Gravelines

Gravelines ( Grevelingen in Dutch) is a Commune Frenchwoman, located in the department of the Northern and the administrative area Nord-Pas-de-Calais.

Its inhabitants is called Gravelinois (be).

Situation

Gravelines enjoys a strategic position in the middle of the maritime Flanders in edge of the the North Sea to the mouths of the Aa. With five capitals with less than 350 km.

Communications

The Channel tunnel, TGV and the Eurostar, the connections highway A16, A25.

Administration

The Commune of Gravelines, consists of four places:

Gravelines centers : it is the center town girds by the fortifications
the Huts : it is the old small village of fishermen, it existed already under the Ancien Mode. It accounts for 1 km of the center town on the road of Dunkirk.
Small-Extremely-Philippe : small hamlet which developed at the edge of the channel, during the XIXe century. It accounts for 1 km of the center town at the seaside. It is today the seaside resort of Gravelines.
Bridge of Pierre : it is a residential district nine to 1,5 km of the center town, strewn with farms formerly

Demography

History of the city

Prosperity and misery with the Middle Ages

The town of Gravelines was founded at the 12th century by Thierry of Alsace and its son Philippe count de Flandre, which made there build a port and a strong Maison of which they made their residence. Thanks to the trade that maintain the merchants there Saint Omer, Gravelines then knows a growth which does of it one of the most important ports of the coast, well far in front of Dunkirk. Unfortunately the stranding of the estuary of the Aa put an end to this flourishing period and as of the XIIIe century, the merchant ships flee its port become unusable. The city sinks then in misery. Several attempts are carried out to create a channel which would connect the city to the Mer, but the trade never began again because of frankness from Dunkirk. Moreover, the town of Gravelines has a very bad reputation because of its bad air made wet by the marshes of the neighborhoods.

A strategic military place

Located at a strategic place between the Flanders, France and the England, Gravelines is a frontier town. Called the carries of Flandres , Gravelines is a key to enter in Flandres. The strategic issue of this place leads its occupants to make there build ramparts (French at the end of XIVe century, the emperor Charles Quint with the XVIe century). Because of its geographical site, Gravelines knew the passage of enemy armies:

May 1213: Philippe Auguste king de France, chose the site of Gravelines to embark the immense army with which it wishes to invade England. During one month, the king awaits there the Count de Flandre but on May 22nd, the prelate of the pope comes to announce to him that Innocent III condemned the invasion of England. The unloading is cancelled.
1383 (April 24th - September 17th): Henry Spencer, bishop of Norwich undertakes an English forwarding in Flanders which starts and finishes in Gravelines released by the intervention of the king de France Charles VI.
1558 (July 1st - July 13rd): Following the catch of Calais by the duke of Own way, a French forwarding placed under the orders of the marshal of Thermal baths crosses Aa with Gravelines but without managing to seize the city.

Plusoeurs battles were held in Gravelines:

the battles of July 13rd, 1558, where the Flemings and the Spaniards overcame the French,
the battles naval of July 29th, 1588, where the English fleet ran the Invincible Armada,
the city is besieged the July 28th 1644

Gravelines, French city

In turn, Burgundian, Spanish, even English, Gravelines is a Flemish city which forever ceased being placed under foreign domination. Within the framework of the War Thirty Year old, it is taken first once by the French, ordered by Gaston of Orleans in 1644. It is taken again by the Spaniards in 1652. In 1654, the explosion of the explosives magazine destroys the three quarters of the houses of the city. In 1658, the French take it again, with among the engineers the young person Vauban. Gravelines becomes officially French by the Traité of the Pyrenees in 1659. Because of an important emigration coming from Artois, Gravelines was very early accustomed to the French language, (with the Picard more exactly), while a few kilometres from there, with Bourbourg, one spoke still Flemish in 1800.

With the XIXe century, Gravelines sees its extra-muros hamlets developing because of the fishing with Iceland. One of them even succeeds in obtaining its independence. It is about Large-Extremely-Philippe which transforms into independent commune in 1884. Today, Gravelines is more the miséreuse city only it was during all its history. The installation of largest the nuclear plant of Europe on its territory completely metamorphosed its aspect.

Inheritance

the strengthened enclosure: conceived under Charles Quint and the kings of Spain, who equipped it with bastions of angle covered by a system of half-moons, ditches out of deep water and of contregarde. It was slightly altered by Vauban at the end of the XVIIe century.
the castle: called the Arsenal today, it dates from the 16th century and was restored by Vauban after the explosion of the explosives magazine in 1654.
the church Saint Willibrord whose bell-tower and arrow were destroyed by a hurricane under the First Empire. Built in 1598, the Saint-Willibrord church is of hallekerque type. Only the frontage is of origin, with a remarkable Renaissance gate. Inside, in the vault of the right side, one will find a retable dating from the beginning 17th century. Skirtings, an organ case decorated with musical instruments interlaced and a beautiful wood pulpit carved of the 17th century constitute a whole of beautiful quality.
the military Cistern: built between 1724 and 1725.
the Varennes Barracks: built in 1737, could then accommodate nearly 600 soldiers.
Bodies of guard.
the relief plan: middle of the 18th century.
the Uxelles Barracks: built under the Revolution and the Empire
the door of Dunkirk, said carries to the balls, builds at the 19th century.
the Town hall, built in traditional style under the Restoration.
the Belfry, built in 1827, was registered on the Liste of the world heritage of UNESCO in 2005. It belongs to the group of the Beffrois of Belgium and France.
the Mill Lebriez.
the headlight , built at the 19th century.

Personalities related to the commune

Jean-Baptiste River, first mayor of Gravelines, deputy of North under the Directory.
Jacques Aupick, general French
Albert Denvers, mayor of Gravelines
Andre Louis Gody (born in 1828), which was used as model with the Zouave of the Pont of Alma

Economy

the Nuclear plant of Gravelines is the second most productive power station of Europe, with 35 TWh produced per annum, after the Nuclear plant of Zaporijjia (Ukraine) which produces 37 to 38 TWh/an and most powerful ex-aequo with this one (6 engine of 910MW all 2).
Dunkirk Aluminum pertaining to the group Alcan.
Aquanord: firm aquicultural, French leader of the production of bars and sea-breams.

On the whole, it is more than 300 companies which are established on the commune of Gravelines.

Culture

Museum of the drawing and the original Print
the arsenal
military Monuments
the media library
the scene Vauban
the museum
the music school

Sports

BCM
Sportica : sports complex

Twinnings

See too

Common of North

External bonds

Surfing casting and fishing in seaside with Gravelines and on the coast of opal
www.ville-gravelines.fr Official site
www.tourisme.fr/gravelines/ Tourist office
www.ville-gravelines.fr/mediatheque/defaut.htm Municipal Media library of Gravelines
www.bcmgravelines.com/BCM
Gravelines on the site of the National Geographical Institute
Gravelines on the site of INSEE
Gravelines on the site of Quid
Localization of Gravelines on a chart of France and communes bordering
Plane on Gravelines on Mapquest

Sources

Franck Lechenet, Editions Tallied Full sky, delivers on Vauban: Full Sky on Vauban (ISBN 978-2-952857017) pages 120 to 123.

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