Nord-Pas de Calais attractions

Dedicated to the textile industry, this innovative museum goes beyond explaining how wool is turned into fabric (although it does that, too.) It also spotlights oral histories from various textile workers, from weavers and spinners to designers and factory foremen. The museum contains seven short videos that explain the history of the industry through personal testimonies.

One of Lille’s oldest museums, the Museum of the Gunners of Lille (Musée des Canonniers Sédentaires de Lille) is a must-visit destination for anyone interested in military history. Housed in a historic former convent in the center of the city, this intimate museum is dedicated to one of the oldest artillery corps in Europe: The gunners have defended Lille since 1483.

Situated in the seaside resort town of Le Touquet, Aqualud is one of northern France’s largest water parks and a popular destination for families. Founded in 1985, and situated just steps from the beach, the park offers an array of water slides, pools, Jacuzzis, and other attractions in both indoor and outdoor areas.

Dedicated to all things science, this cutting-edge center and exhibition space invites you to discover and participate in the world of scientific observation and research. The Forum is focused on making learning fun—regular interactive temporary exhibits are designed to appeal to kids as young as two, while the Forum also holds special events and workshops, called atéliers.

Founded as a monastery in the 13th century, the Maison Folie Hospice d’Havré—located in Tourcoing, just outside Lille—is a unique architectural landmark, and the oldest still-complete convent in the region. But that’s not the only reason it’s notable. Recently transformed into a venue for art exhibitions, performances, and other events, it’s now a cultural highlight too.

Home to one of France’s most significant modern and contemporary art collections, Lille Métropole Museum of Modern, Contemporary and Outsider Art was established in 1983. Wander the museum’s expansive gallery spaces and collection and view highlights that include works by Picasso, Modigliani, Miró, and other modernist luminaries.

The modernist masterpiece of Parisian architect Robert Mallet-Stevens, Villa Cavrois is a National Historic Monument in the Lille suburb of Croix. Built in 1932 for its namesake, the industrialist Paul Cavrois, the architectural landmark has been painstakingly restored and stands as the foremost example of Mallet-Stevens’ work.

Discover the hidden treasures of Dunkirk (Dunkerque), a historic community in northern France. Many people know of the city's role in the Second World War, but beyond its wartime significance, this destination has plenty of surprises. From museums to art galleries and beaches, Dunkirk has become a popular family-friendly summer destination in France.

The Cabaret-Rouge British Cemetery is one of France’s largest military cemeteries and a major World War I landmark. The final resting place of some 70,000 Commonwealth troops (more than half of whom are unidentified), it has a particularly moving connection for Canadians: Canada’s Unknown Soldier was first buried here before later being repatriated.

Located in the hamlet of Haringzelle, Audinghen, near Cape Gris Nez, in Pas de Calais, the Todt Battery (Batterie Todt) was once one of the most important coastal fortifications of the Atlantic Wall. It was built by the Germans during World War II and consisted of four Krupp guns capable of reaching the British coast, each with a range of up 55.7 kilometers and protected by a bunker. One of those now houses a museum called Musée du Mur de l'Atlantique that’s entirely dedicated to World War II, where visitors learn more about military history through displays of various hardware.The Battery officially fired its first shell in February 1942 and, after an intense aerial bombardment, was taken in September 1944 by Anglo-Canadians troops as part of Operation Undergo. Todt Battery was originally supposed to be called Siegfried Battery; that changed when the engineering mastermind responsible for building the Atlantic Wall, Fritz Todt, died in a plane crash just a few days before the battery’s inauguration.

A haunting testament to the destructive nature of war, the 16th-century Ablain-St-Nazaire Church—a Gothic masterpiece designed by architect Jacques Le Caron—was destroyed during heavy fighting in 1914. Today, the landmark has been purposefully left in ruins. It stands as a memorial and reminder of World War I’s devastation.

The town of Calais, located on the northern coast of France, is more of a throughway than a destination. That’s because each year, tens of millions of people pass by en route to Dover, but very few stop. Still, seasoned travelers say this major ferry port, the largest city in Pas-de-Calais, has a few hidden gems worth checking out.

The flagship seaside resort of France’s Opal Coast, Boulogne-sur-Mer has cultural attractions, sandy beaches, and a traditional fishing port. The second most-visited destination in Nord Pas-de-Calais after Lille, this charming coastal city is also the gateway to the hiking and biking trails of Caps et Marais d’Opale Regional Natural Park.

Perched on the edge of Thiepval Wood by the Ancre River, the Ulster Tower sits along the frontlines of the notorious Battle of the Somme of World War I. Erected in 1921, it was the first official memorial built to commemorate the war, and is dedicated to the Irish soldiers who lost their lives on the Somme battlefields.

Sandy beaches, seafood restaurants, and sea views welcome sunseekers to Le Touquet, a chic seaside resort along France’s Opal Coast. Officially named Le Touquet-Paris-Plage (a nod to its popularity with Parisians) the northern beach town is equally adored by British vacationers who hop across the Channel to nearby Calais.

The site of some of the bloodiest fighting in World War I’s Somme Offensive, the small French village of Pozières is haunted by the tremendous loss of life experienced here in 1916 and 1918, particularly by Australian troops. Today, the village has been rebuilt and is home to a number of monuments and memorials, including the Pozières Memorial and British Cemetery.

The Pheasant Wood Military Cemetery is the final resting place for Australian, British, and Commonwealth troops who lost their lives during the catastrophic Battle of Fromelles on July 19, 1916. Dedicated in 2010 following the discovery and exhumation of mass graves, it was the first new World War I cemetery in northern France for 50 years.