French Regime (1795 - 1814)

Administration: on March 2, 1793, Belgium was reunited with France.

Hainaut, within its current limits, became the 86th department bearing the name of Jemappes, in memory of the famous battle. The north of the canton was part of the district of Ath, canton of Silly.

A reorganization of 5 Fructidor Year III restored the canton of Lens to its original state.

The law of 22 Pluviose in IX, under the consulate and the empire, brought back the old divisions into 3 districts. Lombise became chief town of canton of the district of Mons, Lens formed another canton and was not reinstated until 1815, from the religious point of view.

On 16 Germinal Year II we detach from Cambrai to reattach ourselves to Tournai. Bishop François-Joseph sent a pastoral letter on January 11, 1809 on the occasion of the raising of 80,000 conscripts in 1810 (favorable to conscription). This conscription (blood tax) lasted about 110 years and was abolished by Leopold II, shortly before his death. Personal service with abolition of the substitute is a step towards the equality of all citizens,