Somain (French pronunciation: [sɔmɛ̃]) is a commune in the Nord department in northern France.[3] The former commune of Villers-Campeau was absorbed by Somain in 1947.[4] The town was known for its extensive mining industry.
Somain | |
|---|---|
.JPG) The town hall in Somain | |
_Nord-France.svg) Coat of arms | |
Location of Somain  | |
  Somain  Somain | |
| Coordinates: 50°21′30″N 3°16′52″E / 50.3583°N 3.2811°E | |
| Country | France |
| Region | Hauts-de-France |
| Department | Nord |
| Arrondissement | Douai |
| Canton | Sin-le-Noble |
| Intercommunality | Cœur d'Ostrevent |
| Government | |
| • Mayor (2020–2026) | Julien Quennesson[1] |
| Area 1 | 12.32 km2 (4.76 sq mi) |
| Population (2021)[2] | 11,790 |
| • Density | 960/km2 (2,500/sq mi) |
| Time zone | UTC+01:00 (CET) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+02:00 (CEST) |
| INSEE/Postal code | 59574 /59490 |
| Elevation | 16–48 m (52–157 ft) (avg. 32 m or 105 ft) |
| 1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km2 (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries. | |
Mining
editMost nearby mines were operated by either the Aniche Mining Company or the Anzin Mining Company.
The Renaissance mine was the first mine. It was opened in the south of the town in 1839. It was soon followed by the St Louis mine, which opened in 1843, and was located a few hundred yards south of the Renaissance mine. The Renaissance mine closed in 1890, and the St Louis mine in 1925.
In 1856, the Anzin Mining Company opened the Casimir Périer mine in the South East of the town, near Fenain and Abscon. Coal extraction ceased at the Casimir Périer mine in 1935, but the mine remained open to allow access to another local pit, the Saint Mark mine.
The Aniche mining company opened the De Sessavalle mine in 1902. The mine closed in 1970.
Transport
editSomain was previously served by the following rail lines: Somain - Péruwelz, Aubigny-au-Bac - Somain, Somain - Halluin via Orchies, Somain - Douai (Nord), and Somain - Douai (Sud).
Population
editGraphs are unavailable due to technical issues. There is more info on Phabricator and on MediaWiki.org. |
| Year | Pop. | ±% p.a. |
|---|---|---|
| 1968 | 15,261 | — |
| 1975 | 14,096 | −1.13% |
| 1982 | 12,620 | −1.57% |
| 1990 | 11,971 | −0.66% |
| 1999 | 12,013 | +0.04% |
| 2007 | 12,099 | +0.09% |
| 2012 | 12,838 | +1.19% |
| 2017 | 12,151 | −1.09% |
| Source: INSEE[5] | ||
Politics
editSince 1912, the town has had the following mayors:
- 1912–1945: Victor Bachelet
- 1945–1947: Eugène Dutouquet
- 1947–1952: Victor Bachelet
- 1952–1964: Achille Fleury
- 1964–1977: Marc Demilly
- 1977–??: Jean-Claude Quennesson
- 2020–present: Julien Quennesson (incumbent)
Education
editPrimary schools
editThere are various primary schools in Somain:
- École primaire Louis-Aragon, located in De Sessevalle.
- École primaire Marie-Curie, located in the town center.
- École primaire Désiré-Chevalier, located in Villers-Campeau.
- École primaire Henri-Barbusse, located near the Cheminots estate.
- École primaire Sainte-Anne (private school).
Colleges
editSomain has three colleges:
- Collège Victor-Hugo, located in the town center.
- Collège Louis-Pasteur, located near the Cheminots estate.
- Collège Sainte-Anne, a private college located near the city center.
There are plans to renovate Collège Victor-Hugo to meet HQE standards.
Lycées
editThere are two lycées in Somain:
- Lycée général et technologique Louis-Pasteur, located near the Cheminots estate.
- Lycée Hélène-Boucher, a private college located in De Sessevalle.
See also
editTwin towns
edit
Notable people
edit- Michel Sanchez (1957–), musician
References
edit- ^ "Répertoire national des élus: les maires" (in French). data.gouv.fr, Plateforme ouverte des données publiques françaises. 13 September 2022.
- ^ "Populations légales 2021" (in French). The National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies. 28 December 2023.
- ^ INSEE commune file
- ^ Des villages de Cassini aux communes d'aujourd'hui: Commune data sheet Villers-Campeau, EHESS (in French).
- ^ Population en historique depuis 1968, INSEE
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