Audinghen

Updated on Dec 08, 2024

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Country France Department Pas-de-Calais Intercommunality Terre des Deux Caps Area 13.09 km² Local time Wednesday 12:03 PM		Region Hauts-de-France Canton Marquise Time zone CET (UTC+1) Population 548 (1999) Arrondissement Boulogne-sur-Mer

Weather 9°C, Wind SW at 23 km/h, 76% Humidity Points of interest Cap Gris Nez, Musée du Mur de l'Atlantique, Todt Battery, Batterie Todt : Casemat, Grand Site des Deux Caps

Audinghen (Dutch: Oudinghen) is a commune in the Pas-de-Calais department in the Hauts-de-France region of France.

Map of 62179 Audinghen, France

Geography

A farming commune, comprising several hamlets, some 14 miles (23 km) north of Boulogne-sur-Mer, at the junction of the D940 and the D191 roads. Cap Gris Nez, the nearest part of France to the English coast, forms the western boundary of the commune.

History

The town was originally named Odingehem, 'home of Odin', by the Vikings who built a temple here dedicated to the Germanic god Odin. Audinghen has been rebuilt several times after being completely destroyed, including:

In 1643 or 1644, according to the interpretations, by a party of soldiers of the King of England, who burned the village population inside the church;

Three centuries later, in 1943, by the British, who bombarded and totally destroyed the village (then occupied by the German army).

Sights

The church of St. Pierre, dating from the twentieth century.

The ruins of the lighthouse at Cap Gris Nez.

World War II German defences, part of the Atlantic wall.

Personalities

Gabriel Auguste Ferdinand Ducuing, soldier who died here in 1940.

Raoul de Godewaersvelde, composer, died here in 1977.

References

Audinghen Wikipedia

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