Baâlons
Baâlons is a commune in the Ardennes department in the Grand Est region of northern France. The inhabitants of the commune are known as "Baâlonnais" or "Baâlonnaises". Geography. Baâlons is located some 25 km north-east of Rethel and 18 km south of Charleville-Mézières. Access to the commune is by the D28 road from Bouvellemont in the south which passes through the village and continues north-east then north to join the D27. The D991 also goes north from Bouvellemont passing through the west of the commune to join the D951 north of Mazerny. The commune is mixed  forest and farmland with particularly large forests in the east. The "Ruisseau du Fond Cahors" rises west of the village and flows west to join the "Ruisseau de la Fontaine aux Chênes". The "Ruisseau des Puiselets" forms the western border of the commune as it flows south to join the Ruisseau du Fond Cahors. The "Ruisseau de Baâlons" rises in the north of the commune and flows south towards the village then turns east to join the "Ruisseau de Bairon" on the eastern border. The Ruisseau de Bairon forms the eastern border of the commune as it flows south to  join the "Étang de Bairon" which feeds into the Canal des Ardennes west of Tannay. Géraumont was a former fief where there is still a castle, now Géromont Farm. A small hamlet west of Baâlons village. It is now very sparsely populated however the "General Dictionary of cities towns, villages, hamlets and farms of France" by Duclos says that in 1846 there were 70 inhabitants. A Hamlet in the north of the commune which is still populated. History. Various objects have been found in the commune: The "Universal Dictionary of Ancient and Modern France and New France" by Marin Saugrain  stated in 1726 that: "BAALON in Champagne, Diocese of Reims, Parliament of Paris, Intendance of Chalons, Election of Rhetel, has 419 inhabitants. The Curate is worth nine hundred livres.". Administration. List of Successive Mayors