It is situated on both banks of the Sambre (here canalized), 36 km (22 mi) east of Valenciennes and about 9 km (5.6 mi) from the Belgian border.
History
Maubeuge (ancient Malbodium, from Latin, derived from the Old Frankish name Malboden, meaning "assizes of Boden") owes its origin to Maubeuge Abbey, a double monastery, for men and women, founded in the 7th century by Saint Aldego, the relics of whom are preserved in the church. It subsequently belonged to the territory of Hainaut.
The town was part of the Spanish Netherlands and changed hands a number of times before it was finally ceded to France in the 1678 Treaty of Nijmegen.[4] As part of Vauban's pré carré plan that protected France's northern borders with a double line of fortresses, it was extensively fortified as directed by Louis XIV of France.
Mayor of Maubeuge presenting the British Guards Division with a flag as an appreciation from the town which was taken by the division on 9 November 1918. Major-General Torquhil Matheson is seen receiving the flag, 14 November 1918.
As a fortress, Maubeuge has an old enceinte of bastion trace which serves as the center of an important entrenched camp of 18 miles perimeter. The fortress was constructed after the War of 1870 but has since been modernized and augmented.
The forts were besieged in World War I by the German Empire. Maubeuge suffered heavily in World War II: 90% of the town centre was destroyed by bombardments in May 1940. Fighting again occurred in early September 1944, in and around the outskirts of Maubeuge, involving units of the U.S. 1st Infantry Division during the American push toward Belgium.[5][6]
After the war the town was rebuilt: the new buildings culminated in the new Hôtel de Ville which was completed in 1970.[7]
The arms of Maubeuge are blazoned : Or, 4 lions, 2 in bend sable armed and langued gules, 2 in bend sinister gules armed and langued azure, in chief an eagle sable beaked langued membered and armed gules, overall a crozier Or bendwise.
Geography
Climate
Maubeuge has an oceanic climate (Köppen climate classificationCfb). The average annual temperature in Maubeuge is 10.6 °C (51.1 °F). The average annual rainfall is 880.8 mm (34.68 in) with December as the wettest month. The temperatures are highest on average in July, at around 18.5 °C (65.3 °F), and lowest in January, at around 3.2 °C (37.8 °F). The highest temperature ever recorded in Maubeuge was 37.5 °C (99.5 °F) on 7 August 2003; the coldest temperature ever recorded was −17.5 °C (0.5 °F) on 16 January 1985.
Climate data for Maubeuge (1981−2010 normals, extremes 1961−present)
Graphs are unavailable due to technical issues. Updates on reimplementing the Graph extension, which will be known as the Chart extension, can be found on Phabricator and on MediaWiki.org.
The town has a board of trade arbitration, a communal college, a commercial and industrial school.
Transport
Being close to the Belgian border, Maubeuge station has two lines to Belgium: one leading North towards Mons, the other Eastbound to Charleroi. Neither have seen passenger service for several years; however, from December 2018 a limited service to Namur via Charleroi was announced.[11] Trains to the South-West are frequent.
There is an aerodrome in nearby Elesmes but it is purely recreational, with no facilities for commercial air transport of either passengers or cargo.
Tour de France
Maurice Garin, the winner of the inaugural 1903 Tour de France, began his cycling career in 1892 with the local Maubeuge cycling club, when he finished fifth in the 200-kilometre (124 mi) Maubeuge-Hirson-Maubeuge race.[12] In 2003, on the 100th anniversary of his win, he was commemorated with a street named after him.
