Suippes

Suippes (French pronunciation: [sɥip]) is a commune in the Marne department in north-eastern France. It was part of the so-called la Champagne pouilleuse, a region battered by conflict during World War I.^[3] In the early months of the war, British soldiers were deployed here and were to march to Châlons-sur-Marne to fight the First Battle of the Marne. In October 1918, the United States also deployed a brigade in the area and was assigned as Fourth French Army reserve.^[4] The commune was pillaged and razed by the Germans in the same way they attacked Heiltz-le-Maurupt, Marfaux, Fromentieres, and Esternay.^[5]

Suippes
Commune
The church and town hall in Suippes
Location of Suippes
Suippes Show map of France Suippes Show map of Grand Est
Coordinates: 49°07′51″N 4°31′57″E
Country	France
Region	Grand Est
Department	Marne
Arrondissement	Châlons-en-Champagne
Canton	Argonne Suippe et Vesle
Intercommunality	Région de Suippes
Government
• Mayor (2020–2026)	François Collart[1]
Area 1	42.25 km2 (16.31 sq mi)
Population  (2022)[2]	3,898
• Density	92/km2 (240/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC+01:00 (CET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+02:00 (CEST)
INSEE/Postal code	51559 /51600
Elevation	129–196 m (423–643 ft) (avg. 135 m or 443 ft)
1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km2 (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries.

The commune is home to France's 40th Artillery Regiment and was once home to 15th Artillery Regiment which operated the nuclear Pluton missile as part of France's deterrent during the Cold War.

Geography

The commune is traversed by the Suippe river, from which it takes its name.

Population

Historical population

Year	Pop.	±% p.a.
1968	3,270	—
1975	3,305	+0.15%
1982	3,069	−1.05%
1990	3,106	+0.15%
1999	3,497	+1.33%
2007	3,791	+1.01%
2012	4,019	+1.17%
2017	3,913	−0.53%
Source: INSEE[6]

References

1. "Répertoire national des élus: les maires" (in French). data.gouv.fr, Plateforme ouverte des données publiques françaises. 13 September 2022.
2. "Populations de référence 2022" (in French). The National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies. 19 December 2024.
3. Pearson, Chris (2016). Mobilizing nature: The environmental history of war and militarization in modern France. Manchester: Manchester University Press. p. 145. ISBN 9781784993733.
4. McClellan, Edwin North (2014). The United States Marine Corps in the World War. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Government Printing Office. p. 84. ISBN 9780160927829.
5. March, Francis A. (2008). World War I: History of the World War, Complete Edition, Vol. I. Wildside Press LLC. p. 144. ISBN 9781434463548.
6. Population en historique depuis 1968, INSEE