The Nord-Pas-de-Calais Region of France : the Opal Coast is an entry port to France
January 29, 2008
Located in the extreme north of France, the Nord-Pas-de-Calais Area covers 12,414 km2 (7714v miles) and is home to a population of 4,026,000. The area is bordered by the English Channel on the west and the North Sea on the north, and shares its borders with Belgium in the east and Picardy in the south. It is comprised of two “departments” or administrative districts of France for whom Lille is the prefecture: Nord (59) and Pas-de-Calais (62).
Because of its geographical location and its tumultuous history, the area was subject to much invasion, plunder and destruction over the centuries. Thus, unfortunately, the area’s architectural heritage has been compromised considerably. Nevertheless, it is still possible to admire some buildings, secular as well as religious, that remain to bear witness to the history of this territory.
The architecture of the area is characterized in particular by the use of brick. The prevalence of chalk in the soil makes this area of France rather poor in stone for building. For this reason, red brick has been largely used since antiquity and today is a symbol of the region’s identity. Likewise, paved squares and belfries, emblems of civic freedom and pride, are also much in evidence and are characteristic of to Nord-Pas-de-Calais. Many examples of this can be found in Valencians, Douai, Bethune and Arras. Water mills and windmills are also very well represented, in Flandres and Hondschoote for example. Well-preserved, some are still active, and confer a special charm on the region. Finally, the area’s religious heritage did not escape devastation over the course of various historical events in France, yet it still counts a significant number of buildings going back to various eras.
In addition, the natural environment of the area is made up of a multitude of attractive landscapes. First of all, there is the coastline, covering more than 120 km and presenting a succession of different looks. Located only 2 hours from Paris, London or Brussels, the “Opal Coast” sits between Calais, the first stop of travelers to France from England, and Berk-sur-Mer. It is composed of capes, of sand beaches, cliffs and dunes. This natural landscape is intersected with small fishing ports such as Wissant, seaside resorts like Wimereux and Touquet Paris-Plage, and of large companies and their industrial parks. Among the latter, Dunkirk is a key industrial site, with its shipyards and refineries, and Boulogne-sur-Mer is the top French fishing port, where more than 150 companies process and market their seafood products.
Due to its location, Nord-Pas-De-Calais was for a long time victim of invasions and wars, and certain cities like Bergues and Gravelines even had to be fortified by Vauban. Today, the Opal Coast takes advantage of its seaside location and its past to make the most of its natural, historical and maritime heritage. Its bunkers and ramparts are shown off, and the “arts” of war and fishing are celebrated in museums like the Harbor Museum and the belfry of Bergues.
In Nord-pas-de-Calais, culture holds an important place, since many current festivals spring from the area’s heritage of traditions related to fishing like the carnival of Dunkirk and other fairs. Lastly, the landscapes of sand dunes found between Canche and Authie are the favorite playground of enthusiasts of sports like kite surfing. These preserved dune areas and rock masses are also made to order for hiking and excursions of all types. Apart from the coastline, water can also be found in the marshes. These areas are inhospitable for settlement by man but are true biotope reserves, such as the marsh of Scarpe or the Audomarois marsh.
The interior of the Nord-pas-de-Calais region is divided into several environments: The highland, which extends to the west and the south and includes the capes of Avesnois and the hills of Artois, Thiérache and Hainaut. This part of the territory covers 60% of the area and forms a terrain of character and variety, offering forest and rivers, valleys and villages. This rolling woodland landscape end abruptly at the crater of the peak of Artois, towards Saint-Omer, Therouanne, Aire and Arras. Here, nature is preserved and put on display in the Regional Natural reserve of Avesnois, which extends over nearly 125,000 hectares and hosts more than 130,000 inhabitants. Its many museums offer a myriad of possibilities to discover and explore local know-how and products. This green and pleasant area is strewn with mills, small rural villages and their pubs. At these traditional bars patrons play the Flemish games of antan, which lends the cozy venues even more charm.
The northern territory of the Nord-Pas-De-Calais region of France is part of the large European northern plain that extends to the Ural Mountains. It accounts for the rest of the area of the region, that is to say 40%, and is where most of the population as well the lion’s share of industrial activity is concentrated. The terrain is divided into three kinds of landscape environments: the chalk plain such as that of Lens, the surmounted clay-based plain (the mounts of Flanders, for example) and alluvial plains. In the latter are found the river plains of Scarpe and Lily, where the environment is preserved in the Regional Natural reserve of the Scarpe-Scheldt. Located between Valencians, Douai and Lille, the area cover 43,000 hectares and includes within it 48 towns. Lastly, a “buttonhole” dug in chalk by erosion is a geological peculiarity of the region that bespeaks the diversity of biological layers at the level of Boulogne-sur-Mer.
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