Flandre, Artois et Picardy form an extraordinarily diverse group of provinces. There are plenty of Nords to choose from : that of the warm inhabitants of a country resolutely focused on the future, at the heart of Europe, of miner’s terraced houses and of slag heaps, the country of popular festivals where beer flows liberally and where “giants” are on display, of the splendid Gothic cathedrals, of the Opal Coast, with its ports and beaches, of the Somme bay, a bird paradise….whatever the theme of the trip, there are surprises and discoveries all the way.

Few regions have experienced such a profuse succession of wars and invasions. It was a land coveted by the English, the Burgundies, the Hapsburgs and….the French. Flanders witnessed the development of towns during the Middle Ages, the franco-burgundy rivalries, the Spanish Netherlands, the French conquests. From each of these periods, it acquired a rich architectural heritage, with fortified towns and belfries. The talent of Vauban, an architect of genius working for Louis the 14th, expressed itself to the full in this frontier region in the design and erection of the famous « pré carré », a double line of defense against foreign invasions. Around 30 strongholds were thus built, all new creations such as Lille « Queen of citadels », a pharaonic piece of architecture within which the city was erected, in Begues, Dunkerque, Gravelines, Maubeuge, Valenciennes….

From the 14th century, Flemish Gothic architecture flourished in majestic town halls and belfries, still visible today, symbols of the wealth and power of the cities, which also functioned as fortified keeps against enemies or in some cases, doubled as prisons. The chimes of the magnificent belfries of the Northern region still ring out those light tunes that regulate the daily life of the towns and enchant visitors.

Two major economic activities have had a profound influence on the region, the textile industry and mining. Since the time of Zola, much has been said, written and filmed about the coalfields, about the extremely harsh and dangerous working conditions of the “black faces” and about life in the mining communities. Several museums and a historical centre propose fascinating presentations about miners and the mines they worked in. The landscapes remain, many of them in the process of rehabilitation. Here a sports complex dedicated to surf sports (built on a former slag heap), there a vast artificial lagoon (in a collapsed terrain), elsewhere a nature park where the native flora and fauna are gradually returning. There are many different projects, because the task is immense, considering that this activity provided jobs to 220 000 miners in its heyday and that 600 mines had been dug.

Northeners love festivals. The carnival tradition, with its “ducasses” and other fetes, is alive and well in this region. The famous Dunkerque carnival, in Bailleul and Cassel in the month of February, during which carnival-goers get up to the wildest antics, attracts large crowds for days on end. Whatever the weather, nothing spoils the fun ! But the North has a very special custom : « giants » between 6 and 8 meters tall and weighing between 300 and 400 kilograms are fabricated and paraded through the streets during these pageants. Who do these legendary figures represent ? Often the town founders (in Lille) or famous warriors (the Reuzes from Scandinavia to Dunkerque), historical couples or personalities (the heroic bar owner Jeanne Maillotte, William the Conqueror..), the heroes of local legends (Gargantua, Gambrinus, the King of Beer…). They also illustrate the local trades such as the miner, the fisherman, the market gardener, the lumberjack, etc… The “giants” family has thus over 300 members who parade around town for several days, often stopping off in front of the bars and cafés. As it is rumored that these giants get married and have children, there is no risk of the festive tradition of the North one day dying out…

The coastal region, which borders on the North Sea and the Channel, has always been a hub of trade and cultural exchange. With its large fishing and freight ports, this fact remains true even today. The Channel Tunnel, the fulfillment of a centuries-old dream, provides a rapid link to the nearby British Isles. The “Opal” Coast offers visitors poetic landscapes, immaculately white chalk cliffs, immense beaches with pebbles or fine sand, bordered by a line of dunes. These are favored rambling areas for lovers of wide open spaces and beautiful light. Although other seaside regions may offer greater exposure to the sun, there are many other activities related to sports, such as sand-yachting or land windsurfing, for which this coast is ideal territory. In the interior of this “flat country”, other areas have preserved their old-world charm with windmills that are iconic images of the Northern region. There were hundreds of these at one time – today only a handful remains to nourish our dreams… One region offers visitors a taste of natural paradise : the Somme bay, a peerless conservation area. A wide variety of bird species live here permanently or use it as a staging post during their annual migration. In the Merquenterre – a vast marine wetland – the ornithological park, which belongs to the coast’s Conservation body, offers excellent bird-watching sites in a natural environment. More than 300 different species of fowl have been spotted here : wild ducks, geese, sea-gulls, herons, woodcocks, etc…

The North of France also boasts an exceptional architectural heritage, particularly in the religious domain. The flamboyant Gothic style, which was created in Ile de France, flourished in Picardie just as the Baroque style did in Flanders. The jewel on the crown is the cathedral of Amiens, the largest (145 m long, 42,5 m in height under the vault) and reputed as being the most perfect example of this style in France, due to the unity of its architecture, its luminosity, its interior decoration, its carved wooden stalls. This building is one of five constructions built in honor of Our Lady : Paris, Chartres, Reims, Amiens and Laon. In the latter town it is worth noting the little-known fact that the Carolingian monarchs established here the first capital of France, before the rise of Paris. As for Beauvais cathedral, another masterpiece, it is the symbol of the excesses of a project that was intended to surpass all others. The history of its construction was a complicated one. The vault, rising to a record 59 meters, partly collapsed twice during construction, before the erection of the nave and the spire. This fact explains its current state. Despite being unfinished, this gigantic building is an awe-inspiring monument. Culinary tradition is strong in the North and there are dozens of succulent recipes, contrary to the cliché which claims that muscles with chips are the national dish ! The typical dishes of Flemish cuisine based on meat (rabbit, pigeon, veal or pork) or on fish (eel, craquelot – small smoked herring) are generally accompanied by beer, the region’s traditional drink (the North, with its barley and hops crops, is the number one producer of blond, brown or red beer in France). Lovers of strong cheese delight in the taste of Maroilles and Boulettes d’Avesnes. In Picardie, a land of market gardens bordering the canals, a wide range of vegetables are cultivated and soup is a staple tradition. Laon artichokes, Soissons green beans, Vermandois garden peas, St-Valéry carrots, leeks and cauliflowers all are used to make delicious recipes. The produce of the sea is everywhere present – we should not forget that Boulogne is France’s number one fishing port.

To discover this engaging region, many tourist itineraries are proposed by the local tourist offices : the fortified towns route, the Valois, the Lys de France and the Picardy rose, the abbeys, the treasures of Flanders, the altar-pieces, the Oise valley, etc… As for local festivals, deeply anchored in tradition, on one hand there are carnivals in which giants are paraded and on the other, many fetes celebrating local produce : the festivals of the hops, the blood sausage, the turkey, red currants, traditional trades, roses, windmills, carved beetroot, etc…
All these routes and festivals are an exceptional opportunity to discover new sensations and to meet new friends !

Boutique hotels and designer Bbs in the Hauts de France North, Business hotels and Secret places