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Varennes-en-Argonne

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Commune in Grand Est, France
Varennes-en-Argonne
Commune
Tower Louis XVI and the river AireTower Louis XVI and the river Aire
Coat of arms of Varennes-en-ArgonneCoat of arms
Location of Varennes-en-Argonne
Varennes-en-Argonne is located in FranceVarennes-en-ArgonneVarennes-en-ArgonneShow map of FranceVarennes-en-Argonne is located in Grand EstVarennes-en-ArgonneVarennes-en-ArgonneShow map of Grand Est
Coordinates: 49°13′37″N 5°02′06″E / 49.2269°N 5.035°E / 49.2269; 5.035
CountryFrance
RegionGrand Est
DepartmentMeuse
ArrondissementVerdun
CantonClermont-en-Argonne
IntercommunalityArgonne-Meuse
Government
 • Mayor (2020–2026) Philippe Fosseprez
Area11.81 km (4.56 sq mi)
Population629
 • Density53/km (140/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+01:00 (CET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+02:00 (CEST)
INSEE/Postal code55527 /55270
Elevation144–264 m (472–866 ft)
(avg. 195 m or 640 ft)
French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries.

Varennes-en-Argonne (French pronunciation: [vaʁɛn ɑ̃.n‿aʁɡɔn], literally Varennes in Argonne) or simply Varennes (German: Wöringen) is a commune in the Meuse department in the Grand Est region in Northeastern France. In 2019, it had a population of 639.

Geography

Varennes-en-Argonne lies on the river Aire to the northeast of Sainte-Menehould, near Verdun.

History

Varennes is most notable as it was the ending point of the Flight to Varennes. In June 1791, Louis XVI and his immediate family made a dash for the nearest friendly border, that of the Austrian Netherlands in modern Belgium (Queen Marie Antoinette being a sister to Leopold II, Archduke of Austria and Holy Roman Emperor). In Varennes, Louis and his family were arrested by Jean-Baptiste Drouet, the local postmaster, who had been alerted by a message received from nearby Sainte-Menehould. It is said that at Sainte-Menehould, where the escaping party had spent the previous night, a merchant alerted the town authorities of their presence after recognizing the King's face on an Assignat as Louis tried to buy something from a shop. The royal family was returned to the Tuileries in humiliating captivity, and Louis and Marie-Antoinette were subsequently guillotined in 1793.

Located in the Zone rouge, Varennes was completely destroyed during the First World War but was reconstructed afterwards. The Pennsylvania Memorial, a monument for volunteers from 28th Division Pennsylvania in the First World War, was erected in Varennes during the Interwar period.

  • Arrest of Louis XVI and his Family in Varennes, 1791. Arrest of Louis XVI and his Family in Varennes, 1791.
  • Ruins of Varennes in 1918. Ruins of Varennes in 1918.

Points of interest

See also

References

  1. "Répertoire national des élus: les maires" (in French). data.gouv.fr, Plateforme ouverte des données publiques françaises. 13 September 2022.
  2. "Populations de référence 2022" (in French). The National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies. 19 December 2024.
Communes of the Meuse department
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