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| Béhencourt | |
|---|---|
| Name | Béhencourt |
| Status | Commune |
| Arrondissement | Péronne |
| Canton | Albert |
| Insee | 80077 |
| Postal code | 80300 |
| Intercommunality | Pays du Coquelicot |
| Elevation m | 60 |
| Elevation min m | 47 |
| Elevation max m | 86 |
| Area km2 | 6.38 |
Béhencourt is a commune in the Somme department in Hauts-de-France in northern France, situated within the historical region of Picardy and near the Somme River. The village lies on departmental roads and within proximity to regional centers such as Amiens, Péronne, and Albert, and it has been affected by events tied to World War I, the Franco-Prussian War, and the administrative reforms of the French Third Republic. Béhencourt's landscape, demography, and heritage reflect influences from Picard culture, Catholic parishes, and the agricultural patterns typical of Hauts-de-France.
Béhencourt is located in the Somme department of Hauts-de-France, lying between the communes of Albert, Péronne, and Doullens and near the Somme River and the Canal de la Somme, with links to the network of regional rivers such as the Ancre and the Scarpe. The landscape combines Picardy plains, arable fields associated with farms in the Pays du Coquelicot and hedgerow patterns seen across the Plateau Picard and the Baie de Somme wetlands. The commune's position places it within transport corridors connecting to Amiens, Lille, and Paris, and within ecological zones relevant to migratory routes recognized by bird sanctuaries and Réserves Naturelles.
The area around Béhencourt has archaeological traces from Gallo-Roman settlements and medieval seigneurial domains recorded in cartularies associated with abbeys such as Saint-Riquier and monasteries linked to Cluny and Cistercian foundations. During the Hundred Years' War the region saw actions related to the campaigns of Edward III and the chevauchées of the Burgundian League, and later the Wars of Religion impacted parishes in Picardy linked to Huguenot and Catholic conflicts. In the 19th century Béhencourt experienced changes tied to the Industrial Revolution and the administrative reforms of Napoleon III and the Third Republic, followed by devastation and reconstruction after heavy fighting in World War I including battles connected to the Somme offensive and operations involving British Expeditionary Force units and Commonwealth divisions.
Population figures for Béhencourt have fluctuated in line with rural demographic trends in Picardy, with censuses recorded under the Institut national de la statistique et des études économiques and administrative lists maintained by prefectures in Amiens and the Somme. The commune's demographic profile reflects migration patterns influenced by nearby urban centers such as Amiens, Lille, Rouen, and Paris, and by wartime displacements during the First World War and Second World War affecting families from surrounding communes including Albert, Péronne, and Corbie.
Béhencourt is administered as a commune within the arrondissement of Péronne and the canton of Albert, participating in the intercommunality of Pays du Coquelicot alongside neighboring communes that cooperate on services, planning, and cultural projects linked to regional bodies in Hauts-de-France and departmental councils of the Somme. Local governance follows the legal framework established by the French state, interacting with prefectural authorities in Amiens and national ministries such as the Ministry of the Interior and the Ministry of Territorial Cohesion.
The local economy of Béhencourt is primarily based on agriculture typical of the Picardy plain, with farms producing cereals and sugar beet that trade in markets coordinated through cooperatives and agricultural chambers linked to Amiens and to national organizations such as the Chambre d'Agriculture and Fédération Nationale des Syndicats d'Exploitants Agricoles. Economic ties extend to regional agri-food industries in Hauts-de-France, logistics linked to transport routes toward Lille and Paris, and rural tourism connected to First World War memorial sites, battlefield museums, and heritage trails promoted by tourism offices in the Somme and by national heritage agencies.
Key heritage elements include the commune church reflecting ecclesiastical architecture influenced by diocesan styles of Amiens and the Archdiocese of Rouen, local war memorials commemorating battles of the Somme and servicemembers from the British Expeditionary Force, Commonwealth War Graves Commission sites nearby, and remnants of traditional Picard farmhouses similar to those preserved in museums in Amiens and regional patrimoine lists. Surrounding sites of interest include battlefield sites associated with the Battle of the Somme, museums in Albert and Péronne, and landscape features conserved by regional environmental organizations and the Conservatoire du Littoral.
Béhencourt is served by departmental roads connecting to Albert, Péronne, and Amiens and lies within reach of regional rail services on lines linking Amiens to Arras and Paris, with nearest major stations in Amiens and Doullens and access to the national autoroute network toward Lille and Paris. Local transport connections link to intercommunal transit systems, bus services coordinated with departmental authorities, and cycling routes used by tourists following the Somme valley and Picardy heritage trails.