Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
A town of 129 in Ardennes, Grand Est.
L'Échelle isn’t graded: grades begin at 1,000 residents. 21% of homes here are second homes. 14% of residents are 15 to 24.
The 2 things L'Échelle does most differently from other towns.
The Culture ministry’s list holds 1 historic monument in L'Échelle; none is classé, France’s top protection.
The oldest protected part dates from the 15th century; the first monument here was protected in 1926.
53% of its homes were built before 1919, against 7.4% in the median compared French town.
Explore the history →Data highlights are ordered by what stands out in L'Échelle.
France has no History Grade yet: this card describes, it doesn’t grade.
The Culture ministry’s list holds 1 historic monument in L'Échelle; none is classé, France’s top protection. The protected list starts in the 15th century.
Ministère de la Culture, Mérimée (Licence Ouverte 2.0) · INSEE, census 2023, homes by build period
Over-65s are 20% of the population. Children under 15 make up 16% of residents. Half of L'Échelle is older than 48.4, half younger.
49% women, 51% men
About 105 men for every 100 women. Median share of women: Ardennes 52.2%, France 51.8%.
| L'Échelle | Ardennes median | France median | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 15 | 16% | 16% | 17% |
| 15–24 | 14% | 10% | 11% |
| 25–44 | 11% | 22% | 23% |
| 45–64 | 39% | 27% | 26% |
| 65+ | 20% | 25% | 22% |
| No diploma | 27% | 30% | 19% |
| CAP or BEP | 26% | 28% | 26% |
| Baccalauréat | 18% | 16% | 18% |
| Higher education | 24% | 17% | 30% |
INSEE, census 2023 · Ardennes median and France median: the median of compared communes
Unemployment stood at 15.4%, below Ardennes’ towns (18.5%) but above compared French towns (10.1%).
Source: INSEE, census 2023 (commuting, employment, jobs at place of work); INSEE, Filosofi 2023 · Licence Ouverte
Rents are the ministry’s estimates of advertised rents, not rents actually paid.
From July 2023 to June 2026, 4 homes were sold in L'Échelle.
Source: Housing Ministry, Carte des loyers 2025; INSEE, Filosofi 2023 · Licence Ouverte
Heritage in and near L'Échelle. Best known first.
L'Échelle has one historic monument; beside it, the nearest classé monuments in other towns, within 15.5 mi.
Wikidata places 1 person here, but the articles don’t both confirm L'Échelle as the birthplace, so nobody is listed.
The nearest towns of 2,500 or more. The map uses IGN’s commune boundaries. See them on the map →
| Town | People | Miles | Overall | Cost | Safety | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| L'Échelle | 129 | — | — | — | — | — |
| Charleville-Mézières | 45,560 | 11 | D | B+ | D | D |
| Revin | 5,716 | 12 | C | A+ | C+ | C |
| Nouzonville | 5,523 | 12 | B− | A+ | B− | D |
| Villers-Semeuse | 3,615 | 13 | B | B+ | B | C+ |
| Bogny-sur-Meuse | 4,889 | 13 | C+ | A+ | C+ | D |
| Vivier-au-Court | 2,732 | 16 | — | B | — | D |
People: INSEE, census 2023. Miles: center to center.
Commune in Ardennes, Grand Est
L'Échelle is a commune of 129 people in the Communauté de communes Ardennes Thiérache. TownRatings compares communes, France’s local unit: each has its own mayor and its own statistics. Its area takes in the town and the countryside around it.
Built from INSEE’s 2026 official geography (COG) and IGN Admin Express boundaries
Sources: INSEE, census 2023 (population, employment, commuting) · INSEE, Filosofi 2023 (income per consumption unit, poverty) · Housing Ministry, Carte des loyers 2025 · SSMSI, recorded crime by commune, 2023–2025 · Ministry of Education (DEPP), brevet and bac results and value-added indicators, 2025 · INSEE, deaths by commune of residence 2016–2025 and censuses 2012–2023; Eurostat, death rates by age (© European Union); INSEE, BPE 2025 (care homes, emergency and maternity units, GPs, pharmacies); DREES, APL 2024; INSEE, life expectancy by département 2025 (provisional) · INSEE, BPE 2025 and Filosofi 200 m grid (walking distances) · IGN Admin Express (boundaries) · TownRatings grades: our own summary of the data, ranking French towns against each other only, updated October 30, 2026. Under the Licence Ouverte / Open Licence 2.0 (Etalab).
Contains public sector information under the Licence Ouverte / Open Licence 2.0 (Etalab): INSEE, DGFiP, the Interior Ministry’s statistics service (SSMSI), the Ministry of Education (DEPP), the Health Ministry’s statistics service (DREES) and the Housing Ministry (Carte des loyers). Commune boundaries: IGN Admin Express.