33-464: Prix-lès-Mézières ( French pronunciation: [pʁi lɛ mezjɛʁ] , literally Prix near Mézières ) is a commune in the Ardennes department in northern France . This Ardennes geographical article is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Charleville-M%C3%A9zi%C3%A8res Charleville-Mézières ( French pronunciation: [ʃaʁləvil mezjɛʁ] )
66-502: A biennial event in 2011. The town is also home to the world headquarters of UNIMA as well as the International Puppetry Institute (French: Institut International de la Marionnette), which is housed in a historic building featuring a giant automaton of a puppeteer who performs a puppet show every hour on the hour. The École Nationale Supérieure des Arts de la Marionnette (ESNAM), a college which offers
99-912: A group of islands off Vaasa in Finland and another group at Holmöarna in Sweden. The bay is bounded by Finland to the east and Sweden to the west. The bay is asymmetric, with a smoother and shallower bottom slope on the Finnish side, and a deeper bottom with a steeper and more rugged coast on the Swedish side. The Bothnian Bay has a catchment area of 260,675 square kilometres (100,647 sq mi). Of this, 56% lies in Finland, 44% in Sweden and less than 1% in Norway. The catchment contains about 11,500,000 hectares (28,000,000 acres) of forest, split roughly equally between Sweden and Finland. The average depth
132-442: A harsher environment than other parts of the greater Baltic Sea. The bay is ice-covered for 110 to 190 days each year. Tides have little effect, but high winds driving the water from the south or north may cause the water level to rise or fall by 1.5 metres (4 ft 11 in). Major rivers that flow into the bay include: The salinity is only about 0.2 psu in the northern part of the bay, dropping almost to zero in some of
165-554: A higher education in puppetry, is also situated in Charleville-Mézières. The poet Arthur Rimbaud (1854–1891) was born in Charleville. The Rimbaud museum [ fr ] is located in the old water mill ( Le Vieux Moulin ) to the north of the town. Charleville served as the starting location for two seasons of the travel competition show Jet Lag: The Game . The local network of public buses within
198-615: A large archipelago area. The Swedish portion of this area is the Norrbotten archipelago . This is divided into the Piteå , Luleå , Kalix and Haparanda archipelagos. Many of the islands are uninhabited and in a natural state. In the winter the larger islands may be accessed via ice roads. Some of them are inhabited or have seasonal fishing villages used by people from the mainland. The Swedish Haparanda Archipelago National Park ( Swedish : Haparanda skärgårds nationalpark ) occupies
231-424: A short growing season . In the table and graph below, data for 1962 and earlier refer to the old commune of Charleville, before the merger with Étion, Mézières, Mohon and Montcy-Saint-Pierre. Puppetry is an important part of the cultural life of Charleville-Mézières, which is called the "World Capital of Puppetry Arts". An international puppet festival has been held there every three years since 1961, and became
264-740: A spacious port, a theatre, a large public library, and a museum of natural history. The inhabitants of Mézières were known as Macerians ( Macériens or Macériennes ). By the mid-19th century, the two towns were linked by a suspension bridge . It was occupied by the German Empire in the First World War and by Nazi Germany in World War II - the town served as the center of the Oberste Heeresleitung (OHL) for 26 days during World War I. The present commune
297-486: Is 41 metres (135 ft). The Luleå Deep is the deepest part of the bay, at 146 metres (479 ft), southeast of the town of Luleå . On the Finnish side the average depth is 30 metres (98 ft). The deepest part is near the island of Lönkytin , with a depth of 50 metres (160 ft). The bay lies in the area in Northern Europe where the ice was at its thickest during the last ice age. The Bay of Bothnia
330-538: Is a commune of northern France, capital of the Ardennes department , Grand Est . Charleville-Mézières is located on the banks of the river Meuse . Charleville and Mézières were originally separate communities on opposite banks of the Meuse , about 1.2 km (0.75 mi) from one another. Charleville was founded by Charles Gonzaga , the 8th duke of Mantua , in 1606. Its inhabitants were known as Carolopolitans ( Carolopolitains or Carolopolitaines ). It
363-553: Is also common, which results in strong cold snaps compared to the oceanic climates further west. This results in overnight temperatures below −10 °C (14 °F) happening during most winters as the cold air descends at night. Similar patterns replicate year round, causing Charleville-Mezières to have cooler summer nights than Nordic coastal areas near the Arctic Circle . The intermittent frosts in May and September also result in
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#1732780062845396-497: Is located in the archipelago offshore from Tornio and Kemi . It covers 157 square kilometres (61 sq mi) of which about 2.5 square kilometres (0.97 sq mi) is land. The immediate coastal areas of the Bothnian Bay tend to be bordering between humid continental and subarctic climates. The summers on the coastlines are the northernmost coastlines to average above 20 °C (68 °F) in summer. In winter
429-683: Is relatively unaffected by tides , so has low salinity . It freezes over each year for up to six months. Compared to other parts of the Baltic, it has little plant or animal life. The bay is divided from the Bothnian Sea , the southern part of the Gulf of Bothnia, by the Northern Quark ( Kvarken ) strait. The Northern Quark has a greatest depth of 65 metres (213 ft), with two ridges that are just 25 metres (82 ft) deep. It lies between
462-590: Is the largest city in Norrbotten , with the largest airport. The 1,312 islands of the Luleå archipelago are an important tourist attraction, as is the Gammelstad church village , listed as a Unesco World Heritage site. As of 1993 there were about 113,000 hectares (280,000 acres) of arable land in the Swedish part of the catchment basin, mostly used for small-scale low-intensity farming. There were five pulp and paper mills, of which one produced bleached kraft paper. In
495-516: Is the northernmost part of the Gulf of Bothnia , which is in turn the northern part of the Baltic Sea . The land holding the bay is still rising after the weight of ice-age glaciers has been removed, and within 2,000 years the bay will be a large freshwater lake since its link to the south Kvarken is mostly less than 20 metres (66 ft) deep. The bay today is fed by several large rivers, and
528-538: The Ardenne Métropole , TAC, is operated by RATP Dev . The Charleville-Mézières railway station offers connections to Paris (by TGV), Reims, Lille, Metz and regional destinations. OFC Charleville represent the town at association football . Étoile de Charleville-Mézières is a basketball club. Charleville-Mézières is twinned with: Bothnian Bay#Climate The Bothnian Bay or Bay of Bothnia ( Swedish : Bottenviken ; Finnish : Perämeri )
561-534: The Bothnian Sea and remains of extinct Atlantic gray whale was found from Gräsö while it is not clear whether or not whales might once have reached Bothnian Bay historically. Ports on the Finnish side include Haukipudas , Jakobstad , Kemi , Kokkola , Oulu , Raahe and Tornio . The largest towns by population on the Finnish side as of 2013 were Oulu (192,680), Tornio (22,374), Kemi (22,157), Kempele (16,549), Raahe (25,641), Kalajoki (12,637), Kokkola (46,697) and Jakobstad (19,636). In Finland
594-462: The Köppen-Geiger climate classification , Charleville-Mézières features a temperate oceanic climate ( Cfb ) with strong continental influences ( Dfb ). The climate is vastly affected by the low mountain Ardennes range nearby. The proximity results in moisture being trapped and excessive precipitation occurs as a result when compared to other parts of northern France. Temperature inversion
627-591: The Haparanda group of islands, bordering the Finnish Bothnian Bay National Park . It includes the larger islands of Sandskär and Seskar Furö , and some smaller islands and skerries . All of these islands have emerged in the last 1,500 years as the bed of the bay has risen. The Bay of Bothnia National Park in the Finnish section ( Finnish : Perämeren kansallispuisto , Swedish : Bottenvikens nationalpark ), established in 1991,
660-448: The archipelagos with large river inflows. The low salinity and cold temperatures in winter results in ice that is considerably stronger than more saline or warmer ice. If an island is defined as an area of land more than 20 square metres (220 sq ft) that is surrounded by water, the Bay of Bothnia has 4,001 islands. The largest island is Hailuoto . The north of the bay contains
693-422: The area's lakes and rivers also live in the bay, including roach, perch, pike and grayling. Ringed seal , grey seal , cod , herring and salmon may also be found in the bay. In the 16th century seals were hunted in the Bay of Bothnia. Ringed seals were captured using nets in the inshore open water, and were stalked and captured in their dens or at breathing holes. Both grey and ringed seals were hunted along
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#1732780062845726-405: The bay defines the dividing line beyond which many salt water species are unable to survive. Instead of the red and brown algae found further south, the bay has predominantly green algae and phanerogams . Annual plant species are almost completely dominant. The only perennials are a few specimens of the freshwater cryptogam Isoetes echinospora and the moss Fontinalis dalecarlica . Often
759-466: The catchment area included about 544,000 hectares (1,340,000 acres) of arable land as of 1993. There were four Finnish pulp and paper mills, of which two (Veitsiluoto Oy and Metsä Botnia Oy) were producing bleached kraft paper. On the Swedish side ports include Haparanda , Karlsborg, Kalix , Luleå , Piteå and Skellefteå . The largest towns on the Swedish side as of 2013 were Luleå (74,000), Skellefteå (71,641), Piteå (40,860) and Kalix (16,926). Luleå
792-476: The catchment basin add nutrients to the bay, affecting the ecological balance, while pollutants are delivered from steel mills and from pulp and paper mills around the bay, as well as from sewage treatment plants. Steel mills and stainless steel plants may have released nickel and chromium . Efforts have been made to reduce pollution through improved technology, but some areas along the Finnish coastline show evidence of eutrophication . Compared to other parts of
825-498: The edge of the ice. Wild vendace roe harvested from the Kalix River, known as Kalix Löjrom or as sea gold, is a delicacy with a European protected designation of origin . Birdlife includes the black guillemot , velvet scoter , oystercatcher , lesser black-backed gull , western capercaillie and willow ptarmigan . Moose and hare are found on the islands, as on the mainland. Occasionally, whales have been observed in
858-518: The green algae have a dense covering of epiphytic diatoms. The shores, beaches and shallows include a variety of northern plant species including the endemic yellow hair grass ( Deschampsia bottnica ). The only filter feeders are Ephydatia and, at the river mouths, small numbers of freshwater mussels. Bivalves make up 9% of animal biomass. Crustaceans, mostly Saduria entomon make up 45% and gastropoda 30%. The gastropoda are grazing snails related to freshwater species. Fish species found in
891-414: The late 1960s the bay was being used to transport fuel oil to the Finnish settlements around the bay. In 1968 about 950,000 tons of cellulose and 230,600 tons of paper and cardboard were exported, a figure that was rising. In 1968 ships calling at the Finnish ports carried about 388,872 tons of iron bars and 64,326 tons of steel sheets. Mining and mineral products such as coal and ore were carried to and from
924-593: The ports, and steel products were exported. Sea transport continued throughout the winter. In 1993 there were two non-ferrous heavy metal smelters, in Rönnskär and Kokkola, emitting significant quantities of heavy metals. Efforts were being made to reduce emissions. The drainage basin also held three iron and steel plants and a number of mines. Human activities have affected the fragile sub-arctic environment. Dredging and other activities related to sea transport affect marine life. Agriculture, forestry and peat mining in
957-405: The sea freezes over , many times completely. This means that there is vast seasonal lag offshore such as on the island of Rödkallen on the Swedish side. Due to the mild nature of summers and the low diurnals , offshore islands tend to be humid continental since September usually stays above 10 °C (50 °F) means. FMI (record highs and lows 1921–1961) The Quark ridge at the south of
990-543: The sea retreating during their lifetimes from piers and boathouses, leaving them stranded on land. Some former islands such as Porsön and Hertsön near the city of Luleå are still called islands, but are now connected to the mainland. The maximum depth at the Kvarken sound today is around 20 metres (66 ft). Within 2,000 years, the exit from the bay at Kvarken will be raised above sea level, which will result in it becoming Europe's largest lake. The Bothnian Bay has
1023-464: Was established in 1966, the year after another commune, Le Theux , had been merged into Mézières. The entire resultant commune has a population of about 51,000. With an annual average of 10 °C (50 °F), Charleville-Mézières is generally the coolest city of France. Winters are long, cold and gloomy while summers are interchangeably warm or hot but sometimes, even in the middle of July, night temperatures can drop below 5 °C (41 °F). Under
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1056-645: Was prosperous from the 17th century, although its fortifications were dismantled under Louis XIV in 1687 and it passed into French hands in 1708. It was plundered by the Prussians in 1815. France's royal armaments factory was formerly located there and gave its name to the Charleville musket , before being relocated and divided between Tulle and Châtellerault . In the 19th century, the city continued to produce arms through private firms, as well as nails, hardware, wine, spirits, coal, iron, and slate. It boasted
1089-552: Was under ice until the " Ancylus Lake " period (7500–6000 BC), when the ice sheet withdrew to the mountains of Northern Scandinavia. The land is now rising by post-glacial rebound at the highest rate in the Baltic Sea, at an estimated rate of 9 millimetres (0.35 in) a year. Today the Bothnian Bay lies around 300 metres (980 ft) higher than it did at the end of the Last Ice Age . The local population has seen
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