Pas-de-Calais
The Pas-de-Calais (, ' strait of Calais'; ; ) is a department in northern France named after the French designation of the Strait of Dover, which it borders. It has the most communes of all the departments of France, with 890, and is the ...
region of France
France is Administrative divisions of France, divided into eighteen administrative regions (, singular ), of which thirteen are located in metropolitan France (in Europe), while the other five are Overseas departments and regions of France, ove ...
Boulogne
Boulogne-sur-Mer (; ; ; or ''Bononia''), often called just Boulogne (, ), is a coastal city in Hauts-de-France, Northern France. It is a Subprefectures in France, sub-prefecture of the Departments of France, department of Pas-de-Calais. Boul ...
town centre.
History
Le Portel translates as "the little port." The original Le Portel was a hamlet east of the town of
Outreau
Outreau (; ) is a Communes of France, commune in the Pas-de-Calais Departments of France, department in the Hauts-de-France region of France west of Boulogne. The river Liane forms the eastern border of the commune with Boulogne.
History
Outrea ...
. It became an independent municipality on 13 June 1856 by an imperial decree of
Napoleon III
Napoleon III (Charles-Louis Napoléon Bonaparte; 20 April 18089 January 1873) was President of France from 1848 to 1852 and then Emperor of the French from 1852 until his deposition in 1870. He was the first president, second emperor, and last ...
.
In the 19th century,
flint
Flint, occasionally flintstone, is a sedimentary cryptocrystalline form of the mineral quartz, categorized as the variety of chert that occurs in chalk or marly limestone. Historically, flint was widely used to make stone tools and start ...
tools were discovered in the centre of the village, by the river near the Hamel Bridge, evidence of the long occupation of the site. A
Gallo-Roman
Gallo-Roman culture was a consequence of the Romanization (cultural), Romanization of Gauls under the rule of the Roman Empire in Roman Gaul. It was characterized by the Gaulish adoption or adaptation of Roman culture, Roman culture, language ...
cemetery has been excavated in the hamlet of Châtillon.
Of agricultural origin, it grew rapidly during the 19th century because of fishing, along with the nearby port of
Boulogne-sur-Mer
Boulogne-sur-Mer (; ; ; or ''Bononia''), often called just Boulogne (, ), is a coastal city in Hauts-de-France, Northern France. It is a Subprefectures in France, sub-prefecture of the Departments of France, department of Pas-de-Calais. Boul ...
. Sailors of Portel were as numerous as those of Boulogne before World War I. In 1841, two Le Portel sailors were on the ship '' Belle Poule'', that brought back the remains of
Napoleon
Napoleon Bonaparte (born Napoleone di Buonaparte; 15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821), later known by his regnal name Napoleon I, was a French general and statesman who rose to prominence during the French Revolution and led Military career ...
.
During the
Second World War
World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
, on 8 and 9 September 1943, Le Portel suffered as part of
Operation Cockade
Operation Cockade was a series of deception operations designed to alleviate German pressure on Allied operations in Sicily and on the Soviets on the Eastern Front by feinting various attacks into Western Europe during World War II. The Allies ...
, a diversionary manoeuvre by the
Allies
An alliance is a relationship among people, groups, or states that have joined together for mutual benefit or to achieve some common purpose, whether or not an explicit agreement has been worked out among them. Members of an alliance are calle ...
to fool the
Germans
Germans (, ) are the natives or inhabitants of Germany, or sometimes more broadly any people who are of German descent or native speakers of the German language. The Basic Law for the Federal Republic of Germany, constitution of Germany, imple ...
into believing the possibility of a landing on the English Channel. The bombings, which destroyed 93% of the village, also killed 376 civilians.Talty (2012), pg. 146 On 12 August 1944,
Charles de Gaulle
Charles André Joseph Marie de Gaulle (22 November 18909 November 1970) was a French general and statesman who led the Free France, Free French Forces against Nazi Germany in World War II and chaired the Provisional Government of the French Re ...
was at Le Portel for its liberation. The town received the
Croix de guerre
The (, ''Cross of War'') is a military decoration of France. It was first created in 1915 and consists of a square-cross medal on two crossed swords, hanging from a ribbon with various degree pins. The decoration was first awarded during World ...
with silver star for its sacrifice.
Population
Notable people
*
Alfred Desenclos
Alfred Desenclos (7 February 1912 – 3 March 1971) was a French composer of (modern) classical music. Desenclos was a self-described "romantic" whose music is highly expressive and atmospheric and rooted in rigorous compositional technique.
To s ...
, composer, was born there.
*
Lucien Leduc
Lucien Rémy André Leduc (30 December 1918 – 16 July 2004) was a French footballer, who played as a midfielder
In the sport of association football, a midfielder takes an Glossary of association football terms#O, outfield position prima ...
,
football player
A football player or footballer is a sportsperson who plays one of the different types of football. The main types of football are association football, American football, Canadian football, Australian rules football, Gaelic football, rugby ...
, was born there.
Twin towns
*
Portel-des-Corbières
Portel-des-Corbières is a commune in the Aude department in southern France.
Population
See also
* Corbières AOC
* Communes of the Aude department
The following is a list of the 433 Communes of France, communes of the Aude Departments o ...
, France
*
Stockelsdorf
Stockelsdorf is a municipality in the district of Ostholstein, in Schleswig-Holstein, Germany. It is situated directly northwest of Lübeck and forms an agglomeration with the easterly town of Bad Schwartau.
The municipality contains the villages ...
Burkina Faso
Burkina Faso is a landlocked country in West Africa, bordered by Mali to the northwest, Niger to the northeast, Benin to the southeast, Togo and Ghana to the south, and Ivory Coast to the southwest. It covers an area of 274,223 km2 (105,87 ...
Sport
The
ESSM Le Portel
Étoile Sportive Saint-Michel Le Portel Côte d'Opale, commonly known as ESSM Le Portel or simply Le Portel, is a professional basketball team based in Le Portel, France. The team currently plays in the LNB Pro A, Pro A, the first tier in France.
...
is a French basketball club, based in Le Portel.
See also
*
Communes of the Pas-de-Calais department
The following is a list of the 887 communes of the Pas-de-Calais department of France.
The communes cooperate in the following intercommunalities (as of 2025):
Web site on the history of Le Portel Plage
Image:Les quais de la plage Le Portel.jpg, Le Portel Plage
Image:Notre Dame de Boulogne Le Portel.JPG, Statue of the Madonna
Image:PLAGE du PORTEL 019.JPG, The beach and in the distance, Fort de l'Heurt
Image:Mairie du Portel Plage été 2006.jpg, Town hall
Image:Fort de COUPPES 007.JPG, The fort de Couppes
{{Authority control
PortelSeaside resorts in France