Douai is a commune in the Nord département in northern France. It is a sub-prefecture of the department. Located on the river Scarpe some 40 kilometres (25 miles) from Lille and 25 km (16 mi) from Arras, Douai is home to one of the region’s most impressive belfries.
| Country | France |
|---|---|
| Region | Hauts-de-France |
| Department | Nord |
| Canton | Douai |
| Government | |
| Mayor (2020–2026) | Frédéric Chéreau |
| Area1 | 16.88 km2 (6.52 sq mi) |
| Population (2017-01-01) | 39,700 |
| Time zone | UTC+01:00 (CET) |
| Summer (DST) | UTC+02:00 (CEST) |
Transport
The Gare de Douai railway station is served by regional trains towards Lille, Arras, Lens, Amiens, Saint-Quentin and Valenciennes. It is also connected to the TGV network, with high speed trains to Paris, Lyon, Nantes and other cities.
Education
University of Douai
The University of Douai was founded under the patronage of Phillip II, when Douai belonged to the Spanish Netherlands.
It was prominent, from the 1560s until the French Revolution, as a centre for the education of English Catholics escaping persecution in England. Connected with the University were not only the English College, Douai, founded by William Allen, but also the Irish and Scottish colleges and the Benedictine, Franciscan and Jesuit houses.
For a time there was a Carthusian monastery (charterhouse) in Douai, which is now the Musée de la Chartreuse de Douai.
Modern university
Founded as University of Douai in 1562, the state university in Northern France was renamed Université impériale de Douai-Lille in 1808, then as Université de Lille with faculty expansion from Douai to Lille from mid-19th century onwards.
- Université Lille Nord de France-Artois University
- Douai Business School, established in 1991
- École des Mines de Douai
- Nurse School
Health
Douai hospital built in 1970 then rebuilt in 2008.
Economy
- Bacquehem glassworks founded in 1788 by Charles-Alexandre-Joseph de Bacquehem which will become the Chartier glassworks .
- Chappuy glassworks founded in 1842.
- Douai remand center .
Large companies located in the town
Formerly the headquarters of the Houillères du Nord-Pas-de-Calais (HBNPC), Douai had to be reconverted in the 1980s , in particular with the establishment of a Renault factory and the National Printing Office .
- Automotive ( Renault Usine Georges-Besse located in Cuincy ).
- Metallurgy.
- Railway rolling stock.
- Printing.
- Chemical products.
Douai has a regional branch of the Greater Lille Chamber of Commerce and Industry : it manages the river port of Douai.
In September 2006, the establishment of a telephone call center near Gayant Expo (duacom – German group Bertelsmann), employing more than 300 employees, enabled Douai to open up to the world of services. T
Douai-center is going through a serious purely local crisis.
Culture and heritage
Architectural heritage
Douai is classified as a city of art and history .
Douai retains vestiges of its military past, through its fortifications (Porte de Valenciennes, Porte d’Arras, Tour des Dames), but also its arsenal, its cannon foundry, its barracks. The belfry houses the carillon.
The belfry
The belfry of Douai, building 54 m , began in the xiv th century , hiding in its tower an impressive chime of sixty-two bells. The belfry of Douai was represented by Jean-Baptiste-Camille Corot in 1871 in a painting which is currently in the Louvre Museum.
The fortifications
The general condition is to be discovered on the relief map of the 17th exhibited at the Chartreuse museum. Only a few remains have escaped the dismantling of the city walls decided in 1891.
The Porte de Valenciennes
This door, formerly called Notre-Dame door, was built in 1453 in sandstone. As the Palace of Justice, the door of Valenciennes is in the Gothic style to the one side and in the classical style to another, very common at the time.
The Porte d’Arras
Generally dated the beginning of the xiv th century, it consists of a gatehouse with two round towers flanking the sandstone entrance passage.
The Ladies‘ Tower
Round tower forming part of the 13th century enclosure . It dates from 1425 and is built in sandstone. It is located in a park of the same name with a body of water.
Religious buildings
- Collegiate Church of Saint-Pierre , rue du Clocher Saint-Pierre.
- Saint-Jacques Church , Square of Monsignor Génie.
- Notre-Dame Church, Notre-Dame Terrace.
- Notre-Dame-d’Espérance church, rue de l’Eglise in Dorignies.
- Church of the Sacred Heart and Notre-Dame-de-Pellevoisin, rue du Faubourg de Paris.
- Notre-Dame-du-Sacré-Coeur Church, rue Marguerite de Flandre in Frais-Marais.
- Sainte-Thérèse Church, rue de Cuincy.
- Temple of the Reformed Church, rue de l’Hippodrome.
- Evangelical Baptist Church, avenue du Maréchal Leclerc.
- Full Gospel Church, rue Léo Lagrange.
- Evangelical church, boulevard Jeanne d’Arc.
- Evangelical Protestant Community, rue Marceline.
- ACI, rue Victor Hugo.
Justice Buildings
Palace of Justice
Built on the site of the refuge of the abbey of Marchiennes (also called Grand Constantin) of which it still occupies certain buildings, the courthouse houses the Douai Court of Appeal, the North Assize Court as well as the tribunal of great authority. The facade overlooking the Scarpe is a legacy of Gothic art where you can still admire the ribs.
Hôtel d’Aoust
Located at 50, rue de la Comédie, behind its Louis XV style facade, the administrative court of appeal has been sitting since 1999. The courtyard façade is adorned with allegorical statues evoking the four seasons.
Private mansions
- Hôtel du Dauphin;
- Hôtel Romagnant;
- Hôtel de la Tramerie;
Environmental heritage
Parks and public gardens
Charles-Bertin Park
The park is named after Charles Bertin who was mayor of Douai from 1896 to 1919 .
The park covers six hectares and is planted with 13,747 shrubs, 1,176 trees of 50 species including 27 large trees ( Ginkgo biloba Pterocarya from the Caucasus ). A lake is supplied with water by drilling and pumping whereas before the bombardments of the war, water was taken directly from the Scarpe.
Rivage Gayant Park
The old coal port of the HBNPC has been transformed into a 21 hectare park, including 5 hectares of water. It has been open to the public since the summer of 2000 . It is a natural area comprising more than 7,300 plants as well as rare birds.
Other:
- Parc de la Tour des Dames
- Charles-Fenain Park
- Domaine de La Chaumière
- Wagnonville Marsh Regional Nature Reserve
Cultural heritage
The Douai Library
The municipal library of Douai was founded in 1767 by Louis XV. Library to xviii th and xix th centuries was designed for researchers and students. During the Second World War, it was burned during the bombardments. It used to be located very close to the station. And after this, the Marceline Desbordes-Valmore library was moved in 1955 to 117, rue de la Fonderie.
The heritage reserve is a store containing rare manuscripts, there are several stores in the library. Many ancient manuscripts are confiscations. The Douais manuscripts can be viewed on the Internet, on the site www.enluminures.culture.fr/. The Library also hosts exhibitions.
The catalog of works (except manuscripts) is available on the website: https://www.bm-douai.fr
Other:
- Chartreuse Museum
- Museum of Natural Science and Archeology
- Arkéos Archaeological Museum
- Theater
- Le TANDEM National scene • Hippodrome de Douai
- Conservatory regional influence musical Douai
Miscellaneous
Gayant celebrations
The Gayant festivals traditionally take place in Douai the first weekend after July 5 , from Saturday to Monday . The Gayant festivals correspond to the annual outing of the city’s giants : Monsieur Gayant , Madame Gayant (also known as Marie Cagenon) as well as their three children Jacquot, Fillon and Binbin. Mr. Gayant measures 8.50 m and weighs 370 kg , he is carried by 6 men. Marie Cagenon is 6.25 m tall and weighs 250 kg, it is also carried by 6 men. Jacquot measures within 3 meters and is carried by a man, Fillon 2.80 m and Binbin 2.20 m . The Gayant family procession is accompanied by a popular festival where music groups, brass bands and street performers regularly perform. For this occasion, a fun fair has been taking place for a hundred years on the Place du Barlet . In many companies the Douaisis on Monday , said “ Monday of Gayant “ is idle.
The nail terminal is the subject of a legend concerning the control of the loyalty of the lords of Douai. There are nail tips but also a 6-pointed star and various engravings on the tip.
Sports
- The Francs nageurs cheminots de Douai is a water polo team playing at the highest level of the French Championship .
- The Sporting Club of Douai is a football club of regional scope, but having evolved in the Second Division after the war.
- The Douai Hockey Club (field and indoor hockey) is playing in the Men’s Elite (both sections).
- The CED, Cercle d’Escrime de Douai, regularly places its young competitors on the podiums (regional, France and world).
