Clairfontaine
Clairfontaine is a commune in the Aisne department in Hauts-de-France in northern France.
Geography
Location
Clairfontaine is situated in the region of Thierache.The commune is characterised by its wooded countryside, which is found on the border of Fourmies, in the north of the department.
Climate
Several studies have been undertaken to characterise the climatic types which the area experiences. The zonings obtained differ depending on the method used, the number and type of parameters taken into account, the territorial network of data and the reference period. In 2010, the climate of the commune was classified as mountainous, according to the French National Centre for Scientific Research, based on a method combining climate data and environmental factors and data covering the period of 1971–2000. In 2020, the predominant climate during 1988–2017 was classed as "Cfb" according to the Koppen classification system, namely a temperate climate with cool summers and without a dry season. In 2020, Météo-France published a new typology of the climates in metropolitan France in which the commune is exposed to an altered oceanic climate and is in the climatic region of the Northeastern Parisian basin, characterised by limited sunshine, average rainfall evenly distributed throughout the year, and a cold winter. It is located in zone H1a under the 2020 environmental regulations of new constructions, which serve to calculate energy efficiency based off climate. Between 1971 and 2000, the average annual temperature was 9.4°C, with an annual temperature range of 4.1°C. The average annual rainfall was 956 mm, with 13.7 days of precipitation and 9.9 in July. For 1991–2020, the average annual temperature observed at the nearest Météo-France weather station, in the commune of Fontaine-lès-Vervins, is 10.5°C and the average annual rainfall is 826.3 mm. The maximum temperature recorded by the station is 39.5°C, recorded on 25 July 2019; the minimum temperature is -16°C, reached on 7 January 2009.Urban planning
Classification
As of the 1st of January 2025, Clairfontaine is classed as a rural commune with dispersed housing, according to the 7-level municipal population density grid established by INSEE in 2022. It is not located in an urban area and is outside the influence of any cities.Toponymy
The settlement is known to have been referred to by the Latin "Clarus fons" in 1136, as it was established near a spring, the clarity of which gave the settlement its name. The French word "fontaine" was not demonstrated until the 12th century and is derived from the Latin "fons".The English translation of Clairfontaine is "clear fountain".