Balan, Ardennes

Balan (French pronunciation: [balɑ̃]) is a commune in the Ardennes department in the Grand Est region of northern France.

Balan
Commune
War memorial and town hall
War memorial and town hall
Coat of arms of Balan
Coat of arms
Location of Balan
Balan is located in France
Balan
Balan
Balan is located in Grand Est
Balan
Balan
Coordinates: 49°41′23″N 4°57′40″E
CountryFrance
RegionGrand Est
DepartmentArdennes
ArrondissementSedan
CantonSedan-3
IntercommunalityCA Ardenne Métropole
Government
 • Mayor (2020–2026) Alban Collinet[1]
Area
1
4.65 km2 (1.80 sq mi)
Population
 (Jan. 2020)[2]
1,629
 • Density350/km2 (910/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+01:00 (CET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+02:00 (CEST)
INSEE/Postal code
08043 /08200
1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km2 (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries.

The inhabitants of the commune are known as Balanais or Balanaises.[3]

The commune has been awarded three flowers by the National Council of Towns and Villages in Bloom in the Competition of cities and villages in Bloom.[4]

Geography

Balan is located just east of Sedan and north-east of Bazeilles. Access to the commune is by the D8043A road from Sedan which continues south-east to Bazeilles. The D17 also passes through the town and continues east to Rubécourt-et-Lamécourt. The Route nationale N43 (E46) highway passes through the commune with the nearest exit being Exit  3  just south-east of the commune. Much of the central area of the commune is urban with the northern part farmland and some forest.[5]

The Meuse river forms the south-western border of the commune as it flows north through Sedan.

Neighbouring communes and villages

History

From 1560 to 1642 Balan was part of the Principality of Sedan.

Heraldry
Arms of Balan
Arms of Balan
 Blazon:

Party per pale, first Azure a chevron of Or; second Argent, a fess of Gules charged with a mullet of Or between 2 martlets of Sable.



Administration

List of Successive Mayors[6]

Mayors from the 16th century to 1935
FromToName
15601574Robert de la Tour
1574Jean Foulon
17271730Nicolas Gouveno
17301738Noizet
17381739Louis Halma
17391757Jean Halma
17571759Servais Godfroi
17591767Henri Beuvart
17671786Jean-Baptiste Thiéry
17861790Claude Pierret
17901802Gibou Valdory
18021812Jacques Rognon
18121816Branchu
18161821de Bovier
18211837Hourbette Malicet
18371848Renard Maissin
18481850Hourbette
18501852Thiriet
18521856Branchu
18561867Lambert Plaisance
18671875Martin Gourdet
18751890Jean-Baptiste Somveille
18901891Appolon Gombo
18911895Onézime Crepel
18951898Charles François Bonhomme
1898Eugène Oudet
1913Emile Bonneville
1913Jules Michaux
1919André Bazeille
19341935Edouard Taltasse
Mayors from 1995
FromToName
19952020André Drouard
2020currentAlban Collinet

Demography

In 2017 the commune had 1,618 inhabitants.

Historical population
YearPop.±% p.a.
1793 632—    
1800 646+0.31%
1806 662+0.41%
1821 811+1.36%
1831 1,068+2.79%
1836 1,196+2.29%
1841 1,115−1.39%
1846 1,245+2.23%
1851 1,274+0.46%
1866 1,510+1.14%
1872 1,545+0.38%
1876 1,736+2.96%
1881 1,676−0.70%
1886 1,693+0.20%
1891 1,606−1.05%
1896 1,496−1.41%
1901 1,458−0.51%
YearPop.±% p.a.
1906 1,432−0.36%
1911 1,400−0.45%
1921 1,299−0.75%
1926 1,335+0.55%
1931 1,351+0.24%
1936 1,410+0.86%
1946 1,214−1.49%
1954 1,344+1.28%
1962 1,518+1.53%
1968 1,461−0.64%
1975 1,419−0.42%
1982 1,376−0.44%
1990 1,568+1.65%
1999 1,612+0.31%
2007 1,653+0.31%
2012 1,591−0.76%
2017 1,618+0.34%
Source: EHESS[7] and INSEE[8]

Culture and heritage
The Bonhomme Spinning Mill

Civil heritage

The commune has several buildings and sites that are registered as historical monuments:

  • The Bonhomme Spinning Mill (Now a Community Hall) (19th century)[9]
  • The Godchaux Weaving Mill (Now a Warehouse) (20th century)[10]
  • The Stackler Textile Works (Now a Business incubator) (19th century)[11]
  • The Bazaille Chard Plant (1906)[12]

Notable people linked to the commune
  • Jean-Baptiste Herbin-Dessaux (1765-1832): French General of the Revolution and the Empire, died at Balan.
  • Élisabeth Lion (1904-1988), French aviator, born at Balan.

See also

References
  1. "Répertoire national des élus: les maires" (in French). data.gouv.fr, Plateforme ouverte des données publiques françaises. 13 September 2022.
  2. "Populations légales 2020". The National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies. 29 December 2022.
  3. Inhabitants of Aredennes (in French)
  4. Balan, Ardennes in the Competition for Towns and Villages in Bloom Archived December 10, 2014, at the Wayback Machine (in French)
  5. Google Maps
  6. List of Mayors of France (in French)
  7. Des villages de Cassini aux communes d'aujourd'hui: Commune data sheet Balan, EHESS (in French).
  8. Population en historique depuis 1968, INSEE
  9. Ministry of Culture, Mérimée IA08000321 Bonhomme Spinning Mill (in French)
  10. Ministry of Culture, Mérimée IA08000322 Godchaux Weaving Mill (in French)
  11. Ministry of Culture, Mérimée IA08000323 Stackler Textile Works (in French)
  12. Ministry of Culture, Mérimée IA08000324 Bazaille Chard Plant (in French)
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