Far from its sad, grey reputation, the Nord-Pas-de-Calais is alive with colour and celebrations where culture and gastronomy come together amidst glorious landscapes.
If you’ve never visited Nord-Pas-de-Calais, you’ll be surprised at the welcome and hospitality you’ll receive here you’ll meet people who are proud of their culture and heritage, who will invite you to taste local specialities and discover the most beautiful parts of the region. On the menu? Museums, beer, cheese, concerts, beaches and history.
To begin exploring the region, start in its main city, Lille, where you can visit the Palais des Beaux-arts fine arts museum, the Natural History Museum and the famous LaM museum of modern art. Don’t forget that in September the famous Lille flea market takes place, attracting millions of visitors. But the surrounding cities are every bit as good as Lille in terms of culture. There’s La Piscine museum of art and industry in Tourcoing, the Louvre-Lens Museum and the famous Rodin sculpture, Les Bourgeois de Calais, in the city of the same name. If you are not a lover of art, why not head to the Nausicaa national sealife centre in Boulogne-sur-Mer instead, or to the Fontinettes Boat Lift, an impressive structure located in the east of the Caps et Marais d’Opale regional nature park?
Caps et Marais d’Opale is also an ideal place to discover the region’s wooded landscapes, such as the Scarpe-Escaut regional nature park and the Avesnois regional nature park. For a completely different view, set off to discover the Opal Coast and its chalk cliffs, particularly around Cap Blanc-Nez and Cap Gris-Nez. For an equally charming but perhaps slightly less salty and bracing walk, head to the Deûle canal, which crosses a large part of the region. To enjoy a beautiful view over French Flanders and to learn about the region’s mining history, head up the Mont des Cats hill, trying some of the excellent cheese and beer along the way!
To get to Nord-Pas-de-Calais, fly into Lille. You can also get to Lille on the Eurostar from St Pancras. Local TER trains run throughout the region from Lille, or you can get the high-speed TGV between the larger cities. A holiday in Nord-Pas-de-Calais is easily accessible, and this fascinating region can be discovered using public transport.
Alternatively, you can also get round with a rental car.
