Billy-Berclau (French pronunciation: [bili bɛʁklo]; Picard: Bili-Bérclo) is a commune in the Pas-de-Calais department in the Hauts-de-France region in northern France.[3]
Billy-Berclau | |
|---|---|
 The town hall of Billy-Berclau | |
 Coat of arms | |
Location of Billy-Berclau  | |
  Billy-Berclau  Billy-Berclau | |
| Coordinates: 50°31′11″N 2°52′06″E / 50.5197°N 2.8683°E | |
| Country | France |
| Region | Hauts-de-France |
| Department | Pas-de-Calais |
| Arrondissement | Béthune |
| Canton | Douvrin |
| Intercommunality | CA Béthune-Bruay, Artois-Lys Romane |
| Government | |
| • Mayor (2020–2026) | Stève Bossart[1] |
| Area 1 | 7.41 km2 (2.86 sq mi) |
| Population (2021)[2] | 5,059 |
| • Density | 680/km2 (1,800/sq mi) |
| Time zone | UTC+01:00 (CET) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+02:00 (CEST) |
| INSEE/Postal code | 62132 /62138 |
| Elevation | 17–27 m (56–89 ft) (avg. 24 m or 79 ft) |
| 1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km2 (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries. | |
Geography
A small town 10 miles (16 km) east of Béthune and 12 miles (19 km) southwest of Lille, at the junction of the D163 and N47 roads. It is situated at the junction of the Canal de la Deûle and the Canal d'Aire. Light industry and a little farming have replaced the coal mining of the past.
History
The town was completely destroyed during World War I. On 27 March 2003, an explosion at the dynamite factory killed four people.
Population
| Year | Pop. | ±% p.a. |
|---|---|---|
| 1968 | 2,979 | — |
| 1975 | 3,164 | +0.86% |
| 1982 | 3,579 | +1.78% |
| 1990 | 4,149 | +1.86% |
| 1999 | 4,259 | +0.29% |
| 2007 | 4,280 | +0.06% |
| 2012 | 4,478 | +0.91% |
| 2017 | 4,624 | +0.64% |
| Source: INSEE[4] | ||
Sights
- The church of Notre-Dame, rebuilt, as was most of the town, after World War I
- The remains of a Prévôté building (once belonging to an abbey)
- The Commonwealth War Graves Commission cemetery
- A German World War I cemetery
See also
References
External links
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Billy-Berclau.
- Official website of Billy-Berclau (in French)
- Website about Artois (in French)
- The CWGC at the communal cemetery