Armentières


Armentières is a commune in the Nord department in the Hauts-de-France region in northern France. It is part of the Urban Community of Lille Métropole.
The motto of the town is Pauvre mais fière.

Geography

Armentières lies on the Belgian border, northwest of the city of Lille, on the right bank of the river Lys.

History

In 1668, the town became French, along with most of the rest of French Flanders. At the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th, Armentières acquired fame, being the “City of Fabric”. Industrial weaving, spinning and brewing grew in Armentières, benefitting from the presence of water.
Armentières particularly suffered during the World Wars although the town received two Military Crosses and the Legion d'Honneur. In Armentières and the surrounding areas, the military cemeteries are places of remembrance for the casualties of the World Wars. "Mademoiselle from Armentières" was a popular song among Allied soldiers in World War I.
During World War I, in October 1914, the town was the site of the Battle of Armentières. In April 1918, German troops shelled Armentières with mustard gas. British troops were forced to evacuate the area, but the Germans could not enter for two weeks because of the heavy contamination. Witnesses to the bombardment stated that the shelling was so heavy that liquid mustard ran in the streets.

Population

Heraldry

Railways

Armentières has a railway station on the line from Lille to Calais and Dunkirk.

International relations

Armentières is twinned with:


The belfry of Armentière is a classified World heritage of UNESCO monument. The belfry, just like the nearing city hall was designed by the architect Louis Marie Cordonnier and is open for visitors and tourists.

In fiction

in The Three Musketeers hides in Armentières and is caught and executed there.