Douai-Lens-Béthune-Valenciennes is a metropolitan area with a population of 1.652 million,¹ centered on the four cities that give it its name, all located in the Nord-Pas de Calais (North-Strait of Dover) Region of France. Douai has a population of 42 thousand² and is located on the Scarpe River³ in Nord Department. The belfry of its city hall and a belfry in Béthune are part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site honoring belfries in France and België/ Belgique (Belgium). Several mining locations in and near the area together constitute another World Heritage Site: these spots in this metropolitan area include one by Douai; several in Lens, some at or near Béthune, some near Valenciennes, some at Broay-la-Buissière, some at Liévin, two near Henin-Beaumont and some near Denain. Lens, located northwest of Douai and in Pas de Calais (Strait of Dover) Department, has a population of 35 thousand.² A notable local building is the sprawling Louvre-Lens, a regional museum. Liévin, population 33 thousand,² and Henin-Beaumont, population 25 thousand,² are also in Lens' arrondisement. Béthune, northwest of Lens and in the same department, has a population of 26 thousand.² Broay-la-Buissière (also called Broay-en-Artois), population 24 thousand,² is also in Béthune's arrondisement. Valenciennes, centered on the right bank of the Escault and in Nord (North) Department, has a population of 43 thousand.² Denain, population 20 thousand,² is also in Valenciennes' arrondisement.

External references

Overview of Lens (including the Louvre-Lens and ccoal tailings), Pas de Calais (Strait of Dover) Department, Nord-Pas de Calais (North-Strait of Dover) Region, France

Historical map

Footnotes

1. Figure for 2012 in world-gazetteer.com, accessed 2/6/2013.
2. Figure for 2010 in http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_communes_in_France_with_over_20,000_inhabitants, accessed 2/8/2015.
3. A tributary of the Escault (Schelde or Scheldt).