Brebières

Brebières
Coat of arms of Brebières Coat of arms
Brebières
Location within Nord-Pas-de-Calais region Brebières
Coordinates:
Country	France
Region	Nord-Pas-de-Calais-Picardy
Department	Pas-de-Calais
Arrondissement	Arras
Canton	Vitry-en-Artois
Intercommunality	Osartis
Government
• Mayor (2008–2014)	Jean-Pierre Hecquet
Area1	10.8 km2 (4.2 sq mi)
Population (2009)2	4,910
• Density	450/km2 (1,200/sq mi)
INSEE/Postal code	62173 / 62117
Elevation	25–48 m (82–157 ft) (avg. 43 m or 141 ft)
1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km² (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries. 2 Population without double counting: residents of multiple communes (e.g., students and military personnel) only counted once.

Brebières is a commune in the Pas-de-Calais department in the Nord-Pas-de-Calais region in northern France.

Geography

A farming and light industrial town located 12 miles (19 km) east of Arras on the N50 road, at the junction with the D44 and D307, by the banks of the Scarpe river. A celebration of the potato takes place annually on the 1st Sunday in September.

History

• Evidence of occupation from Merovingian times has been unearthed.
• In 2008, during the creation of the 60 hectare Bèliers industrial zone, three important archaeological sites, once occupied by Gauls and Celts was discovered. Finds include the residue of iron smelting, glass beads, pottery and bones of both animals and humans.

Population

Historical population
Year	Pop.	±%
1962	3,424	—
1968	4,238	+23.8%
1975	4,285	+1.1%
1982	4,307	+0.5%
1990	4,324	+0.4%
1999	4,424	+2.3%
2009	4,910	+11.0%

Sights

• The church of St. Vaast, dating from the twentieth century.
• The château de La Bucquière.

See also

• Communes of the Pas-de-Calais department

References

• INSEE commune file

External links

• Official website of the commune (French)
• Genealogy of Brebières (French)
• Brebières on the Quid website (French)