Valenciennes - History, Economy, Administration

50º22N 3º32E, pop (2001e) 41 100. City in Nord department, N France; on the R Escaut (Scheldt); became famous (15th-c) for its lace industry; birthplace of Jean-Baptiste Carpeaux, Jean Froissart, Antoine Watteau; former coal-mining region; metallurgical and chemical industries, motor vehicles; museum with works by Rubens and Van Dyck.

Commune of Valenciennes Façade of the town hall
Location
Longitude	03°31'33" E
Latitude	50°21'35" N
Administration
Country	France
Région	Nord-Pas-de-Calais
Département	Nord (sous-préfecture)
Arrondissement	Valenciennes
Mayor	Dominique Riquet
Statistics
Altitude	17m–56m (avg. 42m)
Land area¹	13.84 km²
Population² (1999)	41,278
- Density (1999)	2983/km²
Miscellaneous
INSEE/Postal code	59606/ 59300
¹ French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers >
² Population sans doubles comptes: single count of residents of multiple communes (e.g.

Valenciennes (Dutch: Valencijn, Latin: Valentianae) is a town and commune in northern France in the Nord département on the Escaut river.

History

Valenciennes is first mentioned in 693 in a legal document written by Clovis II.

By the Treaty of Nijmegen, the French took control of Valenciennes (1678) and the surrounding southern part of Hainault, roughly cutting the former county in halves.

Economy

Valenciennes is historically renowned for its lace.

Administration

Valenciennes is a subprefecture of the Nord département.

People born in Valenciennes

Medieval chronicler Jean Froissart Queen consort of England Philippa of Hainault painter Antoine Watteau sculptor Jean-Baptiste Carpeaux drawing artist Charles Eisen advertiser Jean Mineur actor Jean Lefebvre

Twin towns

- Agrigento (Sicily, Italy) - Düren (Germany) - Gliwice (Poland) - Medway (England, United Kingdom) - Moscow (Russia) - Nacka (Sweden) - Obuda (Hungary) - Salgotarjan (Hungary) - Yichang (China)