Climate
Nord-Pas de Calais has more or less the same climate as South East of England, that is to say a mild and temperate climate.
Food & Drink
Cheeses: Maroilles, Boulette d'Avesnes, Bergues
Endives and shallots, ratte du Touquet potatoes, Avesnois apples, cauliflower from the St-Omer marshes
Boulonnais lamb, Licques turkey
Andouille, andouillette sausages made with chitterlings
Coq à la bière , Potjevleesch, Carbonnade flamande, Mussles
Beautiful cities & places of interest in Nord-Pas de Calais
Arras
Arras, the birthplace of Robespierre, is the capital of the Pas-de-Calais region. Its two huge town squares, rebuilt after being destroyed in WWI, were originally created over 800 years ago. Surrounded by hundreds of Flemish-style houses and shops, the squares sit above a vast network of tunnels, which can trace their history from the French Revolution to WWI when the British Army used them as headquarters. The view over Arras from the town hall belfry is stunning and, on a clear day, you can see all the way to the Vimy ridge and the Canadian Monument.
Bergues
Discover the treasure of Bergues, from the belfry to the abbey of Saint Winoc and the old pawnshop, which is now the Mont de Piété museum. Yellow brick façades are characteristic of Bergues' old buildings and the town boasts over 5000 metres of impressive fortifications. This small but colourful city nestling at the foot of the town belfry is one of those Flemish towns that time seems to have passed by.
Boulogne-sur-Mer
Boulogne, France's premier fishing port, has been awarded the status of "Town of Art and History" and is indeed a gem. The fortified old town still contains its original city wall, a basilica and a château museum.
Calais
France's premier passenger port, Calais is the nearest French town to England and has been at the heart of centuries of conflicts, including the Hundred Years War and the famous encounter of the Field of the Cloth of Gold. It was also Emma Lady-Hamilton's asylum lace-making looms were smuggled here from Nottingham, an industry for which Calais is still famous today.
Lille
The diverse city of Lille has a proud heritage. Exuberant 17th-century Flemish architecture sits alongside charmingly preserved houses in Old Lille, while buildings dating back to the Middle Ages rub shoulders with the Euralille and Crédit Lyonnais, the last word in modernity.
Montreuil-sur-Mer
Pretty walled town with cobbled streets and superb views from the town's ramparts, where Victor Hugo was inspired to write "Les Misérables". Every summer a "Les Misérables" sound and light show featuring over 200 local amateur actors draws thousands of visitors.
Saint-Omer
The market town of St-Omer grew out of the surrounding marshlands in the 7th century, when monks started building a network of waterways so they could farm the and. Today, the city has been awarded "Town of Art and History" status for its 800-year-old cathedral, architectural beauty and its quality cultural events.
Roubaix
The 19th-century boomtown of Roubaix was the first town in the Lille area to be awarded "Town of Art and History" status by the Ministry of Culture in 2001 in recognition of the quality and originality of its architectural and historical heritage. Discover the unique history of this town, which in less than 100 years.
Back