Intercommunality	Communauté de communes Action Fourmies et environs
Mayor	Martine Roux (2001-2008)
Statistics
Elevation	174 m–247 m (avg. 202 m)
Land area^¹	22.98 km²
Population^² (1999)	13,867
- Density	603/km² (1999)
Miscellaneous
INSEE/Postal code	59249/ 59610
¹ French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km² (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries.
² Population sans doubles comptes: residents of multiple communes (e.g. students and military personnel) only counted once.

Fourmies is a commune of the Nord département, in France. The inhabitants are called Fourmisiens.

1 Geography
2 History
3 Events
4 Sister cities

[edit] Geography

Fourmies is situated in the Euroregion of Thiérache, a region of Northern France and Southern Belgium. It is 50 km from Valenciennes, 100 km from Lille, and 175 km from Paris. The city is surrounded by forests and ponds.

[edit] History

On May 1, 1891, the Fusillade de Fourmies was declared. It was the first French and international celebration of the International Workers' Day on May Day. In Fourmies, troops shot at peaceful strikers: nine died, including 8 demonstrators of under 21 years old, among which a young worker who will remain a symbol, Marie Blondeau. Thirty-five were wounded.

The shooting of the 1st of May in Fourmies caused a sharp emotion in whole France. It is regarded today as one of the founding events of the French Section of the Workers' International. Jean Jaurès went afterwards to Fourmies to make a speech there while George Clemenceau declared in front of the French Parliament that "it is the Fourth state which rose".

[edit] Events

Each year, since 1928, the city hosts the Grand Prix de Fourmies, a professional cycle race.
The festival of the music (fête de la musique)
The traditional fun fair (traditionnelle fête foraine) attracts many people each summer.