Clearly visible from Place des Centenaires, the ramparts of Maubeuge, which date to Vauban's time, are an ideal site to visit. Only one gateway remains, the Mons, but its drawbridge and pediment have many interesting features. Nearby is the guardroom, which is similar to those on some of Vauban's other ramparts and structures.

Website of the regional tourist board for the Nord

Quizz : Forts and citadels

The city of Cambrai held the position of border city between the Kingdom of France and the Holy Roman Empire from the Carolingian period. Very early on it therefore had to build a ring of fortifications that were expanded and developed over the centuries with the evolutions in siegecraft. The decision to dismantle the fortifications was taken at the end of the19th century. Nonetheless, the city has kept some remarkable remnants of its fortified past. Of the medieval fortifications, several towers remain, along with the gates of the Front Sud, from the end of the 19th century: Arquets Tower, which is the water gate letting the Escaut flow into the city, Caudron Tower, equipped with a turret made of Bouchain sandstone since the 19th century, Saint Fiacre Tower located along the former curtain wall, and the Paris Gate, which has preserved some traces of the defence system.

In 1543, Emperor Charles V tore down a major abbey in Cambrai, Saint-Géry au Mont des Boeufs, to build a citadel using the new principles of bastioned military architecture. Although it was dismantled at the end of the 19th century, this citadel, a unique example of the fortresses built by Charles V, still has its countermine galleries for the surveillance of the ditches, the Royal Gate with rustic bossage decorated with a lion and an arsenal dating from the 16th century.
Among later installations, the officers’ lodgings from the 18th century have been preserved, explosive magazines and barracks that were able to withstand the bombs of the 19th century. Notre Dame Gate, built in 1632 at the north entrance to the city, is remarkable in its decoration.


Paris Gate, the former Saint Sépulcre Gate

A testimonial to the ramparts built at the end of the14th century, this was the only way to reach the south of the city until the fortifications were dismantled starting in 1892. This strategic position had to be invulnerable in case of a siege. The arrowslits on the towers, the drawbridge, the portcullis, the murder-holes in the vault and the large upstairs guard room ensured the Gate’s defence when attacked.

Cambrésis Tourism Office

Maison Espagnole

48, rue de Noyon

59400 CAMBRAI

Tél : 03.27.78.36.15 Fax : 03.27.74.82.82

E-mail : contact@tourisme-cambresis.fr

Quiz: Forts and citadels

Nicknamed the Belle Inutile (the useless beautiful), the citadel is a Vauban structure built between 1668 and 1672. Pentagonal in shape, it is flanked on each corner by huge bastions protected by free-standing fortifications, part of which is preserved. The white stone Porte Royale faces the town and emphasises the power of the new sovereign. The buildings necessary for life in the Citadel surround the esplanade. Aligned with the Porte Royale, the arsenal, whose openings are emphasised by the stone décor, has a privileged place in the fort's spatial organisation The chapel, a gem of Baroque architecture, still has a brick façade richly decorated with fluted engaged columns, medallions, flame ornaments, etc.

The Chemin des Douves path takes visitors on a trail around the Citadel, to the Crinchon, a stream that was used to fill the ditches with water. The citadel itself is owned by the French Army. It can be visited as part of a tour organised by the Tourist Information Office in the Town Hall. Despite the modifications over the centuries, the Arras citadel is still testimony to Vauban's art.

There is a memorial in the Faubourg d'Amiens cemetery, not far from the citadel. It commemorates the deaths of 35,000 men – British, New Zealand and South African – who fell between spring 1916 and 7 August 1918 and who do not have their own tomb. The names of the dead are engraved on stone slabs affixed to the walls of the cloister with Doric columns, built by Sir Edwin Luytens. Faubourg d'Amiens cemetery on Boulevard du Général de Gaulle also has 2,652 identified tombs.

Opposite the Memorial, on the wall of the cloister is the "Flying Services Memorial", engraved with the names of the Royal Naval Air Service, the Royal Flying Corps, the Royal Air Force and the Australian Flying Corps.

Part of the Arras Memorial, erected in the Faubourg d'Amiens cemetery, is considered a homage to the first aviators who lost their lives in combat. The Aviators' Memorial is noticeable as soon as you enter the cemetery; it consists of a raised base surmounted with a globe.
The names of all the airmen who fell on the Western front and whose tombs are unknown are engraved on each side. These include the names of 46 Canadians. The Canadians were particularly distinguished in the air war. Twenty-five thousand of them served as pilots, lookouts, and mechanics in the British Forces. Canadian airmen received over eight hundred decorations and citations, including three Victoria Crosses, for their bravery. Out of the "aces" of the RAF, five were Canadian. Pilots like W.A. "Billy" Bishop, W.G. Barker, Raymond Collishaw and A.A. McLeod were famous for their boldness and their feats.

The New Zealand tunnels form a complex system of underground shafts and caves which extend from Arras to Bapaume and Cambrai. In 1916 and 1917, the New Zealand company of tunnellers extended an existing network of old caves with shafts to reach No Man's Land, under the German trenches. The site was rediscovered in 1996.

Website of the regional tourist board for the Nord

Quizz : Forts and citadels

Apart from the architectural masterpieces of the old hospital and the collegiate church, the town of Seclin also boasts a Séré de Rivières Fort that was part of the fortifications designed to protect the City of Lille and the surrounding area. But it could not keep pace with the development of late 19th century artillery and could not withstand the effects of the new projectiles. Occupying a commanding position in the Mélantois area, overlooking the valleys of the Marque and the Deûle, to the West it could rely on support from the Englos Fort above the Deûle and to the East on the fort at Sainghin en Mélantois that overlooked the Marque; but the distance of almost 10km between each of these forts was less than ideal in putting this principal effectively into practice. However, intermediate fortifications were supposed to link these forts and form advance strongpoints outside the Lille area: Enchemont, Vendeville, Noyelle, Houplin, Haubourdin (Moulin Neuf). To complete the system, mobile and fortified batteries were to be installed above the intermediate batteries that were protected by earth fortifications. The final fortifications were built in 1894. None of the required modernisation and finishing touches were carried out. This led, on 4th August 1914 to Lille being declared an open city.

After 1918, Seclin Fort was used to store artillery ammunition. Bondues was used as a barracks, and Englos as a fuel depot. In 1939, an anti-aircraft battery was stationed at Englos. Throughout the Second World War, these forts were the scene of resistance operations against the occupying forces, the history of which are recorded on stele. Seclin Fort has now been gradually and skilfully restored by the private owners, who have built up a collection of artillery and gun carriages.

Fort Seclin F-59113 Seclin Tel: +33 3 20 97 14 18 e-mail: museum@fortseclin.com Open: Weekends except holidays 2-6pm Other times by appointment (min. 5 people) Prices: Children €4, adults €5 Seclin Tourist Office Tel: +33 3.20.90.12.12

Overlooking the confluence of the rivers Marque and Deûle, on the N17 road connecting Lille and Menin, Fort Lobau was erected in the 1880s, becoming part of the defence system designed by Séré de Rivières in the Lille region.

It has ramparts with a perimeter of 720 metres, protected by a wide ditch. It was impressive. It could accommodate 800 men and 40 pieces of artillery. However, although it had an armoured dome, it was not sufficient to provide shelter from new forms of explosives. Another weakness was linked to the fact that it could be opposed from the high ground of Mouvaux.

The peculiarity of the site is that it wasn't really used by French soldiers, but by German soldiers. It was actually occupied during the two wars in the 20th century. In the second world war it was linked to an airfield as of July 1940 and was used to store bombs for German aircraft.

But it was much more than this: from 17 March 1943 to 1 May 1944, it was a site of execution for the 68 members of the French Resistance in the region. Before they left on 1 September 1944, the Germans bombed the entire site. All that was left was a third of its original structure.

It was rediscovered by accident, and the Fort's casemates were renovated, following the original plans. The Sacred Courtyard, where executions had taken place, was inaugurated in 1986. The Fort is an interesting example of military architecture from the end of the 19th century (restored casemates, different courtyards: battery courtyard, courtyard of honour and Sacred courtyard).

The Fort houses the Musée de la Résistance, inaugurated on 20 September 1997.
The museum retraces the activities of the French Resistance in the region of Nord - Pas de Calais during the Second World War. Organised by theme, an educational trail explains the backgrounds of the men and women who belonged to the "shadow army", with collections of objects and documents from the time.

The museum has different rooms, organised by theme: the Memory room recalls the sacrifice made by the members of the Resistance killed at the Fort; the Refusal room explains the reasons for wanting to fight the occupier; the Courage room illustrates the different forms of resistance, from collecting information to carrying out spectacular actions; the Enrolment room describes the paths of the Resistance members and the different organisations (networks and movements) to help understand their reasons for joining; lastly, the Sacrifice room exposes the repression and the conditions of detention experienced by the arrested members.

The Museum also has an area dedicated to the Voix du Nord newspaper showing 66 clandestine copies of Voix du Nord, from 1 April 1941 to 5 September 1944, and a library open to students who want to do some research. The Museum also has a conference room and a dining area.

Musée de la Résistance de Bondues

BP80001 59587 BONDUES Cedex

Tel.: +33 (0)3 20 28 88 32

Fax: +33 (0)3 20 28 94 95

E-mail: hpriego@mairie-bondues.fr

Opening times Summer : Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday from 2 pm to 4.30 pm Other periods: open every day subject to booking, from 9 am to 12 pm and 2 pm to 5 pm. Open on the first Sunday of the month (except in August) from 2.30 pm to 6 pm - guided tours at 3.30 pm. Closed on Tuesday, the weekend and national holidays. Guided tours can be organised on request outside the usual opening times.

Prices Individuals: €5.00. Children under 12 accompanied by an adult: free. Groups (from 10 people): €4.50 per person. School groups (30 pupils maximum): €25.00 per class

Mairie de Bondues

BP 1 59587 BONDUES Cedex

Correspondance ASSOCIATION "UNION RESISTANCE VOIX DU NORD"

Espace Résistance Voix du Nord 200, rue de la Coeuillerie 59840 PREMESQUES

Tel.: +33 3.20.22.20.56

Website of the Tourist Information Office of Lille

Website of the departmental tourist board for the Nord

Website of the town of Bondues

Website of the regional tourist board for the Nord

Quizz : Forts and citadels

Known as the queen of citadels, the citadel of Lille was the first great personal creation of Vauban. Started in 1670, it is in the shape of a regular pentagon, reinforced with powerful interior bastions, from which the buildings are positioned according to a radial layout with a large central courtyard. A much cherished part of Vauban's court, this showcase fortification can be visited by contacting the Tourist Information Office. Of special interest are the Royal Gate and the Arsenal.

On leaving the citadel and going straight ahead in an easterly direction, via the Boulevards following the old fortifications destroyed during the Second Empire, not to be missed are the relief maps of the 17th century towns, including that of Lille, at the palais des Beaux-Arts and, further on, what remains of Fort Saint-Sauveur in the square du Réduit, not far from the Porte de Paris built by a man from Lille, Simon VOLLANT, a partner of Vauban, as a tribute to Louis XIV. Close by, the remains of the Noble Tower, erected by the Duke of Burgundy, Philippe le Hardi. Around Lille, the forts of Bondues to the north and Seclin to the south are good examples of so-called Séré de Rivières fortifications.

This historic monument, now owned by the Ministry of Defence, belongs to a Culture and Defence protocol, signed on 17 September 2005. Click here to see the list of other buildings...
Office du Tourisme de Lille Tel: +33 (0) 320 30 81 00

Saint-Pol-sur-Mer is a former commune with a population of 24,000 and is the site of a number of military remains. These include: The remains of the Jean Bart lock, which can be seen in the Jacobsen park. The lock was built in 1715 at the mouth of the Mardyck canal (now a freeway) to compensate for the destruction imposed by the Peace of Utrecht. It was considered the finest in Europe at the time. In 1717, following the Treaty of the Hague, the decision was made to demolish the lock and Russian Tsar Peter the Great physically came to the site to ensure the plan was followed through. In honour of the First World War (1914-1918), a plaque was erected in memory of aviator Georges Guynemer who spent his last night at 192 rue de la République before his fatal flight in September 1917 over Poelkapelle, while his squadron had been stationed on the ground in St Pol since July of that year.

A remnant from the Second World War, an armoured chamber with its anti-aircraft bunker at the site of the oil company Dépôts de Pétrole Côtiers on Avenue Maurice Berteaux.

Site du comité régional du tourisme de la région Nord

Website of the regional tourism board for the Nord

On the way between the Slack estuary and the village, visitors to this seaside resort will undoubtedly stumble across Fort Mahon, standing alone on a rocky outcrop. IT was designed by Vauban. Built between 1684 and 1690, probably on the site of the English battery of 1544, it consists of a tower accommodating a large ring-shaped casemate reinforced with a fausse-braye. The battery, flanked with two guardrooms and topped with an officer's pavilion, could contain 20 canons. The fort, which has a traditional appearance with its crenelated ramparts, has three floors of artillery. It was restored by Napoleon, and the battery was transformed during the German occupation.

Today, the fort houses an exhibition on the geographical history of the coastline.

Fort Mahon

Open on Saturday and Sunday from 3 pm to 6.30 pm in July and August and on Sunday from 3 pm to 6.30 pm in September and October. Group visits by appointment on +33 3.20.54.61.54

The Musée Historique 1939-1945 in Ambleteuse presents the noteworthy events of the second world war, from the campaign of Poland in 1939 to the capitulation of Japan on 2 September 1945, with explanations, maps, objects, uniforms and weapons, all of which are authentic and relative to this period of history. This museum is unique in France and complements the other establishments in the region. Most museums and sites in France only cover a precise period of the Second World War. Reports from the time and a film on the battle of Normandy are projected in a room which imitates 1940s' décor.

It took over thirty years of research all over the world to bring together the rich collections presented here. Of particular interest are the reconstitution of a street in Paris under the occupation and rare objects such as one of only two German regimental flags known in France.

Musée Historique 1939-1945

CD 940 62164 Ambleteuse

Tel.: +33 3.21.87.33.01

Fax: +33 3.87.35.01

Email: musee.39-45@wanadoo.fr

Open every day from 1 April to 15 October. Outside this period, open at weekends and national holidays. Closed in December, January and February.

Prices Adults: €6.90. Children (7-16 years): €5.00. Reduced price (war veterans, soldiers and students): €6.00. For groups, enquire at the museum.

Website of the regional tourist board for the Nord

Official website of the Musée Historique 3945

Quizz : Forts and citadels

The town of Le Portel seeks to showcase its historical heritage through its three forts which, given their position on the coast, can help to develop its attractiveness for tourism.

Fort de l'Heurt was constructed in 1803 by order from Napoleon Bonaparte, who was 1st Consul at the time, as part of plans for a landing in England. “Heurt” comes from the noun "heustrière", which means "Oyster Island". Through contraction, this name became “heustre” and then “Heurt”. Plans for the structure were drawn up by Lieutenant Colonel Dode. The fort was commissioned in July 1804.
It was abandoned in August 1805 (when the camp at Boulogne was lifted). The fort is in ruins today, but its impressive bulk still braves the waves.

Seeking to take back Boulogne, which had been occupied by the English, Maréchal du Biez decided to build a fort. In 1550, the Peace of Capécure put an end to the war and the fort was abandoned. In planning for his invasion of England, Napoleon re-armed it. It was often used for quartering troops, especially during wartime. A semaphore was also set up.

Fort d'Alprech was built during the 3rd French Republic between 1875 and 1880 by Engineering General Séré de Rivières. There were bunkers for housing the personnel (some one hundred men), stores and an explosive magazine. The Alprech battery was armed with cannons and howitzers. It was operational during World War I and was occupied by the German army from 1940 to 1944. Fort d'Alprech was restored in 1999.


Le Portel Plage
Hôtel de Ville – 51 rue Carnot – BP 26 62480 – Le Portel
Tel.: +33 (0)3.21.87.73.73
E-mail: mairie@ville-leportel.fr

Website of the Regional Tourism Committee of the Nord Region

Quizz : Forts et citadels

This is a useful guide for anyone interested in exploring the sites associated with the events of the two world wars that had a major impact on local life.

Due to the distance separating it from the front, the area of Mont-de-Marsan and Saint-Pierre-du-Mont was not particularly affected by the fighting of the First and Second World Wars.

Nevertheless, like many other towns in France, it felt the direct and indirect consequences of the conflicts, in particular with the departure of its infantry regiments in August 1914 and the arrival of the first German prisoners of war, and the establishment of the Demarcation Line in 1940.

In 1944, the bombing of the German airbase and the fighting on Bats Bridge would punctuate the road to liberation.

Without claiming to be exhaustive, this document seeks to chart the most significant events and the sites associated with them.

 Address and contact details:

 25, place du 6ème RPIMa - 40000 Mont-de-Marsan 

 Tel.: +33 (0)5 58 44 04 31

Website

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