# Hélesmes

> commune in Nord, France

**Wikidata**: [Q1101851](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1101851)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hélesmes)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/h-lesmes

## Summary
Hélesmes is a commune in the Nord department of France, located in the Hauts-de-France region. It is a local administrative division with its own municipal government and civic identity. The commune is part of the arrondissement of Valenciennes and historically situated within the broader administrative evolution of French territorial organization.

## Key Facts
- **Country**: France
- **Region**: Hauts-de-France
- **Department**: Nord
- **Arrondissement**: Valenciennes
- **Coordinates**: Latitude 50.369444, Longitude 3.358056
- **Population Data Points**: 1,905 (1905), 1,907 (1907), 1,921 (1921), 1,937 (1937), 1,966 (1966), 1,971 (1971), 1,975 (1975), 1,979 (1979), 1,987 (1987), 1,988 (1988)
- **Image Source**: [Wikimedia Commons - Mairie of Hélesmes](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:H%C3%A9lesmes_(Nord,_Fr)_mairie.JPG)
- **Image License**: Public Domain (CC0)
- **Image Artist**: Havang(nl)
- **Wikidata Description**: commune in Nord, France
- **Wikipedia Title**: Hélesmes
- **Sitelink Count**: 41

## FAQs

**What is Hélesmes?**  
Hélesmes is a commune, which is the smallest administrative division in France, located in the Nord department. It is part of the arrondissement of Valenciennes and operates under the local governance framework established by French law.

**Where is Hélesmes located?**  
Hélesmes is located in the Nord department of the Hauts-de-France region in northern France. Its geographic coordinates are approximately latitude 50.3694 and longitude 3.3581.

**What is the population of Hélesmes?**  
Population data for Hélesmes spans from 1905 to 1988, with recorded figures including 1,905 (1905), 1,921 (1921), 1,937 (1937), 1,966 (1966), and continuing up to 1,988 by 1988. These figures reflect historical population trends in the commune.

**Is Hélesmes part of any larger administrative regions?**  
Yes, Hélesmes is part of:
- **Country**: France
- **Region**: Hauts-de-France
- **Department**: Nord
- **Arrondissement**: Valenciennes

**What is the significance of Hélesmes in French administrative structure?**  
Hélesmes represents a typical French commune, which is the foundational unit of local governance in France. It reflects the decentralized administrative model of the French state, where communes manage local civic functions such as education, infrastructure, and public services.

**Are there any visual records or images of Hélesmes?**  
Yes, there is a public domain image of the mairie (town hall) of Hélesmes, photographed by Havang(nl), available on Wikimedia Commons.

## Why It Matters
Hélesmes matters as a representative unit of France's decentralized administrative system. As a commune, it plays a role in the local governance framework that underpins French civic life. Its historical population data and geographic placement within the Nord department reflect the demographic and administrative evolution of northern France. Hélesmes contributes to the cultural and historical fabric of the Hauts-de-France region, embodying the local identity and community structure that define rural and suburban France.

## Notable For
- Being a commune in the Nord department, part of the French Republic’s decentralized territorial organization
- Historical population records spanning from 1905 to 1988
- Geographic coordinates placing it in the Hauts-de-France region
- Inclusion in the arrondissement of Valenciennes, a key administrative unit in the Nord department
- A public domain image of its mairie (town hall) available on Wikimedia Commons
- Representation of the evolution of French communal governance from the early 20th century onward

## Body

### Geographic and Administrative Context
Hélesmes is a commune located in the **Nord department** of France, which was established on **March 4, 1790**, during the French Revolution. The Nord department is part of the **Hauts-de-France region**, one of the 18 administrative regions of metropolitan France. Hélesmes is specifically part of the **arrondissement of Valenciennes**, an administrative subdivision of the Nord department.

The geographic coordinates of Hélesmes are:
- **Latitude**: 50.369444
- **Longitude**: 3.358056

These coordinates place Hélesmes in the northern part of France, near the border with Belgium, within the historical and cultural region of French Flanders.

### Historical Population Data
Hélesmes has recorded population data across multiple decades:
- **1905**: 1,905
- **1907**: 1,907
- **1921**: 1,921
- **1937**: 1,937
- **1966**: 1,966
- **1971**: 1,971
- **1975**: 1,975
- **1979**: 1,979
- **1987**: 1,987
- **1988**: 1,988

This data reflects a relatively stable population over time, indicating a small, possibly rural or semi-rural community that has not experienced significant demographic shifts.

### Governance and Administrative Structure
As a **commune**, Hélesmes is the most basic level of administrative division in France. Communes are governed by a **mayor** and a **municipal council**, elected by local residents. The commune is responsible for local services such as:
- Public education
- Local infrastructure
- Civic maintenance
- Cultural and community events

Hélesmes, like all French communes, is part of the broader **French Republic**, which is a **semi-presidential republic** with a decentralized administrative structure. The **commune of France** as a territorial subdivision was formally established in **1789**, following the French Revolution.

### Cultural and Visual Representation
Hélesmes is visually represented through a public domain image of its **mairie (town hall)**:
- **Image URL**: [Hélesmes mairie](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/04/H%C3%A9lesmes_%28Nord%2C_Fr%29_mairie.JPG)
- **Image License**: Public Domain (CC0)
- **Photographer**: Havang(nl)
- **Wikimedia Commons Link**: [File:Hélesmes (Nord, Fr) mairie.JPG](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:H%C3%A9lesmes_(Nord,_Fr)_mairie.JPG)

This image is part of the broader cultural documentation of French communes and reflects the architectural and historical identity of Hélesmes.

### Regional and National Context
Hélesmes is part of:
- **France**, a **semi-presidential republic** with a unitary state structure
- **Hauts-de-France**, a region formed in 2016 through the merger of Nord-Pas-de-Calais and Picardy
- **Nord department**, one of the most populous departments in France
- **Arrondissement of Valenciennes**, an administrative unit within the Nord department

The **commune of France** is a foundational element of French governance, with over 35,000 communes nationwide. Hélesmes is one of these, contributing to the decentralized yet cohesive structure of French local administration.

### Notable Connections and Related Entities
- **Canton of Denain**: A former administrative division in France, historically linked to the Nord department.
- **Nord Department**: Established in 1790, it is one of the original departments of France and includes Hélesmes.
- **Arrondissement of Valenciennes**: The administrative district that includes Hélesmes, responsible for local governance and civic coordination.
- **French Republic**: The overarching national entity of which Hélesmes is a part, operating under a semi-presidential system with decentralized governance.

### Conclusion
Hélesmes, while small in scale, is emblematic of the French communal system. Its historical data, geographic placement, and administrative connections reflect the broader evolution of French governance and regional identity. As a commune, it plays a role in the decentralized, community-driven structure that defines modern France.

## References

1. [Hélesmes : Bertrand Huart, maire depuis 33 ans, est décédé. L'Observateur du Valenciennois. 2019](https://www.lobservateur.fr/valenciennois/valenciennes/2019/01/28/helesmes-bertrand-huart-maire-depuis-33-ans-est-decede/)
2. [Hélesmes : maire depuis 33 ans, Bertrand Huart est décédé dans la nuit de dimanche à lundi. La Voix du Nord. 2019](http://www.lavoixdunord.fr/528493/article/2019-01-28/maire-depuis-33-ans-bertrand-huart-est-decede-dans-la-nuit-de-dimanche-lundi)
3. [Hélesmes : Marius Baralle succède à Bertrand Huart au poste de maire. La Voix du Nord. 2019](http://www.lavoixdunord.fr/535104/article/2019-02-08/marius-baralle-succede-bertrand-huart-au-poste-de-maire)
4. [Guiot Justin. Dictionnaire biographique, mouvement ouvrier, mouvement social. 2010](http://maitron-en-ligne.univ-paris1.fr/spip.php?article114504)
5. Source
6. dataset of postal codes in France. 2018
7. INSEE code
8. répertoire géographique des communes
9. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013
10. Annuaire de service-public.fr
11. Recensement de la population 2015. National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies. 2017
12. Populations légales 2016
13. Populations légales 2017
14. Populations légales 2018
15. Populations légales 2019
16. Populations légales 2020
17. Populations légales 2021
18. Populations de référence 2022
19. Populations de référence 2023
20. [Code officiel géographique](https://www.insee.fr/fr/information/3363419)
21. National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies
22. GeoNames
23. [répertoire géographique des communes. 2015](https://wxs-telechargement.ign.fr/83edtfdyqte031y0ra49d2e3/telechargement/inspire/RGC-2015-01$RGC2015/file/RGC2015.7z)
24. [2016](https://data.geopf.fr/telechargement/download/GEOFLA/GEOFLA_2-2_COMMUNE_SHP_LAMB93_FXX_2016-06-28/GEOFLA_2-2_COMMUNE_SHP_LAMB93_FXX_2016-06-28.7z)
25. [Code officiel géographique. 2020](https://www.data.gouv.fr/fr/datasets/r/8442dfae-a878-49c6-be4c-20689b1c337c)
26. [Code officiel géographique. 2017](https://www.insee.fr/fr/information/2560698)