Comines (France)

Geography

The town of Comines is located at the Franco-Belgian Frontière, which divides it into Comines (France) and Comines (Belgium).

Blazon

Of money to a sand key put in stake, the web in top and with dextral, and accompanied by five cinquefoils from mouths, two with Dextral, two with Sinistral and one points of it.

History

Administration

Demography

Places and monuments

Saint-Chrysole Church, church of style néo-Byzantine created by Dom Paul Bellot.

In 1925, one undertakes the construction of a new church, the preceding one having been destroyed at the time of the Great War. The reinforced concrete, innovating material at that time, are used for its framework. The openwork parts of the Clocher of 51 m are filled with sand bricks and Parpaing S of various colors. The church, of style néo-Byzantine, is inaugurated on July 7th, 1928 but is completely completed only in June 1929. It is the work of the architects Maurice Storez and Dom Bellot. It has many stained glasses works of Mr. Hollart. Its Organ, 30 plays and 4 keyboards, is due to the Grammet house. The church is now classified historic building since September 9th, 2002.

Belfry classified with UNESCO

As from the 12th century, with obtaining by their lord, of the right to only manage itself, the communes set up their first Beffroi, sign of power, autonomy and freedom. He is the guard of the charters and the bell which rate/rhythm the organization of the city. In 1297,1382,1427,1579 fire destroys the Belfry, because of wars or of fires, because at the time it was made of wood; each time it is rebuilt. In 1623, it takes its current form overall. Traditional for the time, it is composed of an imposing flanked of projecting turrets and surmounted square tower of a bulb with eight sides, shelling the hour to the four cardinal Points. During nearly three centuries, this Belfry resists the History when, at the end of May 1918, the German army of occupation dynamites it in its escape. 1924 should be waited until to begin its rebuilding nearly identical to that of 1623, on the other side of the place in with respect to the church; it is the work of the Architecte Louis Marie Cordonnier. Thereafter, it crosses without encumbers the second world war. In 2004, the Belfry of Comines presents its candidature with 22 other belfries for one inscription with the inheritance of UNESCO. In June 2005 the official answer is positive and thus are classified 11 belfries in north, 6 in Pas-de-Calais and 6 in the Sum.

Personalities related to the commune

Ogier Ghislain de Busbecq, ambassador of the Saint Worsens
Philippe de Commynes or of Comines, statesman and chronicler.

Wire of Colard II of Clyte, lord of Renescure Baillif of Flandres, Philippe de Comines (or of Commynes) grows in Comines with the castle of Jean II of Commynes, cousin of his father. Philippe the Good, auprès whose his/her father fought, solemnly gives his first name to the child. In 1447, his/her mother dies. It is his/her cousin Jeanne d' Estouteville, woman of Jean II of Comines which raises it. In 1453, his/her father disappears; Philippe is then placed under the supervision of the lord of Comines often absent. Although it received an “imperfect” education privileging the handling of the sword to that of the feather, Philippe de Commynes reveals a sharp and curious spirit very quickly. He likes to be surrounded people scholars and wise. He does not speak the Latin but mania French to perfection. Philippe de Commynes starts his diplomatic career in 1464. He is brought to Lille in front of the Count de Charolais, Charles Bold the, future Duc of Burgundy, which takes it with its service. In 1468, the meeting of Fibula enters the Duke of Burgundy and Louis XI mark a decisive turn the course of its existence. Flattered by the intentions of the king, Commynes is let buy. He becomes his adviser and intimate secretary. Appointed Seneshal of Poitou, Louis XI in fact his minister. In its opposition to the young person Charles VIII, to died of Louis XI (1483), the liberal ideas of Commynes and the interest which it carries to English parliamentarism results it in joining the Duc of Orleans (future Louis XII). To have taken part in the “insane war” against the king, Commynes falls in disgrace. It is stripped of its loads and grounds granted by Louis XI. In 1488, he is imprisoned several months with Loches. Amnestied, it rejoins the service of Charles VIII and carries out various missions in Italy. It is withdrawn in its seigniory of Argenton, acquired by its marriage in 1473, where it dies in 1511. II will have written the memories of the reigns of Louis XI and Charles VIII. It observed and wrote with impartiality of the faithful accounts, which saved to him the confidence of the powerful ones. It wrote one of the first political treaties to the use of the sovereigns. Diplomat, it deployed his talents in the Italian arena and played the coordinator between the king and the Italian Peninsula. Its memories constitute invaluable sources of the French history and Europe. They are still today the subject of research. Large visionary, it noted and regretted permanent antagonism between the European nations and aspired to Europe welded and linked by Christendom. He preached the free trade, the reform of the currency and the system of weights and measures as well as the consultation of General states in order to avoid any despotism.

Others

Celebrates Equivocal

The Fête of the Equivocal is held each 2nd Sunday of October. Tanks traverse the center of the city and on this occasion, of the wood equivocal are launched top of the town hall per hundred. It is a very coveted trophy.

“ Louche ” as a Walloon “ means; cuiller ” in French.

There exists much of Légende S on the origin of the festival but this one is one of most known:

There is a Foire the day of St Denis, on October 9th. In same time, one celebrates the festival of the Louche S, from which the tradition teaches us the origin: one had locked up a lord in a tower to withdraw it from the remainder his men and to enjoy sound well. Being made known by the means of a roofer working with the lower part of its dungeon, it threw by the window any sound small spares of wood, with what one was used to him to eat.

Each year, a different, historical or commemorative topic, is selected for the festival; it is illustrated in the procession. This procession is Franco-Belgian; nowadays, it starts in Belgium and finishes on the place of Comines in France. This procession is the occasion for the sporting, associative companies and the various districts to create a tank and to thus take part in historical tables, at the end of this one is “the tank of Damoiselle of the equivocal and its dauphine” (or rather the ladle, because this tank with the shape of a ladle); then, closing walk, the tank of the committee, since which the members of the brotherhood out of dress throw equivocal. The finished procession, crowd gathers with the foot of the town hall. The equivocal are launched since the balcony and the windows of the living room of honor by the members of the Confrérie like by the mayor of Comines France and the Burgomaster of Comines Belgium. To catch the enrubannées equivocal, of which imposing “the Ladle of the mayor” gives right a price.

the festival lasts three days: saturdays after midday, opening of the fun fair; Sunday, the large procession; and Monday morning, the frank market (a commercial Annual stock sale) followed after midday of a cycle race.

Giants of Comines

The giant accompany all the festivities by the city and in particular the festival of the Equivocal.

Practically since the origin of the festival in 1884, two giants are distinguished: “Large Gueuloute”, épeuleuse (of épeule, winds used in weaving) called thus because it has the high verb, and “P' tite Chorchire”, a merchant of Macaroon S (traditional cake) out of dress of ribbon, blue overall carrying a hank of yellow and red ribbons, it is called P' tite Chorchire because the boat which is used to him to defraud from one bank to another of the Lily bears this name.

In 1984 appears * Buchard de Comines in costume of crossed of 1099, in memory of the famous one lord of Comines left to the crusades.

and then came * Lord de Comines, it was baptized in 1987 surrounded by a score of giants surroundings, it carry the costume of the brotherhood of the equivocal to the colors red and gold, it holds up proudly its ladle when it ravels.

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