Watten | |
|---|---|
 The windmill in Watten | |
.svg) Coat of arms | |
 Location of Watten | |
  Watten  Watten | |
| Coordinates:50°50′01″N2°12′47″E / 50.8336°N 2.213°E /50.8336; 2.213 | |
| Country | France |
| Region | Hauts-de-France |
| Department | Nord |
| Arrondissement | Dunkerque |
| Canton | Wormhout |
| Intercommunality | Hauts de Flandre |
| Government | |
| • Mayor(2020–2026) | Daniel Deschodt[1] |
Area 1 | 7.32 km2 (2.83 sq mi) |
| Population (2022)[2] | 2,567 |
| • Density | 351/km2 (908/sq mi) |
| Time zone | UTC+01:00 (CET) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+02:00 (CEST) |
| INSEE/Postal code | 59647 /59143 |
| Elevation | 1–73 m (3.3–239.5 ft) (avg. 55 m or 180 ft) |
| 1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km2 (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries. | |
Watten (French pronunciation:[wat];[3][4]Dutch:Waten, meaning "ford" as in "river-crossing") is acommune in theNorddepartment in northernFrance.[5] Its inhabitants are called "Wattenais".
In the 10th century the region around Watten belonged to theAbbey of Saint-Riquier though thecounts of Boulogne andFlanders attempted to take possession of it.[6] The abbey of Watten was the oldest foundation of regular canons in thedioceses of Therouanne.[7] While on the way to theHoly Land during theFirst Crusade, countRobert II of Flanders received several relics from the duke of Apulia,Roger Borsa, including a hair of theVirgin as well as some bones ofSt Matthew andSt Nicholas.[8] Robert II sent them back to his wife Clemence who had them installed in the abbey of Watten in October 1097.[9]
In 1099, pope Urban II granted the regular canons of the Abbey privileges.[10]
Watten is located at the limit of theFrench Flanders historical county. However, the local Dutch dialect (French Flemish) is virtually extinct. The neighbouring villages are Wattendam (commune ofHolque),Millam,Serques,Éperlecques andWulverdinghe.
While Watten belongs to theNorddépartement, it is bordering thePas-de-Calaisdépartement. The village is crossed by the riversAa andColme.
Watten has anoceanic climate (Köppen climate classificationCfb). The average annual temperature in Watten is 11.3 °C (52.3 °F). The average annual rainfall is 822.8 mm (32.39 in) with November as the wettest month. The temperatures are highest on average in August, at around 18.6 °C (65.5 °F), and lowest in January, at around 4.8 °C (40.6 °F). The highest temperature ever recorded in Watten was 41.9 °C (107.4 °F) on 25 July 2019; the coldest temperature ever recorded was −19.3 °C (−2.7 °F) on 14 January 1982.
| Climate data for Watten (1991−2020 normals, extremes 1970−present) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 16.1 (61.0) | 20.0 (68.0) | 25.9 (78.6) | 28.9 (84.0) | 32.8 (91.0) | 35.8 (96.4) | 41.9 (107.4) | 37.0 (98.6) | 33.6 (92.5) | 29.9 (85.8) | 20.3 (68.5) | 16.4 (61.5) | 41.9 (107.4) |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 7.6 (45.7) | 8.5 (47.3) | 11.7 (53.1) | 15.5 (59.9) | 18.6 (65.5) | 21.3 (70.3) | 23.7 (74.7) | 23.8 (74.8) | 20.7 (69.3) | 16.1 (61.0) | 11.1 (52.0) | 7.9 (46.2) | 15.5 (59.9) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | 4.8 (40.6) | 5.3 (41.5) | 7.6 (45.7) | 10.3 (50.5) | 13.5 (56.3) | 16.3 (61.3) | 18.5 (65.3) | 18.6 (65.5) | 15.7 (60.3) | 12.1 (53.8) | 8.1 (46.6) | 5.2 (41.4) | 11.3 (52.3) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 2.0 (35.6) | 2.0 (35.6) | 3.5 (38.3) | 5.1 (41.2) | 8.3 (46.9) | 11.2 (52.2) | 13.4 (56.1) | 13.4 (56.1) | 10.8 (51.4) | 8.1 (46.6) | 5.0 (41.0) | 2.6 (36.7) | 7.1 (44.8) |
| Record low °C (°F) | −19.3 (−2.7) | −14.6 (5.7) | −11.0 (12.2) | −4.6 (23.7) | −1.4 (29.5) | 1.1 (34.0) | 4.5 (40.1) | 4.7 (40.5) | 1.3 (34.3) | −6.8 (19.8) | −9.6 (14.7) | −13.8 (7.2) | −19.3 (−2.7) |
| Averageprecipitation mm (inches) | 69.5 (2.74) | 57.8 (2.28) | 50.0 (1.97) | 43.9 (1.73) | 56.4 (2.22) | 58.8 (2.31) | 67.0 (2.64) | 72.9 (2.87) | 71.9 (2.83) | 83.9 (3.30) | 97.3 (3.83) | 93.4 (3.68) | 822.8 (32.39) |
| Average precipitation days(≥ 1.0 mm) | 12.8 | 10.9 | 9.8 | 8.6 | 9.2 | 9.1 | 8.9 | 8.7 | 10.2 | 12.5 | 14.1 | 14.2 | 130.0 |
| Source:Météo-France[11] | |||||||||||||
| Year | Pop. | ±% p.a. |
|---|---|---|
| 1968 | 3,005 | — |
| 1975 | 2,819 | −0.91% |
| 1982 | 3,235 | +1.99% |
| 1990 | 3,030 | −0.81% |
| 1999 | 2,925 | −0.39% |
| 2007 | 2,731 | −0.85% |
| 2012 | 2,536 | −1.47% |
| 2017 | 2,563 | +0.21% |
| Source: INSEE[12] | ||
| The arms of Watten areblazoned : Per fess argent and gules, 3 pales counterchanged. |
The village is famous for its old ruined abbey, and for its mill, which was restored in the 1990s. These two buildings are located on the "Mountain of Watten" (72 metres high). Its church dates from the thirteenth century.
Nearby is theBlockhaus d'Éperlecques, a massive German bunker site from World War Two, wrecked by Allied bombing. It is now a museum.
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