Mourmelon-le-Grand
| Mourmelon-le-Grand | |
|---|---|
  Mourmelon-le-Grand | |
|
Location within Champagne-Ardenne region  Mourmelon-le-Grand | |
| Coordinates: 49°08′24″N 4°21′57″E / 49.1401°N 4.3658°ECoordinates: 49°08′24″N 4°21′57″E / 49.1401°N 4.3658°E | |
| Country | France |
| Region | Champagne-Ardenne |
| Department | Marne |
| Arrondissement | Châlons-en-Champagne |
| Canton | Suippes |
| Intercommunality | Région de Mourmelon |
| Government | |
| • Mayor (2001–2008 / 2008–) | Fabrice Loncol |
| Area | |
| • Land1 | 23.21 km2 (8.96 sq mi) |
| Population (1999) | |
| • Population2 | 4,655 |
| • Population2 Density | 200/km2 (520/sq mi) |
| INSEE/Postal code | 51388 / 51400 |
|
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. | |
Mourmelon-le-Grand is a commune in the Marne department in north-eastern France.
Camp Châlons
'Camp Châlons' (fr:Camp de Châlons, also known as "Camp Mourmelon") is a military camp of circa 10,000 hectares nearby Mourmelon-le-Grand. It was created at the behest of Napoleon III and opened August 30, 1857 during the Second French Empire.
The initial purpose was simply for practising military manoeuvres, but it quickly turned into a showcase of the French Imperial Army, a theatrical propaganda display, where French citizens could meet the army and watch parades. Each year the camp was transformed into a town of tents and wooden chalets.[1]
The camp survived the fall of the Second Empire in 1872, but changed into a training camp and a departure point for troops engaging in overseas operations.
The camp is used for military manoeuvres, and cavalry training, along with the neighbouring, 2,500 hectare, 'Camp Moronvillers'. Firing of live ordnance (rockets, missiles) is prohibited.
See also
References
- ↑ The Bonapartes in Châlons en Champagne, by Jean-Paul Barbier and Michel Bursal, Marnaises Studies, SACSAM, 2009.
Further reading
- The Bonapartes in Châlons en Champagne (Les Bonaparte à Châlons en Champagne), by Jean-Paul Barbier and Michel Bursaux, Marnaise Studies (Etudes Marnaises), SACSAM, 2009.
