Wimereux (; ) is a commune in the

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 ...

department in the Hauts-de-France

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 ...

north 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 ...

, on the banks of the small river Wimereux. The river Slack forms the northern border of the commune and the

English Channel The English Channel, also known as the Channel, is an arm of the Atlantic Ocean that separates Southern England from northern France. It links to the southern part of the North Sea by the Strait of Dover at its northeastern end. It is the busi ...

the western.

History

In March 1899 the first radio link between France and England was established at Wimereux by

Guglielmo Marconi Guglielmo Giovanni Maria Marconi, 1st Marquess of Marconi ( ; ; 25 April 1874 – 20 July 1937) was an Italian electrical engineer, inventor, and politician known for his creation of a practical radio wave-based Wireless telegraphy, wireless tel ...

Lady Hadfield Sir Robert Abbott Hadfield, 1st Baronet FRS (28 November 1858 in Sheffield – 30 September 1940 in Surrey) was an English metallurgist, noted for his 1882 discovery of manganese steel, one of the first steel alloys. He also invented silicon s ...

set up and ran a

Red Cross The organized International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement is a Humanitarianism, humanitarian movement with approximately 16million volunteering, volunteers, members, and staff worldwide. It was founded to protect human life and health, to ...

hospital there. The Women's Hospital Corps, founded by

Flora Murray Flora Murray (8 May 1869 – 28 July 1923) was a Scottish medical pioneer, and a member of the Women's Social and Political Union suffragettes. From 1914 to the end of her life, she lived with her partner and fellow doctor Louisa Garrett Ande ...

and Louisa Garratt Anderson, opened its second hospital in Wimereux. It was the first women's hospital to be recognised by the British Army. In 1916,

Solomon J Solomon Solomon Joseph Solomon (16 September 1860 – 27 July 1927) was a British painter, a founding member of the New English Art Club and member of the Royal Academy. Solomon's family was Jewish, and his sister, Lily Delissa Joseph (née S ...

set up a

Royal Engineers The Corps of Royal Engineers, usually called the Royal Engineers (RE), and commonly known as the ''Sappers'', is the engineering arm of the British Army. It provides military engineering and other technical support to the British Armed Forces ...

establishment, the Special Works Park, in a disused

feldspar Feldspar ( ; sometimes spelled felspar) is a group of rock-forming aluminium tectosilicate minerals, also containing other cations such as sodium, calcium, potassium, or barium. The most common members of the feldspar group are the ''plagiocl ...

factory and developed new

military camouflage Military camouflage is the use of camouflage by an Military, armed force to protect personnel and equipment from observation by enemy forces. In practice, this means applying colour and materials to military equipment of all kinds, including ...

techniques and equipment for the British Army.

People

William Morrison Wyllie William Morrison Wyllie (12 December 1820 – 13 March 1895) was a British painter, known for his coastal and maritime subjects. A number of his works are in the Southwark Art Collection. Other collections which hold examples include the Russel ...

, English artist *

Lionel Percy Smythe Lionel Percy Smythe (4 September 1839 – July 1918) was a British artist, and etcher. Life and work Lionel Percy Smythe was the illegitimate son of Percy Clinton Sydney Smythe, 6th Viscount Strangford and Katherine Benham (later Mrs Wyll ...

(Wyllie's stepson), English landscape artist, lived there from 1879 to 1918 *

Alfred Mathieu Giard Alfred Mathieu Giard (8 August 1846 – 8 August 1908) was a French zoologist born in Valenciennes. He served as a professor of zoology at the Faculty of Sciences in Lille. He specialized in parasitology and the genus ''Giardia'' was named after hi ...

, director of the marine research establishment at Wimereux *

John McCrae Lieutenant-Colonel John McCrae (November 30, 1872 – January 28, 1918) was a Canadian poet, physician, author, artist and soldier during World War I and a surgeon during the Second Battle of Ypres, in Belgium. He is best known for writing th ...

, author of "

In Flanders Fields "In Flanders Fields" is a war poem in the form of a rondeau, written during the First World War by Canadian physician Lieutenant-Colonel John McCrae. He was inspired to write it on May 3, 1915, after presiding over the funeral of friend ...

", is buried in the CWGC cemeteryThe CWGC cemetery
/ref> * Jack Lang, politician *

Maurice Boitel Maurice Boitel (July 31, 1919 – August 11, 2007) was a French painter. Artistic life Boitel belonged to the art movement called "La Jeune Peinture" ("Young Picture") of the School of Paris,The School of Paris (1945–1965) by Lydia Harambourg. ...

, artist, exhibited there in the 1980s and 1990s

Twin towns

Wimereux is twinned with the following towns: *

Herne Bay, Kent Herne Bay is a seaside town on the north coast of Kent in South East England. It is north of Canterbury and east of Whitstable. It neighbours the ancient villages of Herne and Reculver and is part of the City of Canterbury local government ...

, England *

Schmallenberg Schmallenberg (; ) is a town and a Luftkurort, climatic health resort in the Hochsauerlandkreis, High Sauerland District, Germany. By area, it is the :de:Liste der 100 flächengrößten Städte und Gemeinden Deutschlands, third biggest of all cit ...

, Germany

Population

Gallery

File:Wimereux-gonzaguedambricourt.jpg, The beach at Wimereux File:Wimereux Beach Huts.jpg, Beach huts File:Wimereux church (front).JPG, The west front of the church File:Wimereux war memorial.JPG, The war memorial File:Front_de_mer_ Wimereux.JPG, The seafront promenade File:Wimereux804.jpg, Villa «La Frégate» File:Wimereux802.jpg, Villas on the seafront File:Villa De Sonis Wimereux en 2023.jpg, Villa «De Sonis» File:Marconi wimereux 1899.jpg, Plaque commemorating

wireless Wireless communication (or just wireless, when the context allows) is the transfer of information (''telecommunication'') between two or more points without the use of an electrical conductor, optical fiber or other continuous guided transm ...

link-up between France and England File:Wimereux France High Tide.jpg, High tide along the beachfront File:Wimereux France Low Tide.jpg, The beach crowded with people at lower tide

References

External links

Website about Wimereux
(English only)
Official town website
(French only)
Official Tourist website
(French only)
Official website: Tourism in Boulogne and the Boulonnais region
{{Authority control Communes of Pas-de-Calais Seaside resorts in France Pas-de-Calais communes articles needing translation from French Wikipedia Vauban fortifications in France