Three cities in Northern France

After our quiet days  on the Lys River we returned to the main commercial waterway to visit three Northern French cities, Lille, Douai and Arras. We travelled first on the the Canal de la Deule, part of the route called the "Liaisons au grand gabarit" which combines several canals which have been connected and enlarged to take heavy commercial barges. It links the major cities of Northern France with the sea port of Dunkirk. Although it is large it is very comfortable and efficient to travel.

Wow! What a fantastic playground, Lille Citadel

We headed first for Lille, the biggest city in the region, and tied up in a very pleasant spot next to a major park surrounding the Citadel, designed in 1667 by that master of military engineering, Vauban, and still in military use. The park contains a small, free zoo and a most interesting adventure park for children. During these beautiful summer days Lille's residents and visitors were enjoying it from early in the morning to late at night for walking, running, cycling, roller- skating and pushing babies in strollers. There were electric hire boats in the Canal and also a small tourist ferry. The city has many spots (50 or more!) from which bikes can be hired (with the first half hour free) and these are very popular. It's a great scheme, especially when combined with an excellent network of safe bike paths.

Lille's squares- grand buildings

Like so many Flemish cities, Lille has a remarkable belfry and grand squares surrounded by beautifully restored buildings. We enjoyed its excellent Art Gallery. We visited the house where Charles de Gaulle was born and raised and learned a little more about this interesting figure in modern French history.

De Gaulle's nursery, Lille

Our friends Ruth and Peter joined us in Lille and we enjoyed their company for the next six days. Taking advantage of Lille's excellent connections, they arrived directly from Charles de Gaulle Airport (about an hour) and left for London on the Eurostar, a journey of about an hour and a half. It takes about the same time to get from Lille to London by train as it does for us to get from Avalon to Sydney city by bus.   

 Douai Main Square at the end of WW1

Next stop was Douai, smaller than Lille but with many of the same Flemish features including the belfry and attractive Hotel de Ville, a Vauban citadel and an art gallery. The city was severely damaged in World War 1 and also in World War II and a poignant photographic display depicted the many times when the main market square had been destroyed and rebuilt. The founder of the Red Cross was from here.

Giants, Douai. The big one weighs over 350Kg!

In our tour of the belfry and Town Hall we learned a little about Douai's family of Giants who are celebrated during their festivals.

 Carillon Bells, Douai Belfry.

The third in our tour of "Northern French cities" was Arras, reached by leaving the Grand Gabarit to travel on the Scarpe Superior. We have already noted our failure to take Anja all the way to the end, but the excellent bus service from our mooring and the flat, easy bike paths along the canal enabled us to enjoy this most interesting city. It combined many of the items that interest us. The town squares and belfry are magnificent and we think rival any we have seen throughout our travels. In the 16th century the ruler, Phillip II, forbade "building within the town of Arras unless the walls are of stone and brick and with no overhang over the streets". This early example of town planning has created a most cohesive city. Although 80% of the town was destroyed during the First World War, these main buildings were reconstructed as before. The rest of the city is in the Art Deco style of the 1920s. The squares are very much part of the life of the city. The huge Saturday market spreads out from the main square to the other squares and the surrounding streets. The " Arras Beach" is set up in the largest square for the summer. It was amoost completely filled with sand, swimmoing pools and adventure playgrounds!

 Place des Heros, Arras

Arras has a Vauban citadel which enjoys a UNESCO listing; the original Roman town is being excavated and is on view; and in the limestone beneath the outskirts of the city we visited the "Wellington Quarry" where in 1917 New Zealand tunnellers joined up several existing cellars used in earlier times for storage. Over 20,000 soldiers hid in the tunnels until the exits were blown behind the German lines in a surprise attack.

 Hotel de Ville, Arras

We very much enjoyed our visit to this part of France, at the one time very French but importantly also Flemish. Perhaps the timing of our visit, in the middle of the holiday season, added to our perception of this area as vibrant and active. There seems to be a great deal for people to do, and they are taking full advantage of it. Many of the towns and cities have been substantially destroyed during World War 1 and some were also damaged during World War II, which has meant that there has been a great deal of reconstruction and fewer really old original houses and cobbled streets. Even the trees were almost wiped out in some areas so the forests would be younger than those further south. It has been a most interesting part of France to visit.

Exit 10 blown just behind enemy lines for the 24,000 British troops to surge out of. Builkt by New Zealanders.

Best Regards,

Penny and Dave