Combles (French pronunciation: [kɔ̃bl] ; Picard: Conme) is a commune in the Somme department in Hauts-de-France in northern France. The city is part of the First World War remembrance circuit.

Combles
The town hall in Combles
The town hall in Combles
Coat of arms of Combles
Location of Combles
Map
Combles is located in France
Combles
Combles
Combles is located in Hauts-de-France
Combles
Combles
Coordinates: 50°00′36″N 2°51′58″E / 50.01°N 2.8661°E / 50.01; 2.8661
CountryFrance
RegionHauts-de-France
DepartmentSomme
ArrondissementPéronne
CantonPéronne
IntercommunalityHaute Somme
Government
 • Mayor (2020–2026) Betty Sorel[1]
Area
1
9.87 km2 (3.81 sq mi)
Population
 (2021)[2]
745
 • Density75/km2 (200/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+01:00 (CET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+02:00 (CEST)
INSEE/Postal code
80204 /80360
Elevation83–153 m (272–502 ft)
(avg. 30 m or 98 ft)
1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km2 (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries.

Geography

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Combles is situated on the D20 road, some 50 km (31 mi) north-east of Amiens.

History

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Combles after its capture in 1916 by British and French troops
 
Söldenau war memorial (Ortenburg, Germany); among the dead is Georg Reiter, killed at Combles on 30 April 1916

Combles was the operations centre for the battle of Bapaume during the Franco-Prussian War of 1870–71.

Combles was again at the centre of much fighting during World War I (1914–1918), with many of its buildings damaged and many of its residents injured or killed, not to mention the numerous casualties among the forces in combat there. Many British soldiers who fell in the war are buried in the local cemetery, and there are numerous war cemeteries in the immediate surrounding area.

It has, however, been substantially developed since the war's end.

Population

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Historical population
YearPop.±% p.a.
1968 691—    
1975 661−0.63%
1982 648−0.28%
1990 617−0.61%
1999 676+1.02%
2007 707+0.56%
2012 795+2.37%
2017 765−0.77%
Source: INSEE[3]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Répertoire national des élus: les maires". data.gouv.fr, Plateforme ouverte des données publiques françaises (in French). 2 December 2020.
  2. ^ "Populations légales 2021" (in French). The National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies. 28 December 2023.
  3. ^ Population en historique depuis 1968, INSEE
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