DENAIN, a town of northern France in the department of Nord, 8 m. S.W. of Valenciennes. Coal mines and iron-smelting works caused its growth from a mere village in the early 19th century to a town of 25,183 inhabitants in 1931. Besides iron and steel works, it has breweries and manufactories of machinery and glass. Denain has a port on the left bank of the Scheldt canal. Its vicinity was the scene of the victory gained in 1712 by Mar shal Villars over Prince Eugene.