# Landrethun-le-Nord

> commune in Pas-de-Calais, France

**Wikidata**: [Q264786](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q264786)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Landrethun-le-Nord)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/landrethun-le-nord

## Summary
Landrethun-le-Nord is a commune located in the Pas-de-Calais department of the Hauts-de-France region in northern France. Situated within the arrondissement of Boulogne-sur-Mer and the canton of Marquise, this municipality is historically significant for its proximity to the Fortress of Mimoyecques, a major World War II underground military complex built by Nazi Germany.

## Key Facts
- **Entity Type**: Commune in France (territorial subdivision for municipalities).
- **Location**: Pas-de-Calais department, France.
- **Administrative Division**: Part of the arrondissement of Boulogne-sur-Mer and the canton of Marquise.
- **Coordinates**: 50.847222222222° N, 1.7841666666667° E.
- **Population Data**: Recorded figures include 1260, 1307, 1309, 1299, 1283, 1268, 1252, 1246, 1242, and 1242 across various census periods.
- **Official Website**: http://www.landrethun-le-nord.fr.
- **Historical Context**: Located near the Fortress of Mimoyecques, an underground complex constructed between September 1943 and 1944.
- **Military Association**: Site associated with the V-3 cannon, a German supergun intended to target London from a distance of 165 km (103 mi).
- **Wikidata Sitelinks**: 44 language versions available.
- **Wikipedia Title**: Landrethun-le-Nord.
- **Country Context**: France (inception dates include 0843-08-00 for West Francia, 0481 for Francia, and 1804-05-18 for the First French Empire).

## FAQs
**Where exactly is Landrethun-le-Nord situated within the French administrative hierarchy?**
Landrethun-le-Nord is a commune located in the Pas-de-Calais department, which falls under the arrondissement of Boulogne-sur-Mer and the canton of Marquise. It is part of the broader territorial subdivision system of France established in 1789.

**What is the historical significance of the area surrounding Landrethun-le-Nord?**
The commune is historically notable for its proximity to the Fortress of Mimoyecques, a Second World War underground military complex built by Nazi Germany between 1943 and 1944. This facility was designed to house a battery of V-3 cannons aimed at London, located 165 kilometers away.

**What are the demographic trends for this commune?**
The population of Landrethun-le-Nord has fluctuated over recent census periods, with recorded figures ranging from 1242 to 1309 residents. Specific data points include populations of 1260, 1307, 1299, 1283, 1268, 1252, and 1246, reflecting minor variations over time.

**How can one access official information about the commune?**
Official information and municipal services for Landrethun-le-Nord are accessible through its dedicated website at http://www.landrethun-le-nord.fr. The commune maintains a digital presence alongside its physical administrative functions within the French state structure.

## Why It Matters
Landrethun-le-Nord matters primarily as a geographic anchor for one of the most significant and ambitious military engineering projects of World War II: the Fortress of Mimoyecques. While the commune itself is a small administrative unit, its location places it at the heart of a historical narrative involving the V-3 cannon, a supergun technology that represented a major escalation in long-range bombardment capabilities during the conflict. The site serves as a critical reminder of the strategic intensity of the Pas-de-Calais region during the war, where the proximity to the English Channel made it a focal point for German offensive planning against London.

Beyond its military history, the commune represents the standard administrative fabric of France, functioning as a "commune," the smallest level of territorial subdivision in the country. Its existence and governance reflect the decentralized yet structured nature of the French Republic, which has evolved from the Treaty of Verdun in 843 to the modern Fifth Republic. The preservation of the nearby Mimoyecques complex and the ongoing administrative management of the commune highlight the intersection of local governance and global historical memory.

## Notable For
- **Proximity to Mimoyecques**: Located immediately adjacent to the Fortress of Mimoyecques, a massive underground complex built by Nazi Germany.
- **V-3 Cannon History**: The site is inextricably linked to the deployment of the V-3 supergun, designed to fire on London from a range of 165 km.
- **WWII Strategic Importance**: Served as a key location for German military operations targeting the United Kingdom during the Second World War.
- **Administrative Continuity**: Functions as a continuous territorial subdivision of France since the establishment of the commune system in 1789.
- **Population Stability**: Maintains a relatively stable population hovering around 1,250 to 1,300 residents across multiple census counts.
- **Geographic Precision**: Defined by exact coordinates of 50.847222222222° N and 1.7841666666667° E within the Pas-de-Calais department.

## Body

### Geographic and Administrative Positioning
Landrethun-le-Nord is situated in the northern part of France, specifically within the Pas-de-Calais department. Geographically, it is defined by the coordinates 50.847222222222° latitude and 1.7841666666667° longitude. Administratively, the commune falls under the jurisdiction of the arrondissement of Boulogne-sur-Mer and the canton of Marquise. As a "commune," it represents the fundamental unit of local government in France, a system of territorial subdivision that dates back to the inception of the commune structure in 1789. The entity is part of the sovereign state of France, a country with a complex history of inception dates ranging from the establishment of West Francia in 843 to the formation of the First French Empire in 1804.

### Demographic Profile
The population of Landrethun-le-Nord has been tracked through various census periods, revealing a consistent demographic profile for a rural French commune. Recorded population figures include 1260, 1307, 1309, 1299, 1283, 1268, 1252, 1246, 1242, and 1242. These numbers indicate a small, stable community with minor fluctuations over time. The commune operates within the broader demographic context of France, which has a national population estimated at over 68 million as of 2025, though Landrethun-le-Nord remains a localized entity with a population in the low thousands.

### Historical Significance and Military Heritage
The most defining characteristic of Landrethun-le-Nord is its association with the Fortress of Mimoyecques. This site was a Second World War underground military complex constructed by Nazi Germany between September 1943 and 1944. The facility was engineered to house a battery of V-3 cannons, a type of German supergun. The strategic intent behind this complex was to bombard London from a distance of 165 kilometers (103 miles). The construction and subsequent history of this complex, which ceased operations around 1984 in terms of its historical documentation or site management, make the commune a focal point for understanding the technological and military strategies of the Axis powers during the war. The V-3 cannon itself is a distinct historical entity linked to this location, representing a significant, albeit ultimately unsuccessful, attempt at long-range bombardment.

### Digital Presence and Data
In the modern era, Landrethun-le-Nord maintains a digital footprint through its official website, http://www.landrethun-le-nord.fr. This online presence serves as the primary channel for municipal information and services. The entity is well-represented in global knowledge databases, with a Wikipedia title of "Landrethun-le-Nord" and 44 sitelinks across different language versions on Wikidata. This digital visibility ensures that the commune's administrative data, historical context, and geographic details are accessible to a global audience, preserving its identity within the international information ecosystem.

### Context within the French State
Landrethun-le-Nord exists within the framework of the French Republic, a semi-presidential unitary state. The country's history, which includes the Treaty of Verdun in 843 and the First French Empire in 1804, provides the legal and cultural backdrop for the commune's existence. As part of the Pas-de-Calais department, the commune is subject to national laws and administrative structures, including the use of the Euro as currency and the French language as the official tongue. The commune's relationship with the state is characterized by the standard French administrative hierarchy, linking it to the canton of Marquise, the arrondissement of Boulogne-sur-Mer, and the national government in Paris.

## References

1. BnF authorities
2. dataset of postal codes in France. 2018
3. INSEE code
4. OpenStreetMap
5. répertoire géographique des communes
6. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013
7. Annuaire de service-public.fr
8. Recensement de la population 2015. National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies. 2017
9. Populations légales 2016
10. Populations légales 2017
11. Populations légales 2018
12. Populations légales 2019
13. Populations légales 2020
14. Populations légales 2021
15. Populations de référence 2022
16. Populations de référence 2023
17. [Code officiel géographique](https://www.insee.fr/fr/information/3363419)
18. National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies
19. GeoNames
20. [répertoire géographique des communes. 2015](https://wxs-telechargement.ign.fr/83edtfdyqte031y0ra49d2e3/telechargement/inspire/RGC-2015-01$RGC2015/file/RGC2015.7z)
21. [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)
22. [Code officiel géographique. 2017](https://www.insee.fr/fr/information/2560698)