Abscon

Abscon
Commune
Coat of arms
Abscon Location in France
Coordinates: 50°18′27″N 3°16′26″E / 50.30750°N 3.27389°E / 50.30750; 3.27389
Country	France
Region	Hauts-de-France
Department	Nord
Arrondissement	Valenciennes
Area
• Total	7.3 km2 (2.8 sq mi)
Elevation	51 m (167 ft)
Population  (2023)
• Total	4,100
• Density	560/km2 (1,500/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC+1 (CET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+2 (CEST)
Postal code	59215

Abscon is a commune (a town) in the Nord department in the Hauts-de-France region of northern France. In 2023, about 4,100 people lived there. The people who live in Abscon are called Absconnais.

The town is in the arrondissement of Valenciennes. It lies about 13 kilometres (8 miles) from the city of Valenciennes.

Geography

Abscon covers about 7.3 square kilometres (2.8 square miles). The land is mostly flat and low. Its height above sea level goes from about 38 metres (125 feet) to 64 metres (210 feet).

Name

The name Abscon comes from the Latin word Abscondinium. Over the years, people wrote the name in many ways, such as Ascon in 1103 and Abscons in 1349, before it became Abscon.

History

Abscon is a very old place. It began as a Gallo-Roman settlement, meaning it dates back to the time when the Romans ruled the area. For a long time, the land belonged to the nearby Marchiennes Abbey (a large monastery).

During the Hundred Years' War, a long war between England and France, the village was badly damaged. In 1340, people from the town of Douai burned down half of the village, and soldiers from Bouchain later burned the rest.

Like many towns in this part of France, Abscon grew because of coal mining. It sits in the Nord-Pas de Calais Mining Basin, a large coal-mining area that is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Coal mines gave work to many people. The town was busiest in the 1960s, with almost 4,900 people in 1968. After the mines closed, the number of people slowly went down.

Places and culture

The main church in Abscon is the Church of Saint-Brice, built in 1889. The town hall was built in 1886. Abscon also has two large parade figures called "giants", named Abaldaud II and Rictrude. People carry these tall models through the streets during local festivals, a common tradition in northern France.

References

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