Saint-Souplet

Commune in Hauts-de-France, France

(2020–2026) Henri Quoniou^[1]Area12.66 km² (4.89 sq mi)Population1,203 • Density95/km² (250/sq mi)Time zoneUTC+01:00 (CET) • Summer (DST)UTC+02:00 (CEST)INSEE/Postal codeElevation101–161 m (331–528 ft)¹ French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km² (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries.

Saint-Souplet (French pronunciation: [sɛ̃ suplɛ]) is a commune in the Nord department in northern France.^[3]

Geography

Saint Souplet-Escaufourt is on the (departmental) route 115. It is part of the Canton of Le Cateau-Cambrésis, 6 km from Cateau, 30 km south east of Cambrai and 86 km from Lille.

Located in the south of Cateau-Cambrésis and on the doorstep of Avesnois, Saint-Souplet is surrounded by the nature landscapes of Hainaut : grasslands bordered by 'bocage' hedges and vast expanses of cultivated fields. It extends along the Selle, a tributary river of the Scheldt, which arises in Aisne and winds some 50 kilomètres through Nord.

History

Saint-Souplet owes its name to its patron saint, Sulpitius the Pious, archbishop of Bourges in the 7th century.

In 1973, it absorbed Escaufourt, located previously in Aisne.^[3]

Heraldry

The arms of Saint-Souplet are blazoned : D'or à trois croissants de gueules. These arms are those of D'Anneux, marquis of Wargnies and lords of Saint-Souplet.[4]

Demography

Historical population

Year	Pop.	±% p.a.
1968	1,684	—
1975	1,622	−0.53%
1982	1,482	−1.28%
1990	1,333	−1.32%
1999	1,311	−0.18%
2007	1,284	−0.26%
2012	1,292	+0.12%
2017	1,230	−0.98%
Source: INSEE[5]

Escaufourt

The name Escaufourt comes from fours à chaux (chalk oven). in the 12th century, Escaufourt was in the parish of Honnechy. Before the merger with Saint-Souplet un 1973, Escaufourt was an enclave of Aisne within Nord.

Heraldry

The arms of Escaufourt are blazoned :[6] Gules, 3 chevrons, in chief a label of 4 points Or.

See also

• Communes of the Nord department

References