NORD-PAS-DE-CALAIS TOURIST INFORMATION

Tourist information about the individual Nord-Pas-De-Calais departments of the Pas-de-Calais and Nord can be found through every property details page along with tourist information about the local towns, tourist attractions and information about events happening in Nord-Pas-De-Calais.

NORD-PAS-DE-CALAIS TOURISM

On the border of Belgium and just a short hop across the Channel from England lies the Nord-Pas-de-Calais region. A region of contrasting landscapes: forests, woods, rolling meadows and marshlands, gentle hills dotted with windmills, a varied coastline that stretches for miles, wide-open spaces of undulating countryside that make up the Regional Natural Parks, waterways for river cruising, and more.

A region proud of its heritage and traditions where fairs, fêtes and festivals are so much a part of daily life. Steeped in history, discover the rich heritage of the region's monuments, museums and historic cities dating from Roman times to the last World Wars. France is famous for its wonderful gastronomy and the Nord-Pas-de-Calais region is no exception with superb examples of mouth watering regional specialities as well as numerous regionally brewed beers.

The Nord-Pas-de-Calais region clings to the northern coast of France with its 90km of beaches, sand dunes and cliffs stretched between Calais and Berck-sur-Mer. The provincial capital of Nord-Pas-de-Calais is Lille with its impressive Grand'Place in the medieval old town and home of the Eurotunnel.

The coastal towns are the regional delights. Calais, 'the most English town in France', lies just 40km across the coast from England, whilst other seaside resorts worth exploring include the nostalgic Le Touquet, a step back into the 1920s, the pretty fishing village of Etaples and wild and windswept Wimereux. The historic beaches of Dunkerque and Boulogne-sur-Mer, with its appetising fish restaurants and attractive medieval quarter, deserve a visit.

Away from the coast, Arras claims to be one of the most beautiful towns in northern France, with a towering cathedral, arcaded squares and the ornate Hotel de Ville. Just 8km north is the Vimy Ridge, site of some of the most desperate WW1 trench warfare - now preserved as a stark reminder of the huge and tragic loss of life suffered.

Flanders, the former province of France, situated in the northern part of the country just south of the Belgian border and along the North Sea coast. LILLE was its capital. For most of its history this region was an integral part of the state of Flanders, most of which was located in present-day Belgium and the Netherlands. Flemish is still spoken in northwest Flanders. From 1668 to 1697, LOUIS XIV secured this prosperous area for France. It remained a French province until the French Revolution when it became (1789) the department of Nord.

A former province in northern France, Artois is roughly equivalent to the present department of Pas-de-Calais (6,638 sq km/2,363 sq mi). ARRAS, the major town, was its capital. Artois is bounded by Flanders on the northeast, by Picardy on the south and southwest, and by the English Channel on the northwest. It is a low-lying region with a few hills in the south. Coal mining and agriculture are the principal economic activities.

Originally part of Flanders, Artois came under French control for the first time in 1180, through the marriage of King Philip II to Isabel of Hainaut. Artois passed to Burgundy in 1329. It became a possession of the Habsburgs in 1477 and a province of Spain in 1493. Reconquered by the French in 1640; French possession was confirmed by the treaties of the Pyrénées (1659), Nijmegen (1678), and Utrecht (1713). Because of its strategic importance, Artois was also the scene of heavy fighting during World War I.