Bouchain (French pronunciation: [buʃɛ̃] ; West Flemish: Boesem) is a commune in the Nord department in northern France.[3]

Bouchain
Boesem
A view within Bouchain
A view within Bouchain
Coat of arms of Bouchain
Location of Bouchain
Map
Bouchain is located in France
Bouchain
Bouchain
Bouchain is located in Hauts-de-France
Bouchain
Bouchain
Coordinates: 50°17′04″N 3°19′04″E / 50.2844°N 3.3178°E / 50.2844; 3.3178
CountryFrance
RegionHauts-de-France
DepartmentNord
ArrondissementValenciennes
CantonDenain
IntercommunalityCA Porte du Hainaut
Government
 • Mayor (2020–2026) Ludovic Zientek[1]
Area
1
12.39 km2 (4.78 sq mi)
Population
 (2021)[2]
3,996
 • Density320/km2 (840/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+01:00 (CET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+02:00 (CEST)
INSEE/Postal code
59092 /59111
Elevation31–100 m (102–328 ft)
(avg. 38 m or 125 ft)
1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km2 (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries.

It lies halfway between Cambrai and Valenciennes. Bouchain, seat of the early medieval County of Ostrevent, was taken by Arnulf I, Count of Flanders, in the 10th century and eventually subsumed into the County of Hainaut.

During the War of the Spanish Succession, when the town was fortified, Bouchain was besieged twice. On 12 September 1711 it was seized from the French after a 34 day siege by the Grand Alliance led by the Duke of Marlborough. It was again besieged, and recaptured by French forces, on 19 October 1712 after an 18 day siege.[4]

Population

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Historical population
YearPop.±% p.a.
1800 1,128—    
1821 1,198+0.29%
1846 1,463+0.80%
1872 1,607+0.36%
1901 1,760+0.31%
1926 2,076+0.66%
1946 2,421+0.77%
1962 3,505+2.34%
YearPop.±% p.a.
1968 3,916+1.87%
1975 4,826+3.03%
1982 4,543−0.86%
1990 4,317−0.64%
1999 4,282−0.09%
2007 4,174−0.32%
2012 3,995−0.87%
2017 3,952−0.22%
Source: EHESS[5] and INSEE (1968-2017)[6]

International relations

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It is twinned with Halesworth and Eitorf.

Heraldry

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Arms of Bouchain
The arms of Bouchain are blazoned :
Argent, a tower gules. (form of the tower varies)



See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Répertoire national des élus: les maires". data.gouv.fr, Plateforme ouverte des données publiques françaises (in French). 2 December 2020.
  2. ^ "Populations légales 2021" (in French). The National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies. 28 December 2023.
  3. ^ INSEE commune file
  4. ^ D. G. Chandler. Marlborough as Military Commander (1989 ed.). p. 299. Spellmount Publishers Ltd. 1973. ISBN 978-0946771127.
  5. ^ Des villages de Cassini aux communes d'aujourd'hui: Commune data sheet Bouchain, EHESS (in French).
  6. ^ Population en historique depuis 1968, INSEE