An ex-mining town, nowadays a light industrial & farming commune, situated 8 miles (13 km) southwest of Béthune and 34 miles (55 km) southwest of Lille, at the junction of the D183 and the D183E roads.
History
Following the discovery of coal deposits in the area in 1851, the town grew as the demand for
coal increased in France. This old mining town had close to 15,000 inhabitants in the 1950s.
The coal recession in the late 1960s lead to a constant decline in population, despite the efforts of the municipality to attract and keep people here during and after the recession.
Population
The inhabitants are called Auchellois.
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