Country France Department Pas-de-Calais Population (2006) 11,938 Local time Thursday 4:56 PM | Region Hauts-de-France Canton Avion & Rouvroy Area 7.53 km² Arrondissement Lens | |
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Intercommunality Communaupole de Lens-Liévin Weather 15°C, Wind E at 26 km/h, 58% Humidity | ||
Méricourt is a commune in the Pas-de-Calais department in the Hauts-de-France region of France.
Contents
Map of M%C3%A9ricourt, France
Geography
Méricourt is a former coal mining town, nowadays a farming and light industrial town, 3 miles (4.8 km) southeast of Lens, at the junction of the D33, D40 and the D262 roads. Rare for a small town, the commune is split between the two cantons of Avion & Rouvroy.
History
The history of the region remains marked by the Courrières mine disaster, which left 1,099 dead on 10 March 1906. The communes affected were Méricourt, Billy-Montigny, Noyelles-sous-Lens and Sallaumines.
It was at Méricourt that the memorial to the mining disaster was erected. Since 2006, the memorial has also included an overground pathway retracing the route underground of the survivors who managed to get out of the galleries about three weeks after the collapse and resulting firedamp and dust.