Gamaches

Gamaches (French pronunciation: [ɡamaʃ]) is a commune in the Somme department in Hauts-de-France in northern France.

Gamaches
Commune
The town hall in Gamaches
Coat of arms
Location of Gamaches
Gamaches Show map of France Gamaches Show map of Hauts-de-France
Coordinates: 49°59′15″N 1°33′29″E
Country	France
Region	Hauts-de-France
Department	Somme
Arrondissement	Abbeville
Canton	Gamaches
Intercommunality	CC Villes Sœurs
Government
• Mayor (2020–2026)	Jean-Paul Mongne[1]
Area 1	9.92 km2 (3.83 sq mi)
Population  (2022)[2]	2,421
• Density	240/km2 (630/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC+01:00 (CET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+02:00 (CEST)
INSEE/Postal code	80373 /80220
Elevation	19–126 m (62–413 ft) (avg. 32 m or 105 ft)
1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km2 (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries.

Geography

Gamaches is situated on the D1015, on the banks of the river Bresle, the border with Seine-Maritime, some 18 miles (29 km) southwest of Abbeville.
Huge lakes to the west of the town are a paradise for naturalists, anglers and water sports enthusiasts.

History

• 1471 Louis XI and the Burgundians wage war in and around the town. A year or so later, Charles the Bold ravaged Picardy in the continuing battle with Burgundy. The plague decimated not only the troops but also the local populace.
• Glass bottles have been manufactured in Gamaches since 1922.^[3]

Population

Historical population

Year	Pop.	±% p.a.
1968	3,216	—
1975	3,467	+1.08%
1982	3,270	−0.83%
1990	3,099	−0.67%
1999	2,949	−0.55%
2007	2,847	−0.44%
2012	2,730	−0.84%
2017	2,548	−1.37%
Source: INSEE[4]

Places of interest

• The war memorial^[5]
• The thirteenth century church of Saint-Pierre and Saint-Paul, with its flamboyant gothic tower, is the result of successive architectural influences.
• The old railway line, opened in 1872 and closed in 1993 ^[6]

• The lakes

See also

• Communes of the Somme department