Wasquehal

Wasquehal (traditional pronunciation [wakal]; currently common pronunciation [waskal]) is a commune in the Nord department in northern France.

Wasquehal
Commune
Église Saint Clément
Coat of arms
Location of Wasquehal
Wasquehal Wasquehal
Coordinates: 50°40′10″N 3°07′51″E
Country	France
Region	Hauts-de-France
Department	Nord
Arrondissement	Lille
Canton	Croix
Intercommunality	Métropole Européenne de Lille
Government
• Mayor (2020–2026)	Stéphanie Ducret
Area 1	6.86 km2 (2.65 sq mi)
Population  (2021)	20,836
• Density	3,000/km2 (7,900/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC 01:00 (CET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC 02:00 (CEST)
INSEE/Postal code	59646 /59290
Elevation	18–47 m (59–154 ft)
1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km2 (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries.

The town originally had a Flemish name; it was written as Waskenhal in the 11th century.

Geography

Wasquehal has an area of 6.86 km² (2.65 sq mi) and a population density of 2,702.8/km².

Héraldique

Arms of Wasquehal

The arms of Wasquehal are blazoned : Chequy argent and gules, each argent piece charged with an ermine spot sable. or, more simply, Chequy ermine and gules.

Population

Historical population

Year Pop. ±% p.a. 1793 1,440 —     1800 1,262 −1.87% 1806 1,525 3.21% 1821 1,622 0.41% 1831 1,590 −0.20% 1836 1,672 1.01% 1841 1,758 1.01% 1846 2,034 2.96% 1851 2,040 0.06% 1856 2,200 1.52% 1861 2,501 2.60% 1866 2,731 1.78% 1872 2,824 0.56% 1876 3,061 2.04% 1881 3,275 1.36% 1886 3,688 2.40% 1891 4,405 3.62% 1896 4,901 2.16%	Year Pop. ±% p.a. 1901 5,969 4.02% 1906 6,703 2.35% 1911 7,011 0.90% 1921 7,041 0.04% 1926 8,507 3.86% 1931 11,707 6.59% 1936 12,167 0.77% 1946 11,741 −0.36% 1954 12,363 0.65% 1962 13,634 1.23% 1968 14,274 0.77% 1975 16,391 2.00% 1982 16,275 −0.10% 1990 17,986 1.26% 1999 18,541 0.34% 2007 18,989 0.30% 2012 20,536 1.58% 2017 20,479 −0.06%
Source: EHESS and INSEE (1968-2017)

Sport

Wasquehal hosted the finish of stage 4 of the 1989 Tour de France, won by Jelle Nijdam, and the finish of stage 5 the 1992 Tour de France, won by Guido Bontempi. The third stage of the 2004 Tour de France also finished in Wasquehal. Jean-Patrick Nazon won the mass sprint ahead of Erik Zabel and Robbie McEwen. Wasquehal also hosted the start of stage 7 of the 1988 Tour de France, and the start of stage 3 of the 1996 Tour de France.

Twin towns – sister cities

See also: List of twin towns and sister cities in France

Wasquehal is twinned with:

• Beyne-Heusay, Belgium

See also

• ES Wasquehal
• Communes of the Nord department

External links

• Official website (in French)