Liévin is a commune in the Pas-de-Calais department in northern France. The inhabitants are called Liévinois.
| Country | France |
|---|---|
| Region | Hauts-de-France |
| Department | Pas-de-Calais |
| Canton | Liévin |
| Government | |
| Mayor (2020–2026) | Laurent Duporge |
| Area1 | 12.83 km2 (4.95 sq mi) |
| Population (Jan. 2017) | 30,785 |
| Time zone | UTC+01:00 (CET) |
| Summer (DST) | UTC+02:00 (CEST) |
Overview
The town of Liévin is an old mining area of Pas-de-Calais. Near Lens, this town is of modest size but has several nursery schools, schools, colleges, a university, a swimming pool, a city library, a cultural and social center (CCS), a hospital, a covered stadium, several gardens and parks, two movie theaters, two cemeteries, a Catholic church, a shopping center, a National Police station, a fire station, a complete intercommunity transportation system, regional newspapers, the main ones being L’Avenir de l’Artois, La Voix du Nord (Voice of the North) and Nord Éclair (Northern Flash), etc. The city has also recently acquired ADSL connectivity.
History
Prehistory
The history of Liévin begins in ancient times. The foothill of Riaumont (highest point in Liévin) is a rich archaeological site. Traces of Neolithic and Gallo-Roman periods have been found there, and 752 tombs attest that Liévin was once a Merovingian burial ground.
Agriculture and mining
In 1414, there were barely 150 inhabitants in Liévin. At that time, it was a village mainly concerned with agriculture. The population grew steadily until the First World War. Coal was discovered in the vicinity of Lens, Pas-de-Calais in 1849, and near Liévin in 1857. This precipitated a time of great productivity, prosperity, and population growth.
During the World Wars
The First World War brutally ended Liévin’s expansion. The city was ruined, the churches and castles destroyed. Human losses were 400 civilian and 600 military. The city of Liévin was awarded the Croix de Guerre in 1920.
After the war, it was necessary to rebuild everything. After a few years, Liévin was again an active city, and mining recommenced. In 1936, the nearby (5.6 km) Canadian National Vimy Memorial was dedicated to the Battle of Vimy Ridge (part of the Battle of Arras) and the Canadian forces killed during the First World War; it is also the site of two WWI Canadian cemeteries. World War II again stopped the progress of the city. In 1940, Liévin was evacuated, and the city was settled by Germans. Resistance was organized, in particular with the help of the Voix du Nord newspaper. In this war, there were 220 civilian and 225 military casualties. Liévin was liberated on 2 September 1944 by the British Eighth Army.
After the war, mining recommenced in force; coal mining was vital to the reconstruction of the French economy. Silicosis, which would kill many miners, made its appearance.
End of coal mining
In addition to silicosis, miners were in daily peril of being lost in mining catastrophes. There were five major mining catastrophes during the coal mining period:
- 28 November 1861, pit 1, 2 dead
- 13 August 1882, pit 3, 8 dead
- 14 January 1885, pit 1, 28 dead
- 16 March 1957, pit 3, 10 dead
- 27 December 1974, Saint-Amé pit, 42 dead
Liévin without coal
Liévin suffered a great deal when coal mining was abandoned, since it had depended primarily on the mines. The city converted to other industries. While it may not have the same economic dynamism of the earlier epoch, the commercial and industrial areas are a source of employment for many, and the city remains relatively prosperous with 33,430 inhabitants (see above).
Parks and gardens
Liévin is fortunate to have many green spaces
Jules Bédart public garden:
In the heart of the city center, the public garden has been completely renovated: more airy and open, there is, among other things, a basin, archaeological remains.
Crew Park:
4.5 hectares of greenery behind the Nauticaa center
Val de Souchez and Espace Guy-Dhéruelle:
Vocation of walk, relaxation and discovery of nature!
The Percot:
Recently refurbished, this place combines fishing with relaxation.
Mazarin Park:
In the heart of the Calonne district, with an area of 5 hectares, the park is a real pleasure for walkers.
Wood of Riaumont:
The Bois de Riaumont is the wooded reference of the city, the mining wastelands of the place have been transformed into green areas.
Pinchonvalles heaps:
Discovering the flora and fauna. Visits possible with the CPIE (Permanent Center of Initiative for the Environment).