Mastaing is a small commune in the Nord, a few kilometres from the Escaut canal and between the wider urban centres of Cambrai, Douai and Valenciennes. Its municipal portrait gives the village a distinctly cared-for character: flowered façades, a green square, old trees and familiar landmarks form the visitor’s first impression. The population was 911 municipal residents in the 2023 reference census, within the commune’s 1 January 2025 geographic boundaries; this figure became legally effective on 1 January 2026. It is the municipal population, rather than the total that also counts people separately.
A village shaped by its landmarks
The town’s own history page traces an early place-name, Mast, to 752 and records a later form, Masten, in the eleventh and twelfth centuries, associated with the lords of Jauche. Those are claims reported by the municipality; they should be distinguished from the better-dated architectural record of the present church. The municipal landscape is easy to read on foot: a fountain made from old lock stones, an ivy topiary horse pulling a cart on the green, century-old lime trees near the church, acacias by a chapel and calvary, and a ginkgo outside the town hall. Residents contribute through the village’s flower displays.
Saint-Martin and the documented past
A church is recorded at Mastaing in 1122. The present white-stone Saint-Martin was built in the early sixteenth century and completed around 1520–1530, with later additions. Its two surviving cemetery turrets and unusual double-bulb tower recall an earlier fortified enclosure. Inside, the church is known for carved woodwork and a pulpit decorated with plant forms and figures of Christ, Peter and Paul. The Nord monument register protects the nave and aisle vaults by classification and records the rest of the building as registered. The local account also records rebuilding after a fire in 1681 and severe tower damage during the 1712 Battle of Denain.
Local work and a practical stop
Insee counted 108 jobs located in the commune in 2023 and 12 employer establishments at the end of 2024. Seven were in agriculture, forestry or fishing, two in construction, one in commerce, transport or other services, and two in public administration, education, health or social work. These describe establishments based locally, not all residents’ occupations. A municipal notice in September 2026 advertised a Wednesday market beneath the covered hall from 15:30 to 19:00; check the current notice before planning around vendors or times. The mairie lists weekday morning service and afternoon appointments for administrative help; confirm access and church opening in advance.
Getting around
The municipality says Belgian and Dutch cyclists pass through in summer on the Saint-Jacques route. This is a local description, not confirmation of today’s continuous markings, a specific stage or safe access. Check current route mapping and signage before setting out. The canal is nearby, while Cambrai, Douai and Valenciennes provide broader regional orientation; this profile does not assert unverified distances or transport times. Check local notices for events and any service changes.
