Béthune

Grand Place

Coat of arms

Béthune

Location within Hauts-de-France region

Béthune

Coordinates: 50°31′49″N 2°38′27″E / 50.5303°N 2.6408°ECoordinates: 50°31′49″N 2°38′27″E / 50.5303°N 2.6408°E

Country

Béthune-Nord and Béthune-Sud

Intercommunality

Artois

Government

• Mayor (2014-)

Olivier Gacquerre

Area¹

9.43 km² (3.64 sq mi)

Population (2009)²

25,766

• Density

2,700/km² (7,100/sq mi)

Time zone

CET (UTC+1)

• Summer (DST)

CEST (UTC+2)

INSEE/Postal code

62119 /62400

Elevation

18–42 m (59–138 ft)
(avg. 26 m or 85 ft)

¹ French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km² (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries.

²Population without double counting: residents of multiple communes (e.g., students and military personnel) only counted once.

¹ French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km² (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries.

Béthune (French pronunciation: [be.tyn] ; archaic Dutch: Betun) is a city in northern France, sub-prefecture of the Pas-de-Calais department.

Béthune is located in the former province of Artois. It is situated 73 kilometres (45 miles) south-east of Calais, 33 kilometres (21 miles) west of Lille, and 186 kilometres (116 miles) north of Paris.

Béthune is a town rich in architectural heritage and history. It has, among other features, a large paved square with shops, cafés, and a 47-metre-tall (154 ft) (133 steps) belfry standing in the center from the top of which the Belgian border can be seen. The chime of the belfry is composed of thirty-six bells. A belfry (French:"beffroi") has stood on the site since 1346. The current belfry plays melodies every 15 minutes, including the ch'ti (regional patois) children's lullaby "min p'tit quinquin" (my little darling).

During the war, Béthune was mostly defended by British forces, including units of the Canadian and Indian armies, and initially suffered little damage. It was an important railway junction and hospital site, holding the 33rd Casualty Station until December 1917. However, during the second phase of the Ludendorff Offensive in April 1918, German forces reached Locon, 5 km (3 mi) away from the town, and on 21 May 1918 launched a bombardment which virtually flattened it. The whole town has since been rebuilt. Many combatants from both sides are buried in Béthune Town Cemetery.

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Wikipedia