Courcelles-lès-Lens


Courcelles-lès-Lens is a commune in the Pas-de-Calais department in the Hauts-de-France region of France.

Geography

An ex-coalmining commune, now a light industrial and farming town, situated some east of Lens, on the D160 road, sandwiched by the N43 and the A21 autoroute. The canalized Deule river forms the north-eastern border of the commune.

Population

Places of interest

He was a hunter and naturalist born in Courcelles-lès-Lens 13 November 1814. He was the son of Adulphe Delegorgue, farmer and former mayor of Courcelles-lès-Lens. He became a sailor at the age of 16. He started his first expedition in Africa at the age of 23, and took part in the improvement of Paris' and Douai's Natural History Museum collection.
He died of disease during his fourth expedition. He wrote "Voyage dans l'Afrique Australe" published in 1847 and gave his name to several animal species.
The secondary school of Courcelles-lès-lens is named after him.