Béthune

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Béthune (Template:IPA ; archaic Template:Langx and Bethwyn historically in English) is a town in northern France, sub-prefecture of the Pas-de-Calais department.<ref>INSEE commune file</ref>

Geography

Béthune is located in the former province of Artois. It is situated Template:Convert south-east of Calais, Template:Convert west of Lille, and Template:Convert north of Paris.

Landmarks

Béthune is a town rich in architectural heritage and history. It has, among other features, a large paved square with shops, cafés, and a Template:Convert (133 steps) belfry standing in the center from the top of which the Belgian border can be seen. The chime of the belfry is composed of thirty-six bells. A belfry (French:"beffroi") has stood on the site since 1346.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The current belfry plays melodies every 15 minutes, including the ch'ti (regional patois) children's lullaby "min p'tit quinquin" (my little darling).<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> In 2005, the belfry was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List as part of the Belfries of Belgium and France site, because of its architecture and testimony to the rise of municipal power in Europe.<ref name = "unesco">Template:Cite web</ref>

History

File:Picturesque view of the ruined town of Bethune (4688609382).jpg

Béthune after the German bombardment of May 1918

Hugh Hastings (died 1347), King Edward III of England's captain and lieutenant in Flanders, mounted an attack and laid siege to Béthune, with a combined English and Flemish force, during a diversionary raid as part of Chevauchée of Edward III of 1346. The Flemish component proved undisciplined and the siege was abandoned in failure before the end of August.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>

During the War of the Spanish Succession in July–August 1710, Béthune was besieged by forces of the Grand Alliance. The town eventually surrendered after a vigorous defence conducted by Antoine de Vauban (1654–1731), a relative of the famous military engineer Vauban.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>

File:Bethune Town Cemetery -16.jpg

Béthune British Military Cemetery

In World War I, Béthune was an important railway junction and command centre for the British Canadian Corps and Indian Expeditionary Force, as well as the 33rd Casualty Station until December 1917. It initially suffered little damage until the second phase of the Ludendorff Offensive in April 1918, when German forces reached Locon, Template:Convert away. On 21 May, a bombardment destroyed large parts of the town, killing more than 100 civilians.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Over 3,200 casualties are buried in Béthune Town Cemetery, the Commonwealth section of which was designed by Edwin Lutyens; the majority are British (2,933) or Canadian (55), the remainder German.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Rebuilt after the war (the rebuilding of the Hôtel de Ville was completed in 1929),<ref>Template:Base Mérimée</ref> Béthune was badly damaged once more by air attacks and house to house fighting on 24–26 May 1940 when it was captured by the SS Panzer Division Totenkopf. The Totenkopf suffered heavy casualties and anger at their losses allegedly played a role in the Le Paradis massacre on 27 May, when 97 members of the Royal Norfolk Regiment were shot after surrendering.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> During the war, many townspeople were deported to work in Germany; the town was officially liberated on 4 September 1944.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Transport

File:Pas de Calais est.png

East of Pas-de-Calais (Béthune, Lens, Hénin-Beaumont)

Béthune station has seven daily TGV trains to Paris, a journey which takes 1 hour 15 minutes. There are also regular trains to Lille, Amiens, Dunkerque and several regional destinations.

Béthune is served by the Lens-Béthune bus network.

By car, Béthune is accessible from the A26 which intersects the A1 (Lille to Paris) Template:Convert to the south-east. By road, it is 2 hours 30 minutes from Paris, 1 hour from Calais, 30 minutes from Arras and 40 minutes from Lille. By using the Channel Tunnel and the A26, Béthune is 3 hours 30 minutes from London and 6 hours 45 minutes from Manchester. Using road connections on mainland Europe it is nearly 2 hours from Brussels, 3 hours from Aix-La-Chapelle, 3 hours from Cologne, 8 hours 30 minutes from Berlin and 3 hours 30 minutes from Amsterdam.

Population

The inhabitants are called Béthunois.

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Notable people

Béthune was the birthplace of:

Jean Buridan, philosopher
Antoine Busnois, composer and poet of the early Renaissance
Jérôme Leroy, former captain of RC Lens and current FC Sochaux midfielder in France
Pierre de Manchicourt, Renaissance composer
Nicolas Fauvergue, footballer
Thomas Crecquillon, the Renaissance composer, probably died here.
Tristan Charpentier, racing driver

Béthune is also associated with the following historic personalities:

Maximilien de Béthune, duc de Sully, general and statesman
Conon de Béthune, crusader and trouvère poet

Sport

Stade Béthunois Football Club represent Béthune and was formed in 1902.<ref>fr:Stade béthunois FC</ref> They currently play in Nord-Pas-de-Calais league.