Watten, Nord

French commune
nomcommune=Watten


caption=Location of the commune in the arrondissement of Dunkerque
région=Nord-Pas-de-Calais
département=Nord
arrondissement=Dunkerque
canton=Bourbourg
insee=59647
cp=59143
maire=Daniel Deschodt
mandat=2005-2008
intercomm=
longitude=2.213
latitude=50.83361
alt moy=55 m
alt mini=1 m
alt maxi=73 m
hectares=732
km²=7,32
sans=2724
date-sans=2006
dens=372
nomhab=Wattenais (es)
date-dens=2006

Watten ("Waden" in Dutch, which means "ford" as in "river-crossing") is a commune of the Nord "département", in northern France. Population (2006): 2,724 . Its inhabitants are called "Wattenais".

Geography

Watten is located at the limit of the French Flanders historical county. However, the inhabitants do not speak Flemish. The neighbouring villages are Wattendam (commune of Holque), Millam, Serques, Éperlecques and Wulverdinghe.

While Watten belongs to the Nord "département", it is bordering the Pas-de-Calais "département". The village is crossed by the rivers Aa and Colme.

ights

The village is famous for its old ruined abbey, and for its mill, which was restored in the 1990s. These two buildings are located on the "Mountain of Watten" (72 Meters high). Its church is from the 13th century.