Flixecourt | |
|---|---|
 The road into Flixecourt | |
 Coat of arms | |
Location of Flixecourt  | |
  Flixecourt  Flixecourt | |
| Coordinates:50°00′49″N2°04′55″E / 50.0136°N 2.0819°E /50.0136; 2.0819 | |
| Country | France |
| Region | Hauts-de-France |
| Department | Somme |
| Arrondissement | Amiens |
| Canton | Flixecourt |
| Intercommunality | CC Nièvre et Somme |
| Government | |
| • Mayor(2020–2026) | Patrick Gaillard[1] |
Area 1 | 11.84 km2 (4.57 sq mi) |
| Population (2022)[2] | 3,247 |
| • Density | 270/km2 (710/sq mi) |
| Time zone | UTC+01:00 (CET) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+02:00 (CEST) |
| INSEE/Postal code | 80318 /80420 |
| Elevation | 6–105 m (20–344 ft) (avg. 82 m or 269 ft) |
| 1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km2 (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries. | |
Flixecourt (French pronunciation:[fliksəkuʁ];Picard:Flichcourt) is acommune in theSommedepartment inHauts-de-France in northernFrance.
Flixecourt is situated on the N1 road and the banks of the riverNièvre, a tributary of theSomme, some 20 miles (32 km) south ofAbbeville. A junction with the A16 autoroute is about a mile away.
In the 12th century, Flixecourt was afief of Amiens and the site of aleperhospice.
Thefiefdom passed to the Louvencourt family, then in 1276 to the Fieffes family, who built apriory, entrusting the management of it to thevidame ofPicquigny.
The town that was established here had 140 homes at the start of theHundred Years War but only 40 in 1548.
In 1545, Charles d'Ailly obtained permission from the King to create a weekly market. This privilege continued for his son, Louis d'Ailly, in 1567.
In 1603, a huge fire burnt down half the town.
Near the site of the present-day church are vestiges of a château, mentioned in a notarial document in 1618, in which Philibert-Emmanuel d'Ailly, granted the structure to a certain Louis de la Massonière if he financed repairs.
Towards the end of theFrench Revolution, the château belonged to the Croquoison family.
The present church was built in 1721.The town's commerce at this time was based on the production ofpeat and oflinen.
In 1815, there were twowatermills and twowindmills.
The discovery of a new natural fibre,jute, changed the destiny of both the town and the region. In 1840, the Saint brothers set up aweaving factory, employing locals andScottish weavers. The factory was electrified in 1907. Before the outbreak ofWorld War I, 14,000 people were employed here.
The town was the factory, and the factory was the town. The owners set in place all manner of improvements to the daily and social life of the workers. Piped water supplies and electricity to all homes, a school, a creche, a pharmacy, a maternity hospital and a co-operative.
AfterWorld War II and the advent of artificial fibres, the factory went into irreversible decline.
| Year | Pop. | ±% p.a. |
|---|---|---|
| 1968 | 3,459 | — |
| 1975 | 3,546 | +0.36% |
| 1982 | 3,276 | −1.13% |
| 1990 | 2,931 | −1.38% |
| 1999 | 2,978 | +0.18% |
| 2007 | 3,145 | +0.68% |
| 2012 | 3,221 | +0.48% |
| 2017 | 3,173 | −0.30% |
| Source: INSEE[3] | ||
The town has a rich architectural heritage, typical of theIndustrial Revolution. Many are in a bad state of repair. Some have been restored but more needs to be done.
Teddy Bertin, a French professionalfootballer, was born in Flixecourt, as was former World and Olympictrack cycling championPhilippe Ermenault.
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