Helfaut

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Helfaut
Helfaut
Coordinates: 50°41′54″N 2°14′38″E / 50.6983°N 2.2439°E / 50.6983; 2.2439Coordinates: 50°41′54″N 2°14′38″E / 50.6983°N 2.2439°E / 50.6983; 2.2439
Country France
Region Nord-Pas-de-Calais
Department Pas-de-Calais
Arrondissement Saint-Omer
Canton Arques
Intercommunality Communauté d'agglomération de Saint-Omer
Government
 • Mayor (2008–2014) Brigitte Leblond
Area
 • Land1 8.92 km2 (3.44 sq mi)
Population (2006)
 • Population2 1,744
 • Population2 Density 200/km2 (510/sq mi)
INSEE/Postal code 62423 / 62570
Elevation 23–95 m (75–312 ft)
(avg. 92 m or 302 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.

Helfaut is a commune in the Pas-de-Calais department in the Nord-Pas-de-Calais region of France.

Geography

A large village situated 4 miles (6 km) south of Saint-Omer, at the D195 and D198 crossroads. It is located on a geological formation called the "plateau d'Helfaut", which separates the Aa valley to the north from the Lys valley, to the south. The commune is home to a unique geological heritage, resulting in an unusual landscape. The sides of the old quarries alongside the plateau display many geological strata. The quarries of Heuringhem and Blendecques have collapsed as a result of soil creep. The commune gave its name to 'Dilluvium d’Helfaut', a flint and clay formation rare in France and Europe. The commune is home to many rare and protected species in a heathland landscape, which is unusual for northern France and justified the creation of a nature reserve (Les Landes d'Helfaut).

Population

Historical population of Helfaut
Year196219681975198219901999
Population100011391248142616711693
From the year 1962 on: No double counting—residents of multiple communes (e.g. students and military personnel) are counted only once.

History

The village was subject to much damage during World War II, as it was here that the Germans sited La coupole, an underground bunker, housing a huge concrete dome built by the Nazis between 1943 and 1944. Initially this bunker was to serve as a base to launch V2 rockets, but it never entered service because of the many bombing raids by the Allies. The Dome has been transformed into a museum.[1]

Places of interest

  • The church of St.Fuscien and St.Victoric, dating from the thirteenth century.
  • The church at Bilques.
  • La Coupole : Second World War museum and visitor’s centre
  • The monument known as the ‘Helfaut column’. See fr:colonne d'Helfaut (French)

See also

References

  1. ↑ Bases de données Ministère de la culture

External links

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