Bolbec

Bolbec

Town hall

Coat of arms
Bolbec

Coordinates: 49°34′N 0°28′E / 49.57°N 0.47°E / 49.57; 0.47Coordinates: 49°34′N 0°28′E / 49.57°N 0.47°E / 49.57; 0.47
Country France
Region Normandy
Department Seine-Maritime
Arrondissement Le Havre
Canton Bolbec
Government
 • Mayor (2008–2014) Dominique Metot
Area1 12.24 km2 (4.73 sq mi)
Population (2006)2 12,237
 • Density 1,000/km2 (2,600/sq mi)
Time zone CET (UTC+1)
 • Summer (DST) CEST (UTC+2)
INSEE/Postal code 76114 / 76210
Elevation 29–142 m (95–466 ft)
(avg. 129 m or 423 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.

Bolbec is a commune in the Seine-Maritime department in the Haute-Normandie region in northern France. Its inhabitants are called Bolbécais or Bolbécaises.

Geography

A farming, quarrying and light industrial town situated at the heart of three valleys in the Pays de Caux, some 19 miles (31 km) northeast of Le Havre. It is the source of the river Commerce, though here it is known as the river Bolbec. The town has many small lanes (ruelles) with some pretty houses.

History

The first written record of the town dates from the end of the 11th century, as Bolebec. Archeological discoveries indicate that the site has been inhabited since ancient times. The first lord of Bolbec was Osbern de Bolbec (around 992) and the last was the Duc de Charost who was executed during the French revolution.

Ruelle Papavoine

Bolbec developed thanks to the numerous mills which lined the river banks through the town. These mills, numbering 14 in the middle of the 19th century, allowed the development of a textile industry based on water power, and later steam, to power the machinery.

Today, only three mills remain: one at the source of the river in the grounds of the Oril factory; one at Vallot; and one in the Ruelle Papavoine.

At the end of the 18th century, a number of manufacturers installed themselves at Bolbec to produce "Indiennes" (printed textiles). On the eve of the Revolution, Bolbec had 18 factories. In 1806, there were 27 producing Indiennes employing nearly 800 workers.

The importance of textiles in the Bolbec Valley was recognised by the state with the creation of the Chambre des Arts et Manufactures in 1806 (which became the Chamber of Commerce and Industry) and further, with the creation of a Conseil des Prud’hommes in 1813. However, over the years the textile industry suffered economic crises and by the end of the 19th century there was just one indiennerie remaining.

Bolbec is the last French town in which Thomas Jefferson, his family, and Sally and James Hemings stayed in 1789 prior to their arrival at Le Havre to return to America after their time in Paris.

Bolbec today

Little remains of the textile history of the town. A single former factory remains, that of the Desgenétais works, closed in 1986. In effect, this site is the last witness of the impact of the textile factories on Bolbec town planning: school, creche, chapel, workers' and foremen's houses… The site provides an exceptional insight into the epoch.[1]

Desgenétais factory

Heraldry

 The arms of Bolbec are blazoned :
Gules, 3 shuttles argent, on a chief azure 3 fleurs de lys Or..[2]

Economy

Bolbec is the seat of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Bolbec - Lillebonne.

Industry

The principal employers in Bolbec are Oril Industrie, part of the Servier Pharmaceutical group,[3] and Cooper Standard Automotive,[4] automobile equipment manufacturers specialising in waterproofing[5]

Sights

Notable people

Twin towns

See also

References

  1. ↑ Bolbec official website, accessed 29 August 2008 (French)
  2. ↑ Banque du blason
  3. ↑ Le groupe Servier & Bolbec "150 millions d’euros investis..." Archived November 20, 2008, at the Wayback Machine., Groupe Servier website, accessed 29 August 2008 (French)
  4. ↑ Locations Archived August 30, 2008, at the Wayback Machine. Cooper-Standard Automotive website, accessed 29 August 2008
  5. ↑ ANPE zone Fécamp_Lillebonne (French)
  6. ↑ Recensement du patrimoine de France Archived September 26, 2008, at the Wayback Machine. (French)

Bibliography

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