Country France Department Somme Intercommunality Haute Somme Area 11.42 km² Arrondissement Péronne | Region Hauts-de-France Canton Roisel Population (2006) 673 Local time Monday 5:55 PM | |
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Weather 17°C, Wind N at 6 km/h, 49% Humidity | ||
Villers-Faucon is a commune in the Somme department in Hauts-de-France in northern France.
Contents
Map of 80112 Villers-Faucon, France
Geography
The commune is situated 15 miles (24 km) northwest of Saint Quentin, at the D72 and D101 crossroads, in the far east of the département. The commune also includes the hamlet of Sainte-Emilie.
History
According to Abbot Decagny of Roisel, Villers-Faucon was originally Villers-Falcon and previously Villare Falconis, which means,in Latin, villa of the hawks. Villers-Faucon’s original puprpose was that of a falconry, located in the heart of the forest of Arrouaise.
The village was almost totally destroyed in 1916, during the First World War. Following a withdrawal of German troops around the Hindenburg line, the inhabitants were evacuated to the north to Denain, tons of dynamite were set off around all of the buildings in the town (including the sugar refinery at St. Emilie) and all the trees were cut down, to leave the field open for the approach of troops. The village was destroyed, but the cemetery was left untouched.
After the conflict, reconstruction began, which lasted almost a decade, led by a rebuilding cooperative led by Louis Faille.