Airaines

Airaines
Airaines
Location within Picardy region Airaines
Coordinates:
Country	France
Region	Nord-Pas-de-Calais-Picardy
Department	Somme
Arrondissement	Amiens
Canton	Molliens-Dreuil
Intercommunality	Communauté de communes du Sud-Ouest Amiénois
Government
• Mayor (2001–2008)	Jean-Luc Lefebvre
Area1	24.88 km2 (9.61 sq mi)
Population (2006)2	2,116
• Density	85/km2 (220/sq mi)
INSEE/Postal code	80013 / 80270
Elevation	15–116 m (49–381 ft) (avg. 49 m or 161 ft)
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.

Airaines is a commune in the Somme department in Picardie in northern France.

Geography

The commune is situated 30 km (19 mi) north west of Amiens,about 30 km (19 mi) south of Abbeville, at the junction of the D901 and D936 roads.

Hamlets and neighbourhoods

Dourier before 1914

• Dourier : Originally a hamlet to the northeast of the town, now a suburb.
• Dreuil-Hamel : Stretching out to the west, sprinkled with orchards and meadows, this commune was once separate. By decree of 26 September 1972 it was joined with Airaines in a simple merger.

Demography

Historical population of Airaines

Year	1962	1968	1975	1982	1990	1999	2006
Population	1968	2239	2303	2385	2175	2099	2116
From the year 1962 on: No double counting—residents of multiple communes (e.g. students and military personnel) are counted only once.

History

• In earlier times, the town flourished, due mainly to the importance of the castle of the dukes of Luynes.
• During World War II, the town was subject to much destruction in June 1940. The Market hall was destroyed.
• The years 1985-2000 saw the closure of several important economical activities, resulting in high unemployment

• 

  The towers before 1914

• 

  Luynes towers in 2007

• 

  Notre-Dame church before 1914

• 

  Market hall before 1914

Places and monuments

• Saint-Denis church
• The Priory (Notre Dame church)
• Dreuil-Hamel church, abandoned and in danger of collapsing
• The towers of the dukes of Luynes
• The memorial to Charles N'Tchoréré
• A monument aux morts with sculptural work by Albert Dominique Roze

• 

  St-Denis church tower

• 

  St-Denis church

• 

  Luynes towers

• 

  The Priory

People

Charles N'Tchoréré (15 November 1896 - 1940) was a Gabonese military commander who was shot by the Germans in World War II during the battle for France.

Twin towns

• Kriftel, Germany

See also

• Communes of the Somme department
• Monument aux Morts (Western Somme)

References

• INSEE

External links

(All French language)

• The Priory website
• Airaines on the website of Quid
• Position of Airaines on a French map
• Map of Airaines on Mapquest
• Official municipal website