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Maubeuge is a common French, located in the department of the Northern (59) and the area Nord-Pas-de-Calais, principal commune of the Agglomération Maubeuge Val of Sambre. Its inhabitants is called Maubeugeois.

Geography

Situation

The most important city of the district of Avesnes-on-Helpe, Maubeuge is in the middle of an agglomeration of more than 100 000 inhabitants including in particular the communes of Hautmont, Jeumont, Louvroil and Aulnoye-Aymeries. It is located at the south of the department of the Northern , between Valencian - Lille in the west, Charleroi - Liege in the east, Mons - Brussels in north, Laon - Paris in the south.

The city, bathed by the navigable Sambre, is a door of the Regional natural park of Avesnois.

The Belgian border passing to 7 km in the north of the city, the coal basin near is thus almost entirely in Belgian territory, in the Borinage. Maubeuge is not besides in the vicinity immediate of a French city, but of a Belgian city, Mons, with which it shares a common cultural policy.

Transportation routes

Rail links: park the SNCF towards Paris, Lille, Valencian, Saint Quentin, Quévy (correspondences for Mons and Brussels)
Road links: expressway in the west (N49) towards Valencian then A23 towards Lille, in the east towards Jeumont (Belgian border) then Charleroi, Liege, Luxembourg and Cologne; trunk road in north (N2) towards Belgian Mons then highway towards Brussels and Antwerp, in the south towards Laon - Paris and Rheims then Metz, Lyon (A26); by-pass express train in the east (Charles de Gaulle boulevard) and the west connecting N49 to N2 (Ace of Clover with Feignies at the shopping mall of Louvroil).
Inland waterway by the Sambre.
Urban transport and interurban (bus): transport company Stibus (Semitib) with 11 regular lines.
interurban Transport: several lines of bus " Arc In Ciel" general advice of the department of North connecting Avesnes on Helpe, Fourmies, Mons or Valencians.
Infrastructures in progress or in project: expressway to 110 km/h between Louvroil and Beaufort, then until Avesnes on Helpe, to join Laon and Paris; expressway to 110 km/h enters Longueville and Feignies, to be able to carry out the connection Valencian - Maubeuge/Louvroil only on fast track; expressway to 110 km/h between Feignies and Boussois (for the northern skirting of Maubeuge); expressway to 110 km/h enters the future northern by-pass to 2x2 ways and Mons (Asquillies), in Belgium.
Aerodrome of Maubeuge-Elesmes (in the past aerodrome of Salmagne).

History

The first known origins of the city go back to approximately 256 after Jesus-Christ. At that time, the Francs had penetrated in the area by the valleys of the Sambre and the Meuse. Once the year, they held their legal bases, the " Mahal" , in a place called " Boden". The seat of these assemblies became Malboden. One of the assumptions on the origin of the name of the city comes from the possible transformation at the medieval era of " Malboden" in " Malbodium" , when Holy Aldegonde, mother founder of Maubeuge, (630-684) there founded a monastery towards 661. Another alternative, formulated more recently, evokes the brook of Pisselotte, which is thrown in Sambre, whose first name would have been " Maubiguel".

The chanoinesses then had most of the city: grounds, wood, mills, breweries, and even the prison. The first enclosure of the field disappears in a fire at the end of the 16th century century. In 1339, the count Guillaume authorizes the construction of new vaster ramparts including/understanding six doors and twenty two turns out of three kilometers.

In spite of these careful installations, the town of Maubeuge was, until its fastening in France in 1678, ransacked and plundered more than twenty times. Initially included/understood in the kingdom of Austrasie which the queen Brunehilde controlled, it formed then part of the Comté of Hainaut under the first kings Carolingien S. Into 843, at the time of the division of the States of Louis Débonnaire, it passed in the kingdom of Lotharingie, then in 870 was attached to the kingdom of France by the Traité of Mersen. In 925, Hainaut became independent province, controlled under the suzerainty of the Emperors of Germany, until 1425. The province passed then to the Ducs of Burgundy until 1477, to the House of Austria of 1478 to 1513, and to the House of Spain of 1513 to 1678. Maubeuge definitively was attached to France by the Traité of Nimègue only on September 17th, 1678, ratified by the king Louis XIV on October 3rd, and by the king of Spain on November 14th. The city lived a period of relative calm then, Louis XIV having charged Vauban, in 1679, to make a fortified town of it: with this intention, 8 000 workmen were recruited among the peasants of the area like in Italy and worked during eight years to raise the ramparts and the two monumental doors of access to the city (doors of Mons and Paris - shot down in 1958). Maubeuge will thus know a more peaceful period during the 17th century. This interlude lasts little however, and the citadel is not long in undergoing the consequences of the wars of the Révolution and the Empire. In 1793, the city is thus attacked by the Austrians. The victory of Wattignies, October 15th and 16th, however allows the déblocus fortified camp by the army from North with Carnot, Jourdan and Duquesnoy.

In 1818, the economy of the city starts again. The Industrial revolution is concretized, in particular following the drain of Sambre, which facilitates the supply coal since Charleroi. Since 1837, the blast furnaces and Laminoir S multiply around the river, in particular in the Under-the-Wood district.

The First World War will test the city sambrienne again. In 1914, Maubeuge resists, under the direction of the General Baker, and, in 1918, it is delivered by the British. In spite of the traumatism, the material destruction is minor.

The Second world war will have on the other hand a disastrous effect on the city: in May 1940, the Germans set fire to the historical center with grenades flamers, which will result in to destroy the heart of Maubeuge to more than 90%. September 2nd, 1944, the city is released from the German occupation by the Americans, ordered by the Pink General. Kléber Leulier is named mayor by the provisional government.

Then begin the period of all the changes: Andre Lurçat, appointed “architect as a chief of the Basin of Sambre” by the Minister for the Rebuilding, will undertake a rebuilding of the city without precedent. The architect proposes a complete program of rebuilding, based on the use of the resources first of the territory to support the economic revival and the safeguarding of the old inheritance. He is thus opposed to complete dismantling fortifications of Vauban, proposer to extend the downtown area by the South by removing only the part of the ramparts located on Right Bank of Sambre. Attache to gum the intra-urban social disparities, Lurçat makes clean slate of the layouts of the past, going until lowering the level of the high city and to go up that of the low city.

At the end of the war, several famous industries come to settle in the area. But since 1953-54, from the difficulties emerge, which are specified in the Sixties. From 1962 to 1968, the Basin of Sambre undergoes a strong recession. It seems essential to reconvert the activities and to diversify them. The creation of an industrial park makes it possible to accommodate the factory Chausson in 1971, which will constitute automotive Maubeuge engineering (MCA), subsidiary of Renault. The installation of these workshops gives a second breath to the industrial activity of Maubeuge.

In spite of that, the basin of Sambre will know a terrible period of recession of 1975 to 1990, losing nearly a quarter of its employment. The economic situation of the city, if it tends to improve after difficult years, remains delicate.

Divisions of the commune

The town of Maubeuge is divided into various districts, which have each one their own council.

Montplaisir : 2 000 inhabitants, is 6% of the population maubeugeoise

Montplaisir forms with the districts of Douzies and Under-the-Wood the " Large Under-the-Bois". It is a historically working district, having seen the creation of forging mills, faience manufactures and iron and steel plants, supplied by railway way with the coal of the Borinage and the iron ore of Lorraine.

The localities of the district are evocative of its industrial history. The City of Ceramics thus refers to the ceramics factory of Montplaisir, created in 1882, which employed 250 workmen. Certain old houses of Maubeuge are, still at present, clearings by these tilings and these mosaics. Same manner, one supposes today that the street of the Brickyard sheltered a factory thanks to which one built these caracteritic brick red residences of the Basin of Sambre. Cooking was done in the open air, the brick courses being alternate with coal seams, and lasted one month.

Douzies : 3 000 inhabitants, is 9% of the population maubeugeoise

Formerly country district, Douzies comprises many streets today drawing their name from animals or domain names. Located in Large Under-the-Wood, it is also about a district having known an industrial strong growth with XIXe and 20th century.

At present, the industrial parks of the Field of the Abbess and the Small Slipper count 36 companies. A university pole, antenna of the faculty of Valencian, is also present, comprising a IUT Informatique and a school of engineers.

Under-the-Wood : 6 000 inhabitants, is 18% of the population maubeugeoise

It is about the most popular district of the city, and also of most important in population. It is also and especially a district in charge of history, with an industrial past extremely.

Under-the-wood was in the beginning a forest of approximately 120 hectares, property of the Chanoines its of Maubeuge. It is the appearance of industry, at the XIXe century, which changes the landscape in a radical way: between 1837 and 1852, the Company of the Blast furnaces of North builds four blast furnaces followed by a foundry, rolling mills to manufacture rails and sheet and workshops to build material of railroad. Two additional blast furnaces finally come to supplement this industrial unit. The raw materials are imported Coal-mining and the end products are transported, either by railway way, or by barge, towards the Paris region.

The surge of labor, France and especially Belgium where it was less expensive at the time, builds, reorganizes, densified and redraws the district. Houses, a presbytery, a cemetery, a school, a library and an old people's home are built. The relief fund and the savings bank make their appartition, supporting the acession with the property of the workmen to their housing. The place of Industry, with the evocative name, becomes the center of activity of the district: the church, the village hall, the bandstand are built there, and it place is often animated by popular holidays, the Ducasse S and the tournaments of Jeu of palm.

In 1884, to accompany this development which gallops, is built the Under-the-Wood station; it is from 1906 that the population of the suburb (7 638 inhabitants) exceeds that of the downtown area. Three years earlier, the Company of Transport of Maubeuge had acquired department the concession of the tram. The Maubeuge/Hautmont line by Under-the-Wood officiated until in 1940, date on which it was destroyed and ever rebuilt.

In the Seventies, the district undergoes full whip the industrial crisis which leaves it, still now, in an economically and socially difficult situation. Today, Under-the-Wood is a free urban zone (ZFU). The college Andre Lurçat, built in 1994, makes it possible to maintain there an activity permanent.

Downtown area : 3 500 inhabitants, is 10% of the population maubeugeoise

the Virginal : 4 500 inhabitants, is 13% of the population maubeugeoise

The zone of the Virginal was in the beginning a rural insert composed of fields and grazing grounds around the farms of the Large Wood and Sars. The ubanisation of the district goes back to 1965, date on which was approved the plan of installation intended to unchoke an over-populated downtown area which had known a too strong population increase.

The district starts with the installation of the first supermarket of the area, " Montagne" , become later Unintermitting, then Crossroads. A collective habitat and services develop quickly around. Today, the decline of the habitat, unemployment, the delinquency and the disaffection of the services, typical of this kind of district built in the Seventies, placed the Virginal within the framework of the Plan of Urban renewal at the national level.

the Bridge-Energy : 2 000 inhabitants, is 6% of the population maubeugeoise

The Bridge-Energy is primarily a residential district. The collective habitat is rare there. The college Pierre Forest is present there as well as the college Guillaume Budé.

the Suburb Saint-Quentin : 1 500 inhabitants, is 4% of the population maubeugeoise

The Saint-Quentin suburb would owe its name to the Benedictines bearing the name of canons of Saint-Quentin.

Pillar of the history of the district, the Sculfort building was built by Gustave Sculfort in 1852. One then manufactured there hardware and the first machine tools. In 1914,1 200 workmen work there. The company, like unfortunately much from others, disappears definitively in the Sixties. The buildings however will be re-used in the Nineties to install there Luna (the concert hall of the city) and Space Sculfort, one of the principal centers of exposures.

It is also in the Saint-Quentin suburb that the Hospital is, who was built there following the destruction of the precedent at the time of the Second world war.

the Presidents : 1 500 inhabitants, is 4% of the population maubeugeoise

Same manner as for the French Provinces or the great units of the Virginal, this district is a consequence of the rebuilding of post-war period and demographic explosion which followed. The history of this district thus begins in 1960: whereas many companies come to be established in the area, the downtown area is not completed yet. In 1959, the municipal council thus decides starting of a new program of social housing.

It should be noted that the rebuilding was led by keeping to the spirit the setting in front of Maubeuge as a first French city after the Belgian border. This is why the names of the new districts refer all to important characters of the French history: writers, kings, or like here, presidents.

the Suburb of Mons : 3 000 inhabitants, is 9% of the population maubeugeoise

the Suburb Saint-Lazare : 760 inhabitants, is 2% of the population maubeugeoise

It is the smallest district of Maubeuge, primarily residential and wedged by the railway in north and the road of Avesnes in the west.

French Provinces : 2 000 inhabitants, is 6% of the population maubeugeoise

It acts, as well as the Presidents, of a center of collective population built at the time of the population increase of the Sixties. Today, it is one of the most underprivileged districts, which returns an inhuman image to the city: great units, inhospitable buildings, wedged district, dormitory deserted by the trade and services.

Economy

The economy maubeugeoise, as in much of cities of North, rests still primarily on the activity of the secondary industry. The primary sector, from the urbanization of the communal territory, is only little represented there (firm of the Large Wood).

As from the Seventies, Maubeuge had to face a wave of factory shutdowns, consequence of the industrial crisis; the valley of Sambre then counted close to 20 000 unemployed for 100 000 inhabitants, returning a durable image of lost, poor city and disaster victim. At present, the result of the successive policies of reconversion tends to make forget this painful past; however, in spite of an indubitable economic rebound, work of embellishment and a voluntarist cultural development, the city pains to erase its disastrous reputation, and it is not rare to cross in the districts of the dilapidated vestiges of the industrial era.

In addition, the agglomeration, very directed towards industry and the iron and steel industry, remains from the point of view of reconversion limited in sectors in crisis; consequently, the population maubeugeoise comprises a strong dominant worker. The income of households is there largely lower than the average of the French population (11 319 €/year against more than 15.000 € on average for the province). Unemployment rate, having known a strong fall but always to 15,5%, also remains beyond the national standards. In 2004, one also counted 202 RMIstes for 1 000 allocatees, against 106 for the Metropolitan France.

To note finally that certain zones of Maubeuge and Louvroil obtained the statute of Free urban zone (ZFU) into 2003 until December 2008.

Automotive engineering

Since 1969, in full industrial crisis, Maurice Schumann, minister of state for the general De Gaulle and Pierre Forest, the mayor of Maubeuge, had envisaged the construction of an automotive factory of engineering gathering 6 000 employment. As from this time, local industry developed around the car, tendency which was never contradicted since.

Today, the factory Automotive Maubeuge Engineering (MCA) belongs to the group Renault - Nissan and still counts close to 4 000 employees. A zone of reception of suppliers was born at the sides of the factory, which joins together some sub-contracting companies of Renault. The Industrial Park of Grévaux-the-Guides, thus made up, represents the principal hearth of uses of the basin of Sambre and the 4th automobile pole of the Nord-Pas-de-Calais.

Iron and steel industry

The group Vallourec was founded, inter alia, in the suburbs maubeugeoise (the name " Vallourec" being a concentrate of Valencian, Louvroil and Recquignies). Today, certain factories of the group remain in the agglomeration: Cerec with Recquignies, Interfit with Maubeuge.

Other companies:

the Iron Factory of Maubeuge, become Myriad (group Corus)
Dembiermont: manufacture of metal crowns rolled without welding in the city close to Hautmont

Ceramics and glass

Maubeuge also has an industrial tradition in ceramics and glass, of which one of the principal representatives in the agglomeration is AGC Flat Glass Euroepe - Factory of Boussois. The company in particular carried out the panes of the certain RER of the Paris region. It ensures the manufacture of flat glass by the process " Float-Glass" and the manufacture of glazings for the car.

Other companies:

Desvres: tilings, adhesives, ceramic

Trade

The principal commercial surface of the agglomeration, being on the communes of Louvroil and Hautmont, is articulated around a hypermarket Auchan. Currently, the shopping mall extends on more 35 000 square meters, supplanting by far the downtown area of Maubeuge, which in addition has frequent problems for the medium-sized cities: disaffection of the inhabitants, closings of small shops of proximity, misses dynamism of commercial fabric.

The developmental perspectives of the centers of the other communes of the agglomeration appear as for them more limited even; these last must indeed undergo the development of the peripheral shopping malls and the establishment of the hardware-discounters (openings in 2006 of two signs ED in intramural Maubeuge, on an already in particular occupied market by Penny Market and Lidl).

Demography

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TextData= fontsize: S pos: (30,20) text: Demographic trends of Maubeuge

After the second world war, the city was marked by a strong population increase, whose peak was reached between 1962 and 1968 (+18%). This slight increase, due to the needs for labor, in particular resulted in the construction of imposing bars of dwelling, whose typical example is the district of the French Provinces, in the vicinity immediate of the center town. Like all the great whole of this type, this district is subjected today to a handing-over in question, because of the problems of disaffection of services and delinquency.

The city counts almost 30% of young people of less than 19 years, consequence of a migratory balance which was negative these last years and of a natural balance which, even very positive, is not enough to stop the fall of population started in the Eighties.

In addition, Maubeuge counts a big part of families of more than 6 people (approximately 7% of the households), to put in glance with the 2,5% of the national average.

Population of the Agglomeration: 100 000 inhabitants.
Population of the urban Surface: 150 000 inhabitants.

Administration

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Twinning

Architectural heritage

The intramural city conceals many sites, buildings, monuments of all times, which have a real financial asset and singular architectural characteristics.

Military inheritance

Vauban

The saved strengthened belt of dismantling develops in wooded crown of West in Is on left bank of the Sambre. It is made of bastions with curved Orillons and riding, traversed broad ditches. In the course of time, the stone corset was bored several crossings in order to open the city will intra muros towards outside: the door of Bavay in the West (Roosevelt avenue) the door of the Capuchins in North (street Casimir-Baker) the door of the Cross in the East (street of the Cross). The Western part contains part of the installations of the animalist park created since 1957 under the name of Zoo of Maubeuge (bastion of the Jesuits).

In North, on the Vauban place leans against the wall the door of Mons, works out of stone of size surmounted of roofs to the Mansart. It opens since three arcades towards a ludic course in the middle of the fortifications. The frontage exposed towards the interior has a drawbridge and is enchased in the surmounted wall of a slope. It is bored of an arcade and exposes an architecture triumphing over baroque spirit, ornamented armorial bearings framed by a trophy of royal weapons gone back to 1685. It joined by a narrow gauge railway and paved the formed Bridge-Door frame of eight stone vaults of size crossing a broad green ditch to discover at the edge of a half-moon, the old body of guard which shelters the military museum of history. The course ends outside the enclosure on the Cross of Mons (old Octroi).

Between the bastion of the Capuchins and the bastion of the Cross, locateare located Redoute and Tenaille pond, whose ditch retained by a stopping is irrigated by Pisselotte.

With the Moyen-âge the pond contained a fish pond with fish depending on the abbey St-Aldegonde that Vauban used as defensive flood. In the East, near Sambre and of the bastion of Falize appears another remarkable site made up by the commonly named ponds Monier Fausse Sambre. They are two broad ditches separated by a work with horn, which at the time of Vauban, were intended to capture the water of Sambre by a system of locks and dams in order to be used as principal defense. In 1901, in order to modify the old sinuous course of the river and to facilitate the river navigation, a new bed was open.

Two buildings resulting from the military inheritance remained vis-a-vis the many destruction of works undertaken during time, that is to say because of their outdatedness or to face the needs for intramural urban development (dismantling of the Southern fortifications, of the door of France, quarterings and fortifications various…).

the store with powder: street of the Cross

The explosives magazine located near the street of the Cross exposes an arched room covered outside a thick ground envelope. The place does not have a particular assignment, but accommodates time with other an exposure or a festive demonstration. In the beginning, the Vauban plan comprised three explosives magazines laid out and distributed strategically at the edge of the interior enclosure.

the arsenal: street of the Cross

The arsenal builds between 1678 and 1689 develop its long silhouette on three levels. This work belongs to the quarterings intended at the time sheltering the troops of the garrison. It was used as deposit of the time of the activity of the munitions factory (1701-1836). The work lost its initial roof and was the subject of work of restoration. It currently shelters the seat of about thirty associations, the public library, the school of the Art schools, a showroom.

Religious heritage

Some rare religious buildings coming from the last centuries crossed time, in spite of the destruction due to the wars, the ageing of the frame, accidental or voluntary disappearances. Certain buildings of the monastery of holy Aldegonde are still visible at present: the Chapter, which shelter today the college Notre-Dame de Grâce, the vault of the Black Sisters or the béguinage.

the old people's home of Cantuaines (street of the Cross)

This building resulting from the 16th century was the residence of Jean Gippus, senior of Chapter, which with its death in 1562 made donation, to accommodate women of the middle-classes déchue, called then Cantuaines. The interior is composed of seven cells forming béguinage. The seven chimneys corresponding to the interior cells were preserved. Only addition of attic windows to the nasturtium in order to give day to the roofs as well as the removal of a hood to the top of the gate of entry make a modification to initial construction. The masonry currently receives in the proximity of the Theater of the Horse-gear, of the artists in residence.

the vault known as of the Black Sisters (street of colonel Martin)

This small building constitutes the single construction which arrived the 15th century. Formerly it was established near the old chapter and contiguous of the military hospital destroys in May 1940. Today it is only exposed within a heterogeneous urban framework, formed of various modes of production (Builduing, Joyeuse 2, Chapitre). The vault reveals a frontage style baroque where a pediment with rolling up supported by a set of substructures is decorated. A gate out of wooden surmounted by a niche fits in the axis of symmetry of the architectural composition. Masonry is out of brick and the roof with two sides covered out of natural slate. After its first vocation, it was affected successively in military deposit, company of music, public library, Protestant temple. Currently it is used as meeting room of the university of the spare time.

the Room Sthrau (street Georges-Paillot)

The place borrows its name from the famous young person Sthrau drum fallen as hero at the time of the Bataille of Wattignies in 1793. In the beginning, it was set up as from 1620 by the order of the Jésuites, near the college which they had founded at the beginning 17th century. Built entirely out of stone and brick, it raises a high silhouette, maintained on both sides gouttereaux walls by buttresses established according to the Gothic rules. The frontage out of pinion has a solid gate out of wooden surmounted by a pediment with stone aileron equipped with a niche. The high part is bored of a vast decorated opening in semicircular arch of a glass composition Art déco. It was burnt at the time of the First World War. With the beginning of the year 1930 it was transformed inside by the Lafitte architect into village hall in the purest style art déco. It was used as provisional church during the Second world war, until 1958 which sees to be completed the news church Saint-Pierre-and-Saint-Paul realized by André Lurçat. Since it accommodates time with another various demonstrations (exposures, spectacles, political debates, concerts, etc). The city recently engaged of work of restoration and installation, consistent in the repair of the roof and the boring of a canopy.

Church Saint-Pierre-Saint-Paul (Franklin avenue Roosevelt)

Emblem of the rebuilding of post-war period, this church is the common work of the architects André Lurçat and Henri Lafitte. Its construction was intended to replace the saint-Pierre church, was located on old Pace d' Armes and was destroyed by the German incendiary bombs in 1940.

Its very particular architecture is the reflection of the thought of its originator. Communist convinced and persuaded of the nearest end of the religious practice in the world, Lurçat indeed thought a place of almost neutral worship, easily reconvertible as a theater. From where a form in block, a plan in Latin cross of trapezoidal form and stained glasses abstract.

The church is the only building of the rebuilding entirely produced in reinforced concrete. Its 43 height m bell-tower, enlightened of glass block, is assistant of a cylindrical tower containing the staircase of access to the chime (28 bells). Posed on a stele in attic, the 2,5 height m statues of the Pierre apostles and Paul constitute the two only decorative sculptures of the frontage, which comprises a porch of entry in addition divided into three parts, symbolic systems of the Christian trinity.

The tympanum is decorated of a mosaic designed by the tapestry maker Jean Lurçat, the brother of the architect.

The treasure of Holy-Aldegonde, owner of the city, preserved in one of the vaults, contain the reliquary of the veil of Holy, the abbey stick and the hunting of the relics.

Church Our-Lady-of-Lime (place of Industry)

The principal advantage of the building rests on the bivalence between the styles outside and interior, all two, paradoxically, representative of the tendencies of architectural experimentation of North in second half of the 19th century.

Inside, the metal frame, consequence of the development of the metallurgy in North at the time of the construction of the church in 1864. It is about the only religious building with metal frame in the area.

Outside, outer jacket in bricks, massive, contrasting radically with the lightness of the interior metal structure.

It should be noted that the church of the Lime, gone back to 1864, succeeded of little the church Saint-Augustin of Victor Baltard, first religious building with entirely metal structure carried out in 1860 with Paris.

Civil inheritance

The old city

Until the destruction of May 1940, the downtown area was presented in the form of a town of type Hennuyères: sloping roofs, narrow windows, paved streets of low width, tight and tangled up buildings forming small islands and places with the unspecified geometry. Some small islands were saved or rebuilt on their own basis, to join and be integrated in the rational plan of the rebuilt city established by A. Lurçat. The pieces of old city are established in greater density on left bank of Sambre:

Small island registered between the streets Baker, Vauban and of 145e IH.
Small island registered between the streets of the Cross, Gippus, of the House, the Chapter and Green place.
Small island registered between the streets of the Old people's home, Saint Nicolas's Day, Georges-Paillot and Lazare-Carnot. This small island contains the Coutelle college, created in 1619 by the Jésuites with the Sthrau room, and which acquires the title of royal college in 1767. The day before the Revolution, the establishment enters the history by an episode which will give him its current name: soldiers and engineers, among whom Coutelle and Choderlos de Laclos, build a flying machine there functioning thanks to the combustion of organic waste. It will be used a few months to gain the later battles of Fleurus.

On Right Bank, two small islands remain:

Îlot says Lecluyse registered between the avenue of France and the street Henri-Durre.
Îlot known as of Of Provence enters the place of the Nail factories and the street of Provence.

The rebuilding of Lurçat

In May 1940, the downtown area of Maubeuge is destroyed by the incendiary bombs of the Germans, who put at execution their threat to destroy the city in front of the refusal of the soldiers of the local garrison not to go; the historical center of the east city then destroyed with more than 90%.

A little before the end the war, at the end of 1944, the Provisional government of the General de Gaulle chooses André Lurçat as architect as a chief of the rebuilding of Maubeuge. It will be the largest building site of its life, the ideal site for a total redefinition of the urban concept.

Sensitive to the economic problems, André Lurçat proposes before a whole coherent program of rebuilding, based on the local raw materials (brick, blue stone, concrete) to support the recovery. The architect is also a man of dialog and wants, in spite of the radical side which can present a total rebuilding, to present a management concerted and approved by the greatest number. Arrived at Maubeuge in 1945, it invites the inhabitants to be expressed in what it calls of the “meetings of town planning”, and it creates a Local committee with the representatives of the trade associations, the trade unions, associations and the disaster victims.

Paradoxically, Lurçat is opposed to complete dismantling fortifications of Vauban in spite of the great number of Maubeugeois which are favorable to their destruction. Finally only the southern part of the ramparts will be open (carries of Bavay, carries from Paris) in order to leave more space to the expansion of the downtown area. The ramparts of Maubeuge will be classified Historic building in 1947. Generally, Lurçat will decide against the destruction of what exists, that it is concerning the inheritance of Vauban or for the rare masonries of the center which hold still upright after the war.

Work in themselves starts in 1948 and lasts ten years. 651 residences and 230 trade disaster victims are built. In its optics of design of a utopian city from where the inequalities would be absent, Lurçat goes until raising Right Bank of Sambre and lowering left bank. A network of streets is recreated without holding any account of old.

The new city is made of ventilated small islands of which the proportions respect the rare preserved old houses. The height of the buildings is limited to four levels maximum, except for rare exceptions (the Building or Merry I, destroyed since). In the middle of these small islands, Lurçat integrated many planted places of trees, illustrating its idea of “clear, green, modern, aired and shone upon” city. The functional or decorative elements (perrons, balconies, hoods, door frames and windows) identical on each building, are carried out in series. Lurçat architecture also results in simple geometrical forms (cubic, parallelepipeds), smooth roofs punts, masonries uniformly last with the coating, the constant privilege of horizontality compared to verticality and the absence of ornaments.

Cultural heritage

zoological gardens

Created by Doctor Forest, then mayor of Maubeuge, in 1955, the garden of the Rosery became the Zoological gardens of Maubeuge. The first animals were chimpanzees, a camel, guinea-pigs, pigeon-peacocks and ducks.

Today, the zoo is known for its particular framework, in the middle same of the ramparts of Vauban, and the hundreds of animals which are present there: Giraffe S, Hippopotamus S, white tigers…

the Horse-gear

The transborder scene of the Horse-gear, very famous in the area, accommodates many and various spectacles, in partnership with the intercommunality and the Belgian city of Mons.

In partnership with the commune, it also organizes the Festival of the Madnesses, each year in July. This popular holiday combines spectacle of street, animations, free concerts, and the arrival of artists of even international national fame on the scene of Luna, the theater of the city. The last evening is given the concert " phare" festival, following what a large procession is organized in the streets of the center, made pedestrian for the occasion.

principal cultural Events

In addition to the festival of the Madnesses, one can note:

the festival of the Secret Nights, given in August on the commune of Aulnoye-Aymeries, whose characteristic is to propose international programming almost completely free;
the procession Jean Mabuse, given to May, at the time which the city pays homage to its cultural roots (giant, Gilles).

Personalities related to the commune

Political

Pierre Bérégovoy (1925-1993), French Prime Minister (PS), who presented himself to the municipal elections of Maubeuge - and lost -, vis-a-vis Pierre Forest.
Pierre Forest, president of the UNEF in 1925-26, deputy and mayor of Maubeuge after the Second world war.
Carl Lang, vice-president of the National front and candidate with the legislative elections of the district of Maubeuge in 2007.
Remi Pauvros, mayor of Maubeuge and vice-president of the general advice of North
Jean-Claude Decagny, deputy and mayor of Maubeuge

Sport

David Boucher, racing cyclist born in Maubeuge on March 17th, 1980.
Patrice Buisset, footballer born in Maubeuge on August 25th, 1957. He played Rheims, Fontainebleau, Dunkirk and the Rock on Yon. Finalist of the cut of France with the stage rémois in 1977 vis-a-vis Saint-Etienne. International soldier. He currently deals with the training center of the stage of Rheims.
Mohamed Dahmane, footballer born in Maubeuge on April 9th, 1982. He currently plays Mons, in Belgium. He also played Lens.
Léandre Griffit, footballer born in Maubeuge on May 21st, 1984. He currently plays Southampton, in England.
Laurent Lefèvre, cyclist born in Maubeuge on July 2nd, 1976. It took part in many recoveries with the Tour de France.
Daniel Moreira, footballer born in Maubeuge on August 8th, 1977. International in team of France. He played Valencian, Guingamp, Lens, Toulouse and Rennes.
Jean-Guy Wallemme, footballer born in Maubeuge on August 10th, 1967. Champion of France 1998 with Lens.

Military

Raymond Duval, born in Maubeuge in 1894, general, higher commander of the troops of Morocco and lieutenant-general of army of Riols de Fonclare.
Auguste Goethals (baron of), born in Maubeuge on April 26th, 1782. Lieutenant-colonel in Waterloo, general major in 1826, major general in Belgium in 1830, and organizer of the Belgian national infantry.
Barthelemy Mousin, born in Maubeuge in 1738, brigadier general in the army of the Moselle in 1793, then major general.
Paul Vanuxem, born in Maubeuge on July 22nd, 1904, general. Holder of 25 quotations during the campaigns of France, of Germany, of Indo-China and Algeria.

Art

Jean Gossaert, known as Mabuse, born in Maubeuge in 1478. Painter of the Flemish school of the 16th century.
the group Art Zoyd, originating in Maubeuge, where it had its studio of recording a long time.
Nicolas Régnier, known as Nicolo Renieri, born in Maubeuge in 1590 (?). Caravagesque painter of the 17th century.
Victor Vasarely, artist of Hungarian origin, often recognized as the father of COp Article It drew the frontage of the current town hall of Maubeuge.

Various

Alain-Sam Federowski, born in Maubeuge. Journalist with TF1.
Rene Fontenelle, born in Maubeuge on December 3rd, 1894. Bishop of Theudalis, canon of Saint-Pierre of Rome.
Oksana d' Harcourt, born on February 1st, 1982 in Maubeuge. Actress X, ex-egery of Marc Dorcel.
Alexandre-Ferdinand Lapostolle, born on December 21st, 1749 in Maubeuge. Chemist and physicist.
Pierre Perrin, type-setter with Claude Blondy of the song a moonlight in Maubeuge (1962). She will be in particular interpreted by Bourvil and Claude François on its first disc.

See too

Newspaper the Border newspaper of Maubeuge and its neighborhoods.

Common of North
Giant of North
List of the abbesses of Maubeuge
Factory Renault de Maubeuge

External bonds

Official site of the town of Maubeuge
Stibus - Urban transport of the Valley of Sambre
Maubeuge on the site of the IGN
Maubeuge on the site of INSEE
Maubeuge on the site of Quid
Maubeuge on the site Mapquest

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