Roubaix

Roubaix
Eglise Saint Martin, Roubaix.jpg
Saint Martin
Roubaix is located in France
Roubaix
Administration
Country France
Region Nord-Pas-de-Calais
Department Nord
Arrondissement Lille
Canton 4 cantons
Intercommunality Lille Métropole
Mayor René Vandierendonck
(2001–2008)
Statistics
Elevation 17–52 m (56–171 ft)
(avg. 32 m/105 ft)
Land area1 13.23 km2 (5.11 sq mi)
Population2 96,984  (1999)
 - Density 7,331 /km2 (18,990 /sq mi)
INSEE/Postal code 59512/ 59100
1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km² (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries.
2 Population sans doubles comptes: residents of multiple communes (e.g., students and military personnel) only counted once.

Roubaix (Dutch Robaais) is a commune in the Nord department in northern France.

It is located near the cities of Lille and Tourcoing and the Belgian border.

Contents

Heraldry

Arms of Roubaix

The arms of Roubaix are blazoned :
Ermine, a chief gules impaled with Azure, a rock sable fimbriated Or, in chief a mullet of 5 Or between 2 bobbins argent, and in base a shuttle Or, all within a bordure indented Or.

Sights

Notable is La Piscine art gallery, which as the name implies, is located in the old municipal swimming pool.

Sport

Roubaix is the finish of the Paris–Roubaix cycling classic from Compiègne to Roubaix over 259.5 km, which includes almost 50 km of cobbles.

One of the longest distance walking races in the world also takes place each year in Roubaix. Since 1953 the televised 'Roubaix 28 hours' regularly sees elite endurance athletes from dozens of countries aiming to complete the longest distance possible within the 28 hour time limit. The current record is over 255 kilometres, with many each year completing more than 200 km.

Notable people

Roubaix was the birthplace of:

International relations

Twin towns — Sister cities

Roubaix is twinned with:

See also

References

Notes

  1. ↑ "Official portal of City of Skopje - Skopje Sister Cities". © 2006-2009 City of Skopje. http://www.skopje.gov.mk/EN/DesktopDefault.aspx?tabindex=0&tabid=69. Retrieved 2009-07-14. 

External links

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