Neufchâtel-Hardelot
Encyclopedia
Neufchâtel-Hardelot is a commune
in the Pas-de-Calais department in the Nord-Pas-de-Calais region of France
.
is just within the commune’s territory, the western border of which is formed by the English Channel
.
The name Neufchâtel has its origins in a castle, in this case the Chateau de Bellefontaine, which was engulfed by shifting sands. This may be the "Novum Castellum" that gave its name to Neufchâtel. Opinion is divided. The name Neufchâtel was recorded here for the first time in 1173 and again in 1199 in the charter of Samer
.
In the early 1900s, Hardelot was lined with white sand dunes facing the sea and a 600 hectares (1,482.6 acre) forest. It attracted many hunters of deer
, wild boar, hare
s, rabbit
s, partridge
, snipe
and pheasant
.
In 1905, an English patron, Sir John Whitley, and his French friends bought 400 hectares (988.4 acre) hectares of land and created the Hardelot company. Whitley had already owned Hardelot castle since 1897, and was one of the promoters of Le Touquet-Paris-Plage
. He wanted to develop Hardelot as a new and fashionable resort and a world centre of sports.
From 1908 onwards, 20 new villas were built around the tennis courts on the seafront by the famous architect Louis-Marie Cordonnier, a friend of John Whitley, who designed these vast and unique villas that today characterize Hardelot. In 1911, aviator Louis Blériot had a villa built near the levee. Around that time, some of the first land yachting races were held here, attracting many followers to the beach.
During the Second World War, Hardelot was occupied and looted by the Germans
and blown up by Allied bombing in 1944.
Since then, Hardelot-Plage has been rebuilt. It is still littered with the numerous villas hidden in pine forests which have made its name. It is also a prominent sporting place with two golf courses as well as tennis and equestrian clubs.
Communes of France
The commune is the lowest level of administrative division in the French Republic. French communes are roughly equivalent to incorporated municipalities or villages in the United States or Gemeinden in Germany...
in the Pas-de-Calais department in the Nord-Pas-de-Calais region of France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
.
Geography
Neufchâtel-Hardelot is a farming and tourist town of forests, golf courses and beaches, situated some 8 miles (12.9 km) south of Boulogne, at the junction of the D940, D308 and D215 roads. Junction 27 of the A16 autorouteA16 autoroute
The A16 autoroute – also known as L'Européenne and forming between Abbeville and Dunkirk a part of the larger Autoroute des estuaires – is a motorway in northern France....
is just within the commune’s territory, the western border of which is formed by the English Channel
English Channel
The English Channel , often referred to simply as the Channel, is an arm of the Atlantic Ocean that separates southern England from northern France, and joins the North Sea to the Atlantic. It is about long and varies in width from at its widest to in the Strait of Dover...
.
History
At the end of the 7th century, the grassy dunes area was known as "Mont Saint Frieux", 153 metres above sea level, where a village was first built. The name later became Saint-Férieux.The name Neufchâtel has its origins in a castle, in this case the Chateau de Bellefontaine, which was engulfed by shifting sands. This may be the "Novum Castellum" that gave its name to Neufchâtel. Opinion is divided. The name Neufchâtel was recorded here for the first time in 1173 and again in 1199 in the charter of Samer
Samer
Samer is a commune and in the Pas-de-Calais department in the Nord-Pas-de-Calais region of France.-Population:-Places of interest:* The church of St.Steven, dating from the thirteenth century....
.
In the early 1900s, Hardelot was lined with white sand dunes facing the sea and a 600 hectares (1,482.6 acre) forest. It attracted many hunters of deer
Deer
Deer are the ruminant mammals forming the family Cervidae. Species in the Cervidae family include white-tailed deer, elk, moose, red deer, reindeer, fallow deer, roe deer and chital. Male deer of all species and female reindeer grow and shed new antlers each year...
, wild boar, hare
Hare
Hares and jackrabbits are leporids belonging to the genus Lepus. Hares less than one year old are called leverets. Four species commonly known as types of hare are classified outside of Lepus: the hispid hare , and three species known as red rock hares .Hares are very fast-moving...
s, rabbit
Rabbit
Rabbits are small mammals in the family Leporidae of the order Lagomorpha, found in several parts of the world...
s, partridge
Partridge
Partridges are birds in the pheasant family, Phasianidae. They are a non-migratory Old World group.These are medium-sized birds, intermediate between the larger pheasants and the smaller quails. Partridges are native to Europe, Asia, Africa, and the Middle East...
, snipe
Snipe
A snipe is any of about 25 wading bird species in three genera in the family Scolopacidae. They are characterized by a very long, slender bill and crypsis plumage. The Gallinago snipes have a nearly worldwide distribution, the Lymnocryptes Jack Snipe is restricted to Asia and Europe and the...
and pheasant
Pheasant
Pheasants refer to some members of the Phasianinae subfamily of Phasianidae in the order Galliformes.Pheasants are characterised by strong sexual dimorphism, males being highly ornate with bright colours and adornments such as wattles and long tails. Males are usually larger than females and have...
.
In 1905, an English patron, Sir John Whitley, and his French friends bought 400 hectares (988.4 acre) hectares of land and created the Hardelot company. Whitley had already owned Hardelot castle since 1897, and was one of the promoters of Le Touquet-Paris-Plage
Le Touquet-Paris-Plage
Le Touquet-Paris-Plage, commonly referred to as Le Touquet, is a commune in the Pas-de-Calais department in northern France. It has a population of 5,355....
. He wanted to develop Hardelot as a new and fashionable resort and a world centre of sports.
From 1908 onwards, 20 new villas were built around the tennis courts on the seafront by the famous architect Louis-Marie Cordonnier, a friend of John Whitley, who designed these vast and unique villas that today characterize Hardelot. In 1911, aviator Louis Blériot had a villa built near the levee. Around that time, some of the first land yachting races were held here, attracting many followers to the beach.
During the Second World War, Hardelot was occupied and looted by the Germans
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
and blown up by Allied bombing in 1944.
Since then, Hardelot-Plage has been rebuilt. It is still littered with the numerous villas hidden in pine forests which have made its name. It is also a prominent sporting place with two golf courses as well as tennis and equestrian clubs.
Population
| 1962 | 1968 | 1975 | 1982 | 1990 | 1999 | 2006 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1834 | 2007 | 2392 | 2712 | 3035 | 3592 | 3867 |
| Census count starting from 1962: Population without duplicates | ||||||
Places of interest
- The church of St.Pierre, dating from the sixteenth century.
- Saint-Augustin’s church at Hardelot.
- The thirteenth century castleCastleA castle is a type of fortified structure built in Europe and the Middle East during the Middle Ages by European nobility. Scholars debate the scope of the word castle, but usually consider it to be the private fortified residence of a lord or noble...
. - Two ancient manorhouses.