Givenchy-lès-la-Bassée

Givenchy-lès-la-Bassée

Givenchy-lès-la-Bassée
Administration
Country France
Region Nord-Pas-de-Calais
Department Pas-de-Calais
Arrondissement Béthune
Canton Douvrin
Intercommunality Artois
Mayor Jacques Herbaut
(2008–2014)
Statistics
Elevation 19–31 m (62–102 ft)
(avg. 27 m/89 ft)
Land area1 3.89 km2 (1.50 sq mi)
Population2 813  (1999)
 - Density 209 /km2 (540 /sq mi)
INSEE/Postal code 62373/ 62149
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.

Givenchy-lès-la-Bassée is a commune in the Pas-de-Calais department in the Nord-Pas-de-Calais region of France.

Contents

Geography

A farming village situated some 5 miles (8.0 km) east of Béthune and 19 miles (30.6 km) southwest of Lille, at the junction of the D166 and the D167 roads. The Canal d'Aire flows passed the commune, forming its southern border.

History

The village was first chronicled in the year 870 as "Juventiacum".
During the First World War, it was completely destroyed, as this was the only part of the entire front that withheld the force of the German offensive in the spring of 1918. The courageous stand of the 55th (West Lancashire) Infantry Division is commemorated by a memorial in the village.
During the Second World War, at the time of the withdrawal of British troops towards Dunquerque, the school, mayor's office and the memorial village hall were again destroyed. After the devastation of the second world war, the citizens of Liverpool donated reading books and money to the town of Givenchy-les-la-Bassee. The town hall of Givenchy has a plaque on the front wall thanking the City Of Liverpool for its kindness and support for the town. In 2008, a small group of students from Liverpool went to Givenchy on behalf of the City of Liverpool on the 90th anniversary of the First World War. Finally, the community of Givenchy still to this day has meetings with Liverpool's Lord Mayor and unity between the two places are still strong

Population

Historical population of Givenchy-lès-la-Bassée
Year 1962 1968 1975 1982 1990 1999
Population 473 521 554 748 803 813
From the year 1962 on: population without double counting—residents of multiple communes (e.g. students and military personnel) are counted only once.

Places of interest

See also

References

External links