Vitry-en-Artois

Vitry-en-Artois
Vitry-en-Artois
Location within Nord-Pas-de-Calais region  Vitry-en-Artois
Coordinates: 50°19′35″N 2°59′02″E / 50.3264°N 2.9839°ECoordinates: 50°19′35″N 2°59′02″E / 50.3264°N 2.9839°E
Country	France
Region	Nord-Pas-de-Calais-Picardie
Department	Pas-de-Calais
Arrondissement	Arras
Canton	Vitry-en-Artois
Intercommunality	Osartis
Government
• Mayor (2008–2014)	Personne
Area^1	18.78 km^2 (7.25 sq mi)
Population (2006)^2	4,441
• Density	240/km^2 (610/sq mi)
INSEE/Postal code	62865 / 62490
Elevation	41–72 m (135–236 ft) (avg. 48 m or 157 ft)
^1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km² (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries. ^2 Population without double counting: residents of multiple communes (e.g., students and military personnel) only counted once.

Vitry-en-Artois is a commune and in the Pas-de-Calais department in the Nord-Pas-de-Calais region of France.

Geography

Vitry-en-Artois is situated some 12 miles (19.3 km) northeast of Arras, at the junction of the N50, D39 and the D42 roads. The river Scarpe flows through the town, which is also served by the SNCF railway. The World War II German airfield was later used by the Americans, then after the war, was put to commercial use as the local aerodrome.

History

The origin of the name comes from the Celtic, ‘’Vic’’ which means "castle" and ‘Ac’’ which means "at the water's edge". It appears later as "Victoriacum" mentioned in the 7th century. Middle stone age tools have been found in the area.

It was occupied by the Romans, until around the year 360 AD when Saint-Martin built a church here.

Aerial photography has revealed an isolated circular ditch monument at Vitry.^[1] The Merovingian villa of Vitry was an important Neustrian seat, preferred to Arras. At Vitry, even as the nobles of Neustria were raising Sigibert I in triumph on his shield, he was murdered by hirelings of his brother Chilperic's third wife, Fredegunda, November–December 575.^[2] His son, the infant Clotaire II was taken to safety from the palace at Cambrai to Vitry to be raised in seclusion and security, according to Gregory of Tours.

In the Middle Ages, Vitry became a strategic place, because the river could be used to flood the defensive border of the city of Douai and ensure the functioning of its windmills.

During the Franco-Prussian war of 1870-1871, French General Faidherbe briefly established his headquarters in Vitry-en-Artois (from 25 to 31 December 1870) after the battle of Pont-Noyelles.

During the First World War, the population took refuge in the network of shelters and tunnels of the town. The destruction sustained on April 12, 1917 left the town completely destroyed, with 768 buildings gone and only 5 left standing.

On 23 September 1920, the town received the Croix de guerre.

Population

Historical population of Vitry-en-Artois

Year	1962	1968	1975	1982	1990	1999	2006
Population	3389	3593	4748	4738	4732	4606	4441
From the year 1962 on: No double counting—residents of multiple communes (e.g. students and military personnel) are counted only once.

Places of interest

• The church of St.Martin, rebuilt, along with much of the village, after World War I.
• The war memorial.

See also

• Communes of the Pas-de-Calais department

References

• INSEE commune file

1. Discoveries
2. Gregory of Tours, IV.51 and V.1. He was buried nearby at Lambres before being transferred to the Neustrian sedes regiae at Soissons

External links

• Vitry-en-Artois on the Quid website (French)