Valenciennes



Valenciennes is a city in France and one of the main cities of the Region Nord-Pas-de-Calais. Valencijn in Dutch is a commune on the Scheldt (in French: Escaut) river. While the city and region had seen a steady decline between 1975 and 1990, it has since rebounded. The 1999 census recorded that the population of the commune of Valenciennes was population of 41,278, while that of the metropolitan area was 399,677. Nowadays there are about 50 Couchsurfers who live in Valenciennes and/or in the area. This page will show you what to see here and some tips to make your visit in Valenciennes more than great !

The Beginning
Valenciennes is first mentioned in 693 in a legal document written by Clovis II (Valentiana). In the 843 Treaty of Verdun, it was made a neutral city between Neustria and the Austrasia. Later in the 9th century the region was overrun by the Normans, and in 881 the town passed to them. In 923 it passed to the Duchy of Lower Lotharingia dependent on the Holy Roman Empire. Once the Empire of the Franks was established, the city began to develop, though the archaeological record has still not revealed all it has to reveal about this period. Under the Ottonian emperors, Valenciennes became the centre of marches on the border of the Empire.

During the Middle Age
In 1008, a terrible famine brought the Bubonic Plague. According to the local tradition, the Virgin Mary held a cordon around the city which, miraculously, has since protected its people from the disease. Since then, every year at that time, the Valenciennois used to walk around the 14km road round the town, in what is called the tour of the Holy Cordon. In 1285, the currency of Hainaut was replaced by the currency of France: the ecu. Valenciennes was full of activity, with numerous corporations, and outside its walls a large number of convents developed, like that of the Dominicans. In the 14th century, the Tower of Dodenne was built by Albert I, Duke of Bavaria, where even today, the bell is rung in honour of Our Lady of the Holy Cordon. In the 15th century, the County of Hainaut, of which Valenciennes is part, was re-attached to Burgundy, losing its autonomy.

16th and 17th Centuries
In 1591, the Jesuits built a school and then the foundations of a church of Sainte-Croix. In 1611, the facade of the town hall was completely rebuilt in magnificent Renaissance style. In the seventeenth century the Scheldt was channelled between Cambrai and Valenciennes, benefitting Valenciennes' wool, fabric and fine arts. To use up flax yarn, women began to make the famous lace. In 1677, the armies of Louis XIV of France captured the city and in 1678 the Treaty of Nijmegen gave the control of Valenciennes (1678) and the surrounding southern part of County of Hainaut, roughly cutting the former county in half. The city became one of the main strongholds of northern France, and was fortified by Vauban, who personally visited the town for that purpose shortly after the Treaty.

French Revolution
The city was besieged by the First Coalition against Revolutionary France in 1793. The city was captured, plundered and occupied in July by Anglo-Austrian forces under the Prince Frederick, Duke of York and Albany and the Prince Josias of Saxe-Coburg, and only retaken by the French Revolutionary armies in August 1794. After the Napoleonic era, Valenciennes gave itself up to the Bourbon Restoration in 1815 for 5 years. After that, the town's sugar-refining and coal industries once more started to expand. On 6 August 1890, a law downgraded the town's fortified status, and so from 1891 to 1893, its fortifications were demolished. The town was granted the Légion d'honneur in 1900.

Valenciennes Today
The town's first antenna was set up in Lille in 1964, then the Centre universitaire was set up in 1970, becoming independent in 1979 as the University of Valenciennes and Hainaut-Cambrésis.

More information about the History of Valenciennes on the Valenciennes !

WHAT TO VISIT ?
Here is the list of some places to visit in Valenciennes:

More information about the places to visit in Valenciennes on the Valenciennes ! You can check the Official Website of the Office of Tourism of Valenciennes !

Free Internet/Wifi Access
Here is a list of places where you can have an internet and/or wifi access:


 * Centre Social Georges Dehove - Adress: 1, rue Léon Dubled - Tel: 03 27 46 52 39 
 * Centre d accueil et de ressources de l Economie de Proximité - Adress: 228, Av Desandrouin - Tel: 03 27 22 43 76 
 * Bibliothèque Universitaire du Mont-Houy - 'Adress: Mont-Houy - Tel: 03 27 51 17 56 
 * Le Phénix. Théâtre de Valenciennes - Adress: Bv Harpignies - Tel: 03 27 32 32 00 
 * Cyber-base Valenciennes - Adress: 73 rue St Géry - Tel: 03 27 09 05 36 
 * Bibliothèque - Adress: 2, Rue Ferrand 59300 VALENCIENNES - Tel: 03 27 22 57 07 
 * Maison de Quartiers Centre-ville - Adress: 10, rue des urselines - Tel: 03 27 22 43 90
 * Mc donalds on the Main Square (Place d'Armes) of Valenciennes
 * Wallon College and law University - Harpignie Boulevard
 * Carrefour (commercial center) - Aulnoy les Valenciennes (near Valenciennes)
 * Auchan Petite Foret (huge commercial center) - Petite forêt (near Valenciennes)

Nice and Cheap Places to Eat
Here is a list of nice places to eat in Valenciennes:


 * Creperie "Le Chat qui Lit" - 16 square Crasseau - Quartier des Wantiers - 59300 Valenciennes 

COUCHSURFERS</FONT>


There are about 60 Couchsurfers who live in Valenciennes and around. Feel free to contact them or leave a post on the CS Group of Valenciennes.

Meetings</FONT>
There is sometimes some meetings in Valenciennes and/or in the area. To be kept inform, check the CS Group of Valenciennes to see what happen and/or check the CS Calendar of the Area to see if there is some CS meetings organised in the region Nord-Pas-de-Calais and in the main cities around.

Coffee or a Drink</FONT>
Here is a list of local Couchsurfers who could be ready to show you the city and/or have a drink with you:

Manu, Adeline & Franck, Tricky, Romain

How to get to Valenciennes ?</FONT>

 * By Car: Motorway A2 from Paris, A23 from Lille, A7 from Mons and Belgium


 * By Carpooling: You can find a driver or passenger to share the ride and cut on travel cost. In France carpooling is very popular and is called "covoiturage". Try Envoiture.fr to get to Valenciennes.


 * By Train: You have a direct TGV from Paris to reach Valenciennes, check the SNCF website.


 * By Plane: The closest airports from Valenciennes are Brussels-Charleroi and Lille-Lesquin.

IN CASE OF EMERGENCY</FONT>


Consulat of Belgium - 40, Boulevard Saly - 59305 Crespin-Valenciennes Tél : 03.27.14.83.60 - Fax : 03.27.14.80.01
 * Police Station:
 * 1) Avenue des Dentellières - Tel: 03.27.28.28.28
 * 2) Gendarmerie - Tel: 03.27.22.55.00
 * Health Urgency:
 * 1) Medical guard - Tel: 0810 11 45 39
 * Hospital:
 * 1) Valenciennes hospital, general number/standart : 03.27.14.33.33
 * 2) Hôpital Jean-Bernard Consultations secteur 1 : 03.27.14.31.49
 * 3) Hôpital Jean-Bernard Consultations secteur 2 : 03.27.14.33.58
 * 4) Hôtel Dieu : consultations : 03.27.14.33.10
 * 5) Hôtel Dieu : Hospitalisations : 03.27.14.34.65
 * 6) Maternité Monaco / Gynecologie-Obstétrique - Tel: 03.27.14.31.25
 * Emergencies/Urgences: 03.27.14.32.23
 * Fireman Station: 18 or 112
 * Embassy:
 * Emergency Doctor:
 * 1) Medical guard - Tel: 0810 11 45 39

LOCAL MEDIA MENTIONS</FONT>
Valenciennes

INTERESTED LINKS</FONT>
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 * Valenciennes on Wikivoyage
 * Valenciennes on Hitchwiki
 * Valenciennes on Wikipedia