Courrières

Courrières is a commune in the Pas-de-Calais department in the Nord-Pas-de-Calais region of France.

Geography

An ex-coalmining commune, now a light industrial and farming town, situated some 7 miles (11.3 km) northeast of Lens, at the junction of the D46 and D919 roads and next to the A1 autoroute. The Lens canal and the canalized Deule river forms threequarters of the borders of the commune.

Nearest communes

• Harnes (west)
• Estevelles (northwest)
• Carvin (north)
• Oignies (east)
• Dourges (southeast)
• Montigny-en-Gohelle

History

The history of the area remains marked by the Courrières mine disaster which resulted in 1,099 deaths on 10 March 1906. All the regions' coalmines were closed by 1970.

Population

Historical population of Courrières

Year	1962	1968	1975	1982	1990	1999	2004
Population	7738	9296	12491	12612	11376	10588	10682
From the year 1962 on: No double counting—residents of multiple communes (e.g. students and military personnel) are counted only once.

Notable people

• Jules Adolphe Aimé Louis Breton, painter
• Catherine Plewinski, swimmer
• Eric Sikora, footballer

Places of interest

• The sports centre Centre Sportif.
• A forest north of Courrières.
• The church of St.Piat, dating from the sixteenth century.
• The Commonwealth War Graves Commission cemetery.

International relations

See also: List of twin towns and sister cities in France

Twin towns — Sister cities

Courrières is twinned with:

• Barlinek, Poland

See also

• Communes of the Pas-de-Calais department

References

• INSEE commune file

External links

• Official website of the town (French)
• Regional website (French)
• Website about the town (French)
• The CWGC cemetery
• Courrières on the Quid website (French)