71-518: (Redirected from Géant ) [REDACTED] Look up géant in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. Geant may refer to: Giant puppet festivals: Géant du Nord , Nord-Pas-de-Calais , France Philippines: Higantes Festival Venlo: Valuas (folklore) § Giant puppets Géant Casino , a European hypermarket chain based in France GÉANT ,
142-551: A European computer network for research and education Dent du Géant , a mountain in the Alps GEANT, acronym for GEometry ANd Tracking, a series of software toolkit platforms developed by CERN GEANT-3 Geant4 Hipermercado Géant , Uruguay's largest supermarket Géant Ferré, French language name of André the Giant See also [ edit ] Les géants (disambiguation) , film and novel Topics referred to by
213-421: A concept of statehood; instead, fiefdoms were private domains. After Clovis's death, his kingdom was divided among his sons, leading to dynastic struggles, notably between queens Brunehaut and Frédégonde . Around 630 AD, during Dagobert's reign, significant Christianization efforts began with the establishment of numerous monasteries, such as Marchiennes , Condé, and Maroilles . These monasteries, supported by
284-670: A grandson of Isabelle. Through inheritance, Artois came under the rule of the dukes of Burgundy in 1384. At the death of the fourth duke, Charles the Bold , Artois was inherited by the Habsburgs and passed to the dynasty's Spanish line. After the religious revolts of 1566 in the Netherlands, Artois briefly entered the Dutch Revolt in 1576, participating in the Pacification of Ghent until it formed
355-480: A majority in regional and local representation. The Greens managed to attract many conservative voters from small towns and farmers moved by the Greens' commitment to boosting agri-industry. The region's religious profile is representative of France as a whole, with the majority being Roman Catholic . Other Christian groups are found in the region: Protestants have a few churches. North Africans have introduced Islam to
426-468: A population of about one million. Its principal cities include Arras (Dutch: Atrecht ), Saint-Omer , Lens , and Béthune . It is the eponym for the term Artesian . Artois occupies the interior of the Pas-de-Calais département , the western part of which constitutes the former Boulonnais . Artois roughly corresponds to the arrondissements of Arras , Béthune , Saint Omer , and Lens , and
497-401: A process of restructuring which still continues today. Nowadays, the manufacturing sector is led by the automobile industry . Artois Artois ( / ɑːr ˈ t w ɑː / ar- TWAH , French: [aʁtwɑ] ; Dutch : Artesië ; Picard : Artoé; English adjective: Artesian ) is a region of northern France . Its territory covers an area of about 4,000 km and it has
568-699: A severe outbreak in Calais in 1348. Northern France, described by Jean-Clément Martin as the "aborted Vendée ," was notably hostile to the French Revolution. The local peasants, deeply affected by the king's execution in January 1793, resisted the new revolutionary order. Liberty trees were cut down in the Cambrai district, and parishioners refused sacraments from constitutional priests. In villages like Morbecque , peasants rebelled against conscription and faced persecution by
639-465: Is different from Wikidata All article disambiguation pages All disambiguation pages Nord-Pas-de-Calais Nord-Pas-de-Calais ( French pronunciation: [nɔʁ pɑ d(ə) kalɛ] ); Picard : Nord-Pas-Calés ); is a former administrative region of France. Since 1 January 2016, it has been part of the new region Hauts-de-France . It consisted of the departments of Nord and Pas-de-Calais . Nord-Pas-de-Calais borders
710-500: Is featured in numerous films, including Bienvenue chez les Ch'tis . Nord-Pas-de-Calais combines the names of the constituent departments of Nord (literally 'North', the northernmost department of France ) and Pas-de-Calais ('Strait of Calais', the French name of the Strait of Dover ). The regional council, however, spells the name Nord-Pas de Calais . The northern part of the region
781-657: Is now Nord-Pas-de-Calais were reunited to the Burgundian inheritance, which had passed through Marie's marriage to the House of Habsburg . These territories formed an integral part of the Seventeen Provinces of the Netherlands as they were defined during the reign of Philip's son, Emperor Charles V , and passed to Charles's son, Philip II of Spain . During the Italian Wars much of the conflict between France and Spain occurred in
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#1732851268870852-533: Is now the Nord département into two parts: one under what would become France and the other under the Holy Roman Empire . This new border marked a significant shift in territorial and political dynamics in the region. In the early Middle Ages , the feudal system shaped the region's political landscape. The County of Flanders emerged in the late 9th century as a semi-autonomous entity with regular insubordination to
923-636: The 3rd and 5th centuries. In 406, a frozen Rhine allowed a flood of barbarian groups, including the Franks and Germans driven by the Huns, to invade, ultimately leading to the collapse of the remaining Roman authority in the region. During the Merovingian period, the Salian Franks initially maintained their pagan beliefs, unlike other Germanic tribes who converted to Arianism . Clovis's conversion to Nicene Christianity
994-721: The Battle of Marne , the front moved back to the area and stabilized near Arras . During the next four years, the region was split in two: the German holding the French Flanders and Cambrai area, the Allied controlling Arras and the Area of Lens. Nevertheless, the combat did not stop, each side wanting the total control of the area. The Nord pas de Calais was one of the main theaters of the conflict, with many battles occurring between 1914 and 1918, including
1065-569: The Battle of Vimy Ridge assault during the Battle of Arras (1917) , the Battle of Artois , Battle of Loos and the Battle of Cambrai . By the time the region was finally liberated by the Canadian Expeditionary Forces, the entire country was devastated and Arras had been 90% destroyed. Currently, there are 650 military cemeteries throughout the Nord-Pas-de Calais, mostly British and Canadian, as well as large memorials such as
1136-499: The Canadian National Vimy Memorial and Notre Dame de Lorette , the world's largest French military cemetery. After the war, the industrial region of Nord-Pas-de-Calais was devastated, and in 1919 was classified as a red or yellow zone for around two-thirds of its surface area. The reconstruction movement made massive use of immigration, particularly from Poland , to compensate for the decline in population due to
1207-573: The Dutch Republic . After the final French annexation in the early 18th century, much of the region was again occupied by Germany during the First and Second World Wars. During the 4th and 5th centuries, the Roman practice of co-opting Germanic tribes to provide military and defense services along the route from Boulogne to Cologne created a Germanic – Romance linguistic border in the region that persisted until
1278-636: The English Channel (west), the North Sea (northwest), Belgium (north and east) and Picardy (south). Until the 17th century, the history of the North was largely in common with the history of Belgium (the Celtics Belgians during Antiquity were a multitude of Celtic peoples from the north of Gaul ), that of a land that "for almost a thousand years served as a battlefield for all of Europe." The majority of
1349-829: The Front Populaire came to power in France in 1936, three deputies from the Nord were in government, including Roger Salengro . Factories went on strike en masse during the Matignon Accords . During the occupation of France , it was attached to the Military Administration in Belgium and Northern France , ruled from the Wehrmacht kommandantur in Brussels. The Nord-Pas-de-Calais region
1420-507: The Holy Roman Empire . Calais was an English possession from 1347 to 1558, when it was recovered by the French throne. In the 15th century, all of the territories, except Calais, were united under the rule of the Dukes of Burgundy , along with other territories in northern France and areas in what is now Belgium , Luxembourg , and the Netherlands . With the death of the Burgundian duke Charles
1491-539: The Nord department made substantial efforts to rebuild and unify administratively and socially. However, after Napoleon's defeat at the Battle of Waterloo in 1815, the region was occupied by British troops until November 1818. In the early 19th century, Northern France experienced significant economic development, propelled into the Industrial Revolution by several key factors. Napoleon's continental blockade against
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#17328512688701562-452: The North Sea , the Nord-Pas de Calais region has a strong fishing industry . The Boulogne-sur-Mer harbor is the biggest French port in terms of capacity with more than 150 boats. 45,000 tons of fish were traded there in 2012. The harbor is also a leading European seafood processing center with 380,000 tons of shellfish, fish and seaweed traded every year. Some 140 companies are present in
1633-744: The Union of Atrecht in 1579. After the Union of Atrecht, Artois and Hainaut (Dutch: Henegouwen ) reached a separate agreement with Philip II . Artois remained with the Spanish Netherlands until it was conquered by France during the Franco-Spanish War . The annexation was acknowledged during the Treaty of the Pyrenees in 1659, and it became a French province. Artois had already been largely French-speaking, but it
1704-479: The 19th century, the region underwent major industrialisation and became one of the leading industrial regions of France, second only to Alsace-Lorraine . Nord-Pas-de-Calais was barely touched by the Franco-Prussian War of 1870; the war actually helped it to cement its leading role in French industry due to the loss of Alsace-Lorraine to Germany. However, it suffered catastrophic damage in the two World Wars of
1775-844: The 20th century. The earliest evidence of man's presence in the region dates from the Pleistocene to the Middle Ages . Evidence of early human presence includes bifaces dating back to around 700,000 BC found in Wimereux and 500,000 BC in Quiévy . During the Pleistocene, human activity was intermittent due to the harsh climate caused by expanding Nordic glaciers. Occupation sites are noted from around 60,000 BC in Marcoing and 50,000–40,000 BC in Busigny and Hamel, with
1846-417: The 8th century. By the 9th century, most inhabitants north of Lille spoke a dialect of Middle Dutch, while the inhabitants to the south spoke a variety of Romance dialects. This linguistic border is still evident today in the place names of the region. Beginning in the 9th century, the linguistic border began a steady move to north and the east. By the end of the 13th century, the linguistic border had shifted to
1917-670: The Artois region to the French crown. The complex succession issues surrounding the County of Flanders led to a coalition against the King of France, involving the Emperor, the King of England, and the Count of Flanders , Ferrand of Portugal. The decisive Battle of Bouvines in 1214 saw Philippe Auguste emerge victorious, enabling him to implement administrative reforms to consolidate royal power. These changes, along with
1988-593: The Bold in 1477, the Boulonnais and Artois were seized by the French crown, while Flanders and Hainaut were inherited by Charles's daughter Marie . Shortly thereafter, in 1492, Artois was ceded back to Marie's son Philip the Handsome , as part of an attempt to keep Philip's father, Emperor Maximilian I , neutral in French King Charles VIII's prospective invasion of Italy. Thus, most of the territories of what
2059-617: The Brabant and Liège revolutions. France declared war on Austria in April 1792, leading to the destruction of cities like Lille , Dunkirk , and Valenciennes . Austrian armies occupied French Hainaut from 1793 to 1794 until the French revolutionary army conquered the region and annexed Belgium. The Terror further devastated the area, dismantling structures like the Saint-Amand abbey and depriving Cambrai of its cathedral and Gothic churches. Under Napoleon,
2130-538: The Frankish aristocracy, played crucial roles in land development and extending royal power. Coastal areas saw less interest from the Franks, with the first bishop, Audomar (Saint Omer), arriving only in the 6th century. The Treaty of Verdun in 843 divided Charlemagne's empire into three kingdoms, establishing the Scheldt River as the natural boundary between West Francia and Middle Francia . This division split what
2201-566: The French King, had economic ties with England, while the Count of Hainaut aligned with the Emperor, an English ally. Edward III's campaign in 1346 led to the protracted siege of Calais. The Hundred Years' War , while destructive, was overshadowed by devastating epidemics like the Black Death, which struck southern Hainaut in 1316, killing a third of the population, and reoccurred several times, including
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2272-684: The French King. Similarly, the County of Hainaut took shape by the mid-11th century, with the Duchy of Brabant reflecting Flemish traditions. The influence of the Catholic Church also grew, with the Bishop of Cambrai becoming Count of Cambrésis. The importance of waterways led to the growth of towns such as Lille and Arras, which gained privileges and self-governance, especially in the 12th century when Arras became renowned for its cloth industry. In 1180, Isabelle de Hainaut's marriage to Philippe Auguste brought
2343-670: The Neolithic era left behind megalithic structures, such as dolmens and menhirs, which were likely used for religious purposes, though their exact functions remain unclear. During the Gallic War in 56 BC, Julius Caesar expanded his conquests toward the North Sea after defeating the Atrebates and Nervians at the Battle of Sabis. The Belgians, a collective of various tribes such as the Menapiens, Morins, Atrébates , and Nervians , had settled in
2414-790: The Nord-Pas-de-Calais region has always been a strategic (and hence one of the most fought-over) region in Europe. French President Charles de Gaulle , who was born in Lille, called the region a "fatal avenue" through which invading armies repeatedly passed. Over the centuries, it was conquered in turn by the Celtic Belgae , the Romans , the Germanic Franks , England, the Spanish and Austrian Netherlands , and
2485-561: The United Kingdom forced the region to produce goods locally that had previously been imported, fostering the birth of industries such as sugar production. The introduction of British steam engines into spinning mills also accelerated production. Central areas rich in coal, from Béthune to Valenciennes, became crucial energy sources, further boosted by the protectionist policies of the Restoration era after Belgium's emergence in 1830. While
2556-572: The advent of regional television with the creation of Télé-Lille in 1950, the first regional television station in France. Despite technological advancements, the region faced economic challenges due to a lack of diversification. The Algerian War in the mid-20th century significantly impacted the Nord-Pas-de-Calais region, home to a large population of Algerian immigrants. This led to social tensions and conflicts between French and Algerian communities, exacerbated by internal strife among Algerians supporting different nationalist movements. The war's impact
2627-401: The arrondissement of Dunkirk ); and the Picards, who speak the Picard language , or Ch'ti (speakers, " chitimi ", have been working to revive the nearly-extinct regional speech since the 1980s). Although neighbouring Belgium currently recognizes and fosters both Picard and Dutch, and a few city-level governments within Nord-Pas-de-Calais have introduced initiatives to encourage both languages,
2698-532: The country, 83% of whom live in urban communities. Its administrative centre and largest city is Lille . The second largest city is Calais , which serves as a major continental economic/transportation hub with Dover of Great Britain 42 kilometres (26 mi) away; this makes Nord-Pas-de-Calais the closest continental European connection to the island of Great Britain. Other major towns include Valenciennes , Lens , Douai , Béthune , Dunkirk , Maubeuge , Boulogne , Arras , Cambrai and Saint-Omer . The region
2769-412: The development of a sophisticated road network known as the "Brunehaut causeways." This network facilitated trade within the empire, allowing for the import and export of various goods, including ceramics, pottery, wine, olive oil, linen cloth, and ham. Vici (hamlets) emerged along these routes, and many modern communes in the Scarpe and Escaut valleys trace their origins to Gallo-Roman settlements. By
2840-431: The eastern part of the arrondissement of Montreuil . It occupies the western end of the coalfield which stretches eastward through the neighbouring Nord département and across central Belgium . Originally a feudal county itself, Artois was annexed by the county of Flanders . It came to France in 1180 as a dowry of a Flemish princess, Isabelle of Hainaut , and was again made a separate county in 1237 for Robert ,
2911-455: The end of the 1st century, Germanic tribes began encroaching on the region, leading to periods of pillaging and instability. The Franks crossed the Rhine in 253–254 and again between 259 and 263, followed by the Alamanni in 275. During brief periods of peace, new capitals like Tournai and Cambrai emerged, replacing older ones such as Cassel and Bavay. The region also saw the initial stages of Christianization, although it remained limited until
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2982-435: The first Homo sapiens identified in Rouvroy . After the last Ice age , the region, now covered in forests, saw the emergence of hunter-gatherer societies using microliths for hunting. The Neolithic period marked the beginning of agriculture and animal husbandry, influenced by the Cerny and Michelsberg cultures. Evidence of trade and tool use from outside the region highlights interactions with other areas. Additionally,
3053-437: The industrial boom turned Northern France into an economic powerhouse for over a century, it brought severe hardships for the working class. Miners, as depicted in Émile Zola 's "Germinal," faced grueling conditions and meager wages, risking their health underground. Textile workers also endured harsh conditions. The 19th century added to their suffering with extreme weather events and five cholera epidemics between 1832 and 1866,
3124-430: The inhabitants. The former administrative region was created in 1956 under the name "Nord" and maintained that name until 1972 when "Pas-de-Calais" was added. This remained unchanged until its dissolution in 2016. With its 330.8 people per km on just over 12,414 km , it is a densely populated region, having some 4.1 million inhabitants, 7% of France's total population, making it the fourth most populous region in
3195-465: The large population of the region. The region was only in 16th place out of 24 for GDP per capita in 2014 with €34,422. The unemployment rate is higher than the national average. About 11% of the population was unemployed in 2014, particularly people aged between 18 and 25. The economy is essentially led by the service sector , which employs 75% of the working population, followed by manufacturing (23%) and agriculture (2%). Due to its location close to
3266-409: The last of which claimed 10,584 lives in the Nord département alone. When the First World War started, the region became a strategic target for the Allies and the Central Powers , mostly because of the coal and mining resources. When the German troops launched their attack from Belgium, the region was one of the first to fall under German occupation. Nevertheless, when the Allies stopped Germany at
3337-690: The national French government maintains a policy of linguistic unity and generally ignores both languages, as it does with other regional languages in France. The region's ethnic diversity has been affected by repeated waves of immigrant workers from abroad: Belgians and Welsh before 1910; Poles and Italians in the 1920s and 1930s; Eastern European groups and Germans since 1945; and North Africans and Portuguese since 1960; and large cities like Lille, Calais, and Boulogne-sur-Mer are home to sizable communities of British, Dutch, Scandinavian, Greek and Balkans, Sub-Saharan African, and Latin American immigrants and their descendants. The French state has sought to boost
3408-470: The nationalization of companies in the Nord-Pas-de-Calais region led to the formation of Houillères du Nord-Pas-de-Calais, with miners receiving special privileges. The steel industry also expanded, benefiting from modernization efforts funded by the Marshall Plan . By the early 1950s, Nord-Pas-de-Calais had regained its industrial strength, primarily in traditional sectors like textiles, coal, and steel, which were starting to decline. This period also marked
3479-404: The port. The agricultural sector comprises 13,800 farm businesses using 820,000 hectares (2,000,000 acres) of farmland. The temperate climate as well as great fertility makes the region a leading production center. The Nord-Pas de Calais region supplied 26.1 million tons of wheat (approximately 7% of the national production) and a third of the French potato production. The region's industry
3550-411: The region between the 5th and 1st centuries BC . These tribes, described by Caesar , were not homogeneous and occupied different parts of the land. Settlements were mainly hamlets around farms, with few fortified camps like Etrun. The Roman invasion began in 57 BC , leading to significant battles, including a decisive one on the banks of the Sabis. Despite initial resistance, by 50 BC , Gaul-Belgium
3621-445: The region was once part of the historical Southern Netherlands , but gradually became part of France between 1477 and 1678, particularly during the reign of king Louis XIV . The historical French provinces that preceded Nord-Pas-de-Calais are Artois , French Flanders , French Hainaut and (partially) Picardy (part of Hainaut and Flanders is in the Kingdom of Belgium ). These provincial designations are still frequently used by
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#17328512688703692-424: The region's relatively neglected culture. In 2004, it was announced that a branch of the Louvre would be opened in the city of Lens. For decades, the Nord-Pas-de-Calais has been viewed as a conservative region when compared culturally to the rest of France, but recently the region has at times displayed left-wing tendencies. In the early 2000s, the leftist Green Party won the largest number of votes to nearly carry
3763-407: The region, and small but growing communities of Buddhists have been established in recent years. Prior to World War II, around 4,000 Jews lived in Nord-Pas-de-Calais. A small Jewish community remains active as it has been for hundreds of years. In 2014, the Nord-Pas de Calais GDP reached €140 billion making it the 4th biggest French economy, although this figure has to be put in the context of
3834-413: The region. When the Netherlands revolted against Spanish rule , beginning in 1566, the territories in what is now Nord-Pas-de-Calais were those most loyal to the throne, and proved the base from which the Duke of Parma was able to bring the whole southern part of the Netherlands back under Spanish control. It was also a base for Spanish support of French Catholics in the French Wars of Religion . During
3905-450: The republican authorities. On September 29, 1789, the Constituent Assembly decided to reorganize France into departments of approximately 324 square leagues each. The northern provinces were to form four departments, but various projects clashed. Ultimately, the National Assembly decided in 1790 to create the Nord and Pas-de-Calais departments. Douai was initially chosen as the prefecture of Nord due to Merlin de Douai's influence, but it
3976-412: The river Lys in the south and Cap-Griz-Nez in the west. During the Middle Ages, the Pas-de-Calais department comprised County of Boulogne and the County of Artois , while the Nord department was mostly made up of the southern portions of the County of Flanders and the County of Hainaut . Boulogne, Artois, and Flanders were fiefs of the French crown, while Hainaut and after 1493 Flanders were within
4047-407: The same term [REDACTED] This disambiguation page lists articles associated with the title Geant . If an internal link led you here, you may wish to change the link to point directly to the intended article. Retrieved from " https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Geant&oldid=1034926726 " Category : Disambiguation pages Hidden categories: Short description
4118-512: The support of his successor Saint Louis, allowed the French monarchy to exert influence over Flanders and Hainaut. The early 13th century also saw significant religious expansion in these regions with the establishment of monasteries and beguinages, fostering religious movements like Rheno-Flemish mysticism. The 14th century brought the crisis of the late Middle Ages and rising tensions between France and England, particularly over Flanders, Guyenne, and Scotland. The Count of Flanders , though serving
4189-417: The time of the Treaty of Ryswick in 1697. The area, previously divided among the French provinces of Flanders , Artois, and Picardy , was divided into its two present departments following the French Revolution of 1789. Under Napoleon , the French boundary was extended to include all of Flanders and present-day Belgium until the Congress of Vienna in 1815 restored the original French boundary. During
4260-520: The transition highlighted the challenges of shifting from traditional industries to more diversified economic activities. While the region is predominantly French-speaking, it also has two significant minority language communities: the western Flemings , whose presence is evident in the many Dutch place names in the area and who speak West Flemish , a dialect of Dutch (perhaps 20,000 inhabitants of Nord-Pas-de-Calais use Flemish daily and an estimated 40,000 use it occasionally, both primarily in and around
4331-411: The war, and to adapt to the new legislation limiting the working day to eight hours. But the economic crisis of the 1930s soon prevented any real economic or cultural renaissance. It also led to downsizing, with recent immigrants the first to be affected. The region saw a breakthrough of the extreme right, including the "green shirts" among the peasants, which prompted left-wing movements to unite. When
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#17328512688704402-459: The war, the region has suffered from severe economic difficulties (see Economy below) but has benefited from the opening of the Channel Tunnel and the growth in cross-Channel traffic in general. Following World War II, France embarked on a significant recovery effort termed "Union sacrée," aiming to rebuild the nation under a managed economy. General de Gaulle 's speech in Lille emphasized the state's role in national economic development. In 1946,
4473-452: The wars between France and Spain in the 17th century ( 1635 – 1659 , 1667–68 , 1672–78 , 1688–97 ), these territories became the principal seat of conflict between the two states and French control over the area was gradually established. Beginning with the annexation of Artois in 1659, most of the current Nord department territory had been acquired by the time of the Treaty of Nijmegen in 1678. The current borders were mostly established by
4544-584: Was conquered and remained under military occupation until 27 BC . Following their victory, the Romans implemented policies of pacification and Romanization, transforming the region administratively and economically. They established numerous cities, incorporating ancient Celtic tribes into the prosperous Roman province of Belgium . Key cities included Bagacum Nerviorum (Bavay), Namur (Aduatuca), Castellum Menapiorum (Cassel), Nemetocenna (Arras), and Tervanna (Thérouanne). The region flourished through agriculture, particularly sheep breeding and wheat cultivation, and
4615-507: Was felt through numerous violent incidents, including attacks and street shootings, resulting in significant casualties and social unrest. From the 1950s to the 1980s, Nord-Pas-de-Calais experienced a gradual decline in coal mining, textiles, and steel industries, resulting in substantial job losses. The government attempted to revitalize the region's economy by promoting the automotive industry and attracting plastics companies, which created new employment opportunities. Despite these efforts,
4686-541: Was historically a part of the County of Flanders , with Lille as its capital. Those who wish to evidence the historical links the region has with Belgium and the Netherlands prefer to call this region the French Low Countries , which also means French Netherlands in French (French: Pays-Bas français ; Dutch: Franse Nederlanden or Franse Lage Landen ). Other alternative names are Région Flandre(s)-Artois , Hauts-de-France , ('Upper France') and Picardie-du-Nord ('Northern Picardy '). Inhabited since prehistoric times,
4757-412: Was later moved to Lille by the First Consul on 3 Thermidor IX. The Nord department consisted of eight districts: Bergues , Hazebrouck , Lille , Douai , Cambray , Valenciennes , Le Quesnoy , and Avesnes , while Pas-de-Calais comprised Arras, Bapaume, Béthune, Boulogne, Calais, Montreuil, Saint-Omer, and Saint-Pol. The Franco-Austrian War saw Northern France as a significant battleground following
4828-408: Was originally focused on coal and textile production, and was one of the cradles of the Industrial Revolution on the continent. After the end of the Second World War, migrant workers from all over Europe came to the region, making up for population losses due to the war. In the 1970s, the leading coal and textile industries began to fade away and unemployment rates increased rapidly. The region started
4899-464: Was part of the Southern Netherlands until the French annexation. Artois experienced rapid industrial development during the second half of the 19th century, fueled by its rich coal resources. During World War I , the front line between the opposing Central Powers and Allied armies in France ran through the province, resulting in enormous physical damage. Since the second half of the 20th century, Artois has suffered along with nearby areas because of
4970-409: Was significant as it aligned with the remaining Roman Empire's religion, providing sacred legitimacy. This period saw a renewal of urbanization and the establishment of ecclesiastical authorities. Vaast became bishop of Arras and Cambrai early in the century. By 511, however, the region was not sufficiently Christianized to be represented at the Council of Orleans . The Merovingians did not have
5041-432: Was used for vengeance weapon installations, including extensive V-1 "ski sites" that launched attacks on England and massive bunkers for the V-2 rocket and V-3 cannon . Operation Crossbow counteroffensive bombing by the Allies devastated many of the region's towns. Although most of the region was liberated in September 1944, Dunkirk was the last French town to be freed from German occupation (on 9 May 1945). Since
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