AVESNES, capital of an arrondissement in the department of Nord, north France, on the Helpe, 28m. S.E. of Valenciennes by rail. Pop. (1930 Avesnes was founded in the 11 th cen tury and formed a countship which in the 15th century passed to the house of Burgundy and afterwards to Habsburg. In 1477 it was destroyed by Louis XI. By the treaty of the Pyrenees (1659) it went to France. It was captured by the Prussians in 1815. The church of St. Nicholas is i6th century. The chief industry of the town is wool-spinning, and there is trade in wood. It is the seat of a sub-prefect and has a tribunal of first instance and a chamber of commerce.