Le Hamel, Somme
| Le Hamel | |
|---|---|
_clocher_de_l_eglise.jpg) | |
  Le Hamel | |
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Location within Picardy region  Le Hamel | |
| Coordinates: 49°53′00″N 2°34′00″E / 49.8833°N 2.5667°ECoordinates: 49°53′00″N 2°34′00″E / 49.8833°N 2.5667°E | |
| Country | France |
| Region | Picardy |
| Department | Somme |
| Arrondissement | Péronne |
| Canton | Corbie |
| Intercommunality | Val de Somme |
| Government | |
| • Mayor (2001–2008) | Stéphane Chevin |
| Area1 | 9.12 km2 (3.52 sq mi) |
| Population (2006)2 | 526 |
| • Density | 58/km2 (150/sq mi) |
| INSEE/Postal code | 80411 / 80800 |
| Elevation |
28–101 m (92–331 ft) (avg. 83 m or 272 ft) |
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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. | |
Le Hamel is a commune in the Somme department in Picardy in northern France.
Geography
Le Hamel is situated some 16 miles (26 km) east of Amiens in the valley of the Somme. The surrounding district is the historical Santerre, a lightly wooded and agricultural plateau.
History
The name has the same root as ‘hameau’ (eng:hamlet), a small rural settlement
Mentioned for the first time in 1184 as belonging to the powerful abbey of Corbie.
As with many towns in the region, Le Hamel has experienced the ravages of war over many centuries, between the French kings and their adversaries from England, Burgundy and Spain.
A pivotal place during the First World War, the Battle of Hamel on 4 July 1918 was a prelude to the summer offensive of 8 August later the same year.
Places of interest
- The park commemorating the 1000+ Australian troops that died in the battle was inaugurated on 4 July 1998, exactly 80 years after the day of the battle. The site symbolises the friendship between France and Australia.
- The lakes of the valley of the Somme.
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The Mairie
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Main Street
Population
| Year | 1794 | 1800 | 1831 | 1851 | 1876 | 1901 | 1921 | 1936 | 1946 | 1956 | 1962 | 1968 | 1975 | 1982 | 1990 | 1999 | 2006 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 595 | 622 | 960 | 1256 | 961 | 869 | 386 | 466 | 453 | 495 | 448 | 472 | 469 | 451 | 489 | 519 | 526 |
| From the year 1962 on: No double counting—residents of multiple communes (e.g. students and military personnel) are counted only once. | |||||||||||||||||
See also
- Communes of the Somme department
- Battle of Le Hamel
References
External links
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Le Hamel (Somme). |