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12 Top-Rated Tourist Attractions in Nord-Pas-de-Calais

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On a map of France, the Nord-Pas-de-Calais region forms the northernmost tip of the country's Hexagon. At the edge of Kingdom of belgium and facing the English language Channel, Nord-Pas-de-Calais boasts beautiful sandy beaches, likewise as serene expanses of marshland, rolling hills, and pristine forests. The region corresponds with the historic provinces of Artois and French Flanders and overlaps with parts of Picardy.

Despite being 1 of French republic's most important industrial areas, in that location are still pastoral farms, historic towns, and quaint villages untouched by modernity. A mannerly ambience and elevation-notch cultural attractions are also establish in several cities such as Lille, Arras, and Boulogne-sur-Mer.

Plan a fabulous travel itinerary and discover the best places to visit with our listing of the top attractions in Nord-Pas-de-Calais.

See besides: Where to Stay in Nord-Pas-de-Calais

1. Lille

Lille is the largest city of French Flanders and has a distinctive Flemish character, seen in its lovely compages and hearty cuisine. The local cooking includes typical Belgian dishes like moules-frites (mussels and French fries) and gaufres (Belgian-manner waffles).

At the heart of Lille, the Place du Général de Gaulle, is lined with elegant Flemish Baroque monuments such every bit the Vieille Bourse (Old Stock Exchange). The nearby Rang du Beauregard buildings exemplify an ornate Lilloise Neoclassical style.

Art museums are among the top attractions in Lille and in nearby towns. Not to exist missed are the Palais des Beaux-Arts (Museum of Fine Arts); the Musée du Louvre-Lens, which shares its collection with the Louvre Museum in Paris; the LaM museum of modern and gimmicky fine art in Villeneuve d'Ascq; and the collection of fine arts and decorative arts in the town of Roubaix.

The first weekend of September, the Braderie de Lille (Flea Market) brings together hundreds of stalls selling vintage items and antiques. Bargain hunting at the Lille Flea Market is 1 of the almost popular things to exercise in the metropolis.

2. Arras

The historic capital of the Artois province, Arras has the architectural heritage to prove it. Arcaded squares, high-gabled burghers' houses, and exquisite quondam churches reveal the authentic character of this Flemish town.

The Cathédrale d'Arras, originally the abbey church of Saint-Vaast, was rebuilt in the 18th century in awe-inspiring Neoclassical fashion.

Another building of the former Benedictive monastery of Saint-Vaast is now home to the Musée des Beaux-Arts. This museum has a various art collection, from medieval sculptures to Dutch and French paintings. Highlights are the masterpieces past Jean-Baptiste-Camille, Corot, Charles Le Brun, Delacroix, and Rubens.

During Globe War I, the expanse around Arras was the scene of heavy fighting, which is now commemorated past several military cemeteries and memorials. On the site where the pivotal Battle of Vimy Ridge took identify (12 kilometers north of Arras) in April of 1917, the Vimy Memorial pays homage to Canadian soldiers who fought and died in France during the First World War.

3. Calais

Calais provides a gateway to England as a port on the English Aqueduct and the starting point for train or ferry rides to England. The high-speed Eurostar train crosses the English Channel's Strait of Dover in a 50-kilometer undersea tunnel, and takes nether one 60 minutes to arrive in London. The English Channel crossing by ferry takes one hour and 30 minutes from Calais to Dover, England.

In this spectacular seaside location along the Côte d'Opale (Opal Coast), the surface area effectually Calais features expansive sandy beaches, which are popular for surfing and sailing, equally well as other outdoor activities similar hiking and cycling.

For those spending time in Calais (rather than simply traveling through), must-run into attractions are the UNESCO-listed Flemish Renaissance-way Hôtel de Ville (Boondocks Hall) and the nearby group of Auguste Rodin's sculptures, Les Bourgeois de Calais , which commemorate the siege of Calais in 1347 past the English language, and occupation until 1558.

Next to the leafy Parc Richelieu, the Musée des Beaux Arts displays paintings and sculptures from the 16th century to the 21st century. Amid the masterpieces are works by Auguste Rodin, Théodore Géricault and William Turner.

The Cité de la Dentelle et de la Mode (on the Quai du Commerce) has a superb collection of antique lace, besides every bit an array of vintage fashion pieces that feature lace adornments. The collections focus on the history of handmade lace from the Renaissance era to the 19th century. Withal, there is as well an showroom of mod lace and contemporary fashion.

4. Boulogne-sur-Mer

As France'southward largest fishing port, it's plumbing fixtures that Boulogne-sur-Mer has a superb aquarium and sea museum. The Nausicaá aquarium is the largest in Europe, home to 58,000 sea creatures, including 1,600 different species. Nausicaá especially appeals to families with kids, who are certain to enjoy the impact puddle and entertaining ocean panthera leo performances.

Nigh the Nausicaá aquarium is access to a sandy beach along the Boulevard Sainte-Beuve. The embankment has a yacht club and a promenade, which is ideal for taking a seaside stroll. During summertime, embankment tents, lounge chairs, and parasols are available for rent; in July and August, lifeguards are on duty.

In keeping with its maritime heritage, the town hosts the Fête de la Mer (Festival of the Bounding main) every twelvemonth in July. The festival includes nautical parades, sailing excursions, maritime music concerts, performances of traditional seafaring songs, and visits to the fish auction and fishermen's quays. Gourmands relish the seafood cooking workshops taught past local chefs, and samplings of specialties prepared from fresh catches.

Tourists should also take some time to explore the Old Town of Boulogne-sur-Mer, a walled medieval city known as the Haute Ville because information technology's perched on a hilltop. This charming historic area is full of atmospheric cobblestone streets and picturesque squares.

Highlights of the Haute Ville include the UNESCO-listed tower, dating to the 12th century; the Notre-Dame Basilica, which incorporates a Romanesque catacomb; and the 13th-century fortifications (Les Remparts), which characteristic four gated entrances to the Haute Ville.

The ramparts that surround the Haute Ville of Boulogne-sur-Mer are the best preserved medieval fortifications in northern France. It's an invigorating experience to walk forth the Promenade des Remparts, a path through landscaped gardens at the foot of the ramparts. This path also offers a chance to admire panoramas of the metropolis.

Some other interesting spot to explore is the Rue de Lille, a pedestrian street lined with restaurants, antique shops, and pocket-sized boutiques.

5. Gerberoy

With its tranquil bucolic setting, cobblestone pedestrian alleyways, and quaint half-timbered houses, this medieval hamlet is a delightful place to explore. Thank you to its beauty and charm, Gerberoy is listed as i of the Plus Beaux Villages de French republic (Almost Beautiful Villages of France). The Touring Social club of French republic titled Gerberoy as "le plus coquet" ("the about alluring") village.

Many buildings throughout the boondocks are adorned with rose vines. Gerberoy is also famous for its Fête des Roses (Festival of Roses), which has been held in the village every year since 1928.

In keeping with the village'due south dearest of flowers, the mail-Impressionist painter Henri Le Sidaner (who settled in Gerberoy) created magnificent Italian terraced gardens that he used as an outdoor fine art studio. Classified as a Jardin Remarquable (Remarkable Garden), the Jardins Le Sidaner are open every 24-hour interval from May 1st through September 30th.

Near the garden is some other must-run into landmark, the Collégiale Saint-Pierre, which is adorned with 17th-century Aubusson tapestries. The church dates to the 11th-century but was renovated in later centuries.

6. Bergues

Surrounded by remnants of medieval walls, the picturesque town of Bergues is traversed by winding canals, which lend a typical Flemish ambience.

Bergues is most famous for its belfry, considered one of the finest in France. The UNESCO-listed Beffroi de Bergues features an unusual open up design, with l bells that chime to mark the hours. As the town's top tourist attraction, the Beffroi de Bergues besides has an exhibition space and music room.

An infrequent fine arts museum, the Musée du Mont de Piété occupies the 17th-century Mont-de-Piété (municipal pawnshop), which is a gem of Flemish Baroque compages. The museum displays paintings and drawings by Flemish and French masters, including George de la Tour, Charles Le Brun, Nicolas Poussin, Anthony van Dyck, and Maerten van Heemskerck.

7. Musée Louvre-Lens

The Musée Louvre-Lens is an ultramodern museum space in a tranquil park. The Musée Louvre-Lens does not take its ain collections, instead the museum presents rotating exhibits of artworks loaned from the Louvre Museum in Paris.

The museum's 3,000-square-meter Galerie du Temps (gallery infinite) features natural lighting and an innovative presentation. On display are over 200 masterpieces from the Louvre. Many exhibits focus on specific themes of artworks compiled from diverse time periods or representing dissimilar creative styles.

It's like shooting fish in a barrel to go to the museum from Lille (a 30-minute drive) or Paris (ninety minutes by railroad train). The railroad train station in Lens offers costless shuttle bus rides to the museum.

Address: 99 Rue Paul Bert, 62300 Lens

Official site: http://www.louvrelens.fr/en/habitation

8. Cambrai

Cambrai is a quiet historic boondocks with remnants of medieval fortifications and an impressive cultural heritage. A relic of the one-time ramparts, the 14th-century Porte de Paris once provided an entrance into the previously walled town.

The Eglise Saint-Géry is noteworthy for its blend of French classical and Dutch Baroque architectural styles, also as the famous Entombment painting past Rubens.

Not-to-be-missed are Chapelle du Grand Séminaire, renowned for its Bizarre facade, and the Cathédrale Notre-Matriarch, which contains infrequent works of art, including trompe-fifty'oeil paintings past Martin Gheeraerts and marvelous stained-drinking glass windows.

Fine art lovers will appreciate the Musée des Beaux-Arts, which has an fantabulous assortment of 16th- to 19th-century Dutch and French paintings. The museum's archeology and gimmicky fine art collections are also interesting.

Many cultural attractions are constitute simply outside of Cambrai, including the Musée des Dentelles et Broderies de Caudry (Museum of Lace and Embroidery), housed in a 19th-century lace factory in Caudry (xv kilometers from Cambrai). This museum presents the local history of lace fabrication and embroidery arts along with arts and crafts demonstrations and fashion exhibits.

The Musée Matisse in Le Cateau-Cambrésis (25 kilometers from Cambrai) is a must-see allure for those who admire the works of Matisse. The museum was created by Henri Matisse, who hailed from this region, and is considered 1 of the nearly important collections of Matisse paintings in the world. On displays are 82 paintings that Matisse himself donated to the museum.

nine. Saint-Omer and the Marais Audomarois

Cobblestone streets and stately old townhouses reveal the traditional character of this historic marketplace boondocks. One of Saint-Omer's virtually elegant 18th-century townhouses, the Hôtel Sandelin, is now a museum with an first-class drove of European paintings, also as decorative arts.

Other must-see landmarks are the 13th-century Eglise Saint-Denis, which has a purple Gothic tower, and the Cathédrale Notre Matriarch, a splendid Gothic monument built between the 13th and 16th centuries.

In the surroundings, the Marais Audomarois (marshland) is among the best places to visit in northern France for angling (allowed with a local line-fishing association card) in the gentle rivers.

Taking a boat ride through the marshland'due south waterways is another way to discover the wetland scenery, with its lush found life and market gardens. There are several options for tourists: traditional artisan-crafted wooden boats led past a local boatman, row boats and canoes for rent, and guided boat tours.

For those who'd like to explore the terra firma aspects of the area, the Audomarois Wood has breathtaking trails for hiking and cycling.

x. Dunkerque

Just fourteen kilometers from the Belgian edge, Dunkerque (Dunkirk) is French republic's northernmost town, on the North Sea nearly the Strait of Dover. Dunkerque has an important commercial port, every bit well every bit ferry boat access to Dover, England.

During the 2d World State of war, Dunkerque was the scene of a dramatic military rescue as boats of Allied troops were brought to safety.

Every year before Ash Midweek, the Dunkirk Carnival transforms the town into a wild and crazy scene of unbridled celebration. Thousands of revelers testify their festive spirit, wearing colorful costumes; some deport whimsical umbrellas on long handles. The 3-day carnival includes gregarious processions, musical entertainment, and joyful assurance.

11. Douai

Douai is an onetime university town, originally founded by the Spaniards. The key features of the town are the UNESCO-listed Tower, a masterpiece of Gothic compages that dates to the 14th and 15th centuries, and the Identify d'Armes, likewise called the G Place.

The Musée de la Chartreuse, housed in a 17th-century convent, contains a renowned fine-arts drove including masterpieces of Flemish, Dutch, Italian, and French painting. Highlights are the works by Véronèse, Rubens, Courbet, Renoir, Sisley, Corot, and Pisarro, as well as the precious Polyptyque d'Anchin past Jean Bellegambe (created between 1509 and 1513).

12. Abbaye de Vaucelles

The Abbaye de Vaucelles is a remarkable twelfth-century abbey founded by Saint Bernard, which was ane of the largest Cistercian monasteries in the world. The abbey is classified as a Historical Monument and is considered i of the virtually important historic buildings in northern France.

Visitors tin can see the old Monks' Quarters, including a chapter firm, scriptorium, sacred passage, oratory, and chapel, and explore the luxuriant seven-hectare grounds, which feature diverse sections, including an orchard and a rose garden.

The Abbaye de Vaucelles is open to the public for visits (for an access fee) every twenty-four hour period except Mondays from March through October. Art expositions and cultural events are held here throughout the twelvemonth.

The abbey is located 12 kilometers from Cambrai.

Where to Stay in Nord-Pas-de-Calais for Sightseeing

We recommend these delightful Nord-Pas-de-Calais hotels in Lille, Arras, and Calais:

Clarance Hotel : luxury Lille boutique hotel, 18th-century townhouse, bright rooms, Michelin-starred restaurant, vegetable garden.
Hotel L'Arbre Voyageur, BW Premier Collection : mid-range Lille hotel, near the erstwhile town, gimmicky building, serene rooms.
Vacation Inn - Calais : 3-star Calais hotel, harbor views, five-minute stroll to beaches, secure automobile park.
ibis Arras Centre Les Places : budget-friendly Arras hotel, cardinal location, friendly staff, sleek decor.

Nearby Attractions in the Picardy Region

Amiens

Amiens is the historic capital of Picardy and was long famous as a heart of linen, wool, and cotton fiber industries. The Second World War took its toll on the city. Fortunately, the magnificent Cathédrale Notre Matriarch d'Amiens was spared any damage.

The most impressive of Amiens' tourist attractions, this 13th-century cathedral is designated as a UNESCO Earth Heritage Site and is one of the largest Gothic cathedrals in the world. This superb instance of archetype French Gothic compages is distinguished by its harmony and overall stylistic coherence. Visitors marvel at the intricacy of the facade with its exquisite details.

Beauvais

Beauvais has a distinctive erstwhile-world character and noteworthy historic churches. Soaring towards the heavens, the Flamboyant Gothic Cathédrale Saint-Pierre boasts the highest roof vaulting in the earth. Amidst the oldest churches in Beauvais is the Eglise Saint-Etienne, congenital in the twelfth century with some later additions.

Information technology's worth taking time to adore the church building's stained-glass windows, especially the 13th-century Arbre de Jessé (The Tree of Jesse). Behind the cathedral is the Galerie Nationale de la Tapisserie, a center of tapestry, which displays exceptional pieces dating from the 16th century and presents workshops on tapestry weaving.

About a 30-minute drive n in the village of Folleville is the UNESCO-listed Eglise Paroissiale Saint-Jean-Baptiste. This historic church was on the medieval "Way of Saint James" pilgrimage route to Santiago de Compostela, Spain.

Château de Chantilly

In the small-scale village of Chantilly, the Château de Chantilly is one of the few castles in French republic that is still completely furnished with its original decor and precious antiques.

The château was the residence of the Duke of Aumale (Henri d'Orléans), whose father was Louis-Philippe, the last male monarch of France. The Duke of Aumale inherited the Château de Chantilly from Louis-Henri-Joseph de Bourbon, the Prince of Condé.

The lavish reception rooms of the Princes of Bourbon-Condé are adorned in sumptuous 18th-century French fashion. The château's Cabinet des Livres (Reading Room) contains 19,000 volumes, including rare books similar the Duc de Berry'southward illuminated manuscript from the 15th century.

In the old kitchen of the château, the famous chef, François Vatel, invented whipped cream chosen "crème Chantilly." The château's restaurant, La Capitainerie, serves a elementary carte du jour for tiffin and afternoon tea featuring desserts made with the famous Chantilly whipped foam.

A highlight of the château is the Musée Condé, which houses France'south 2d-largest collection (later on the Louvre) of works by the Quondam Masters, from the Renaissance to the 19th century. Some of the finest pieces include the Portrait de Madame Duvaucey past Ingres, the Massacre des Innocents by Poussin, and Concert Champêtre by Jean-Baptiste-Camille Corot, every bit well every bit paintings by Raphaël, Delacroix, Véronèse, Botticelli, Filippino Lippi, and Philippe de Champaigne.

Surrounding the château is an enchanting 115-hectare parkland with a French Formal Garden designed by André Le Nôtre (mural architect of Versailles) and a romantic English Garden created in the 19th century. The property as well includes the Grandes Écuries horse stables that present entertaining equestrian shows.

Official site: http://world wide web.domainedechantilly.com/en

Compiègne

Surrounded by regal forests, Compiègne defines itself as a "royal village" because of its majestic past. Here, French Kings and the Emperor Napoleon I take left their mark.

Testify of the town's rich heritage are several prestigious monuments, such as the Hôtel de Ville (Town Hall), a unique example of secular Gothic compages, and the Château de Compiègne, the palace of Louis XV and Louis XVI, as well as Napoleon I and Napoleon 3.

The Château de Compiègne is open up to the public yr-circular for self-guided or guided tours. Visitors will be dazzled by the palace'south Neoclassical architecture and opulent Imperial apartments of the First (Napoleon I) and Second (Napoleon III) French Empires. The palace also has three museum collections and a tea salon in the rose garden, the Salon de Thé du Jardin des Roses.

Virtually 10 kilometers from Compiègne in a clearing of dense woodland, the Mémorial de l'Armistice (memorial site and museum) is found in the railway carriage where the Ceasefire of 1918 was signed. The museum displays stereoscopic (3-dimensional) photographs that bring scenes of World War I to life.

Outside the museum are numerous monuments dedicated to the fallen soldiers of France. The surrounding area has hiking trails that current of air through the tranquil forest.

Noyons

In the eye of Picardy, Noyon is an interesting tourist destination with a glorious Romanesque-Gothic cathedral built in the 12th century. With its purity of lines, the Cathédrale Notre-Matriarch reveals a solemnity and, at the same time, a brightness that inspires spiritual worship. Protestant reformer John Calvin was built-in in Noyons, and the business firm of his birthplace is now the John Calvin Museum, dedicated to the history of Protestantism.

Nigh 10 kilometers from Noyons, the 12th-century Abbaye d'Ourscamp was a Cistercian abbey on the medieval pilgrimage road to Santiago de Compostela. Today, the abbey is the property of the Serviteurs de Jésus et de Marie religious community and is open to the public for visits, also as spiritual retreats.

Somme Battlefields

The mural of Somme is the site of a significant WWI battle that took place from July to November in 1916. Visitors can learn about the Boxing of the Somme and discover the history of the war through the Remembrance Circuit, a 92-kilometer-long trail, which includes battlefield sites, cemeteries, and memorials.

In the town of Albert at the site of the Battle of the Somme, the Musée Somme 1916 (Somme Trench Museum) documents the history of the Commencement World War and gives visitors a realistic insight of the trench battle experience, with recreations of scenes showing soldiers in the trenches.