Journey with me to Linselles. It is a French town with a unique story. Linselles is in the Nord department. It’s part of the Hauts-de-France region. The people living here are called Linsellois.
Linselles is near Belgium. It covers 11.7 km2. About 8,469 people lived here in 2007. That’s about 723 people per km2. Linselles has grown since 1999.
Linselles is close to Roncq, Bondues, and Bousbecque. It is 3 km southwest of Roncq. Roncq is the biggest town nearby. The Riez stream flows through Linselles.
The mayor of Linselles is Paul Lefebvre. He is in office from 2020 to 2026. Linselles belongs to the European Metropolis of Lille. It is not far from the Scarpe-Escaut Regional Natural Park.
Linselles has had different names over time. In 867, it was called Lentsales. A document from King Charles II mentions it. In 1114, it appeared as “Lencelam.” The Count of Flanders, Baudouin VII, allowed taxes from Linselles to go to Zonnebeke Abbey in Belgium.
In 1363, Josse d’Halluin gave Linselles people the right to make woolen cloth. They could put their seal on it. This shows that textile making was doing well. Cloth from Linselles went to northern German cities.
In the 1500s, Protestants were opposed by the Spanish. The church was damaged. Important papers were lost. Philippe de Mérode got permission from the King of Spain to put his symbol on the Linselles seal. It stayed there until 1791.
Louis XIV pushed the Spanish out of Lille. Linselles became part of France in 1668. But it kept its special rights. The le Vilain de Gand family became lords of the area.
After many years of wars, Linselles was a village of 3,000. People grew tobacco. They traded goods. They made textiles. Rich farmers built schools and hospitals.
Around the mid-1800s, industry changed Linselles. It became a textile town. Business owners came from Lille and other cities. About 20% of the 4,800 people were from Belgium.
The 1900s were also troubled. The government faced royalists. Public schools became non-religious. In 1907, a stagecoach still went from Lille to Linselles. World War I caused problems. The area was occupied. Civilians were separated from soldiers. The town lost its town hall and church.
In 1940, Marshal Pétain held a meeting about protection from air attacks. He went to Linselles to see experiments with artificial fog. Linselles had 5,000 residents. Factories closed. Unemployment increased. World War II was devastating.
Wars have affected Linselles greatly. Many streets are named after battles. In 1962, over half the workers were in textiles. But this industry faded over time.
Linselles did not give up. The Boutemy factory became a community center. The Masurel area was turned into housing. Linselles tried to attract city people. It wanted people who sought a nice place to live. It also wanted business owners. It developed industrial zones.
The town has grown. It has sports facilities, schools, and a retirement home. The old agriculture is remembered by mills and a tower. The town has recreated a fountain from 1840. Linselles has worked hard to create a good place to live.