The Avesnois, a region of lush green pastures, was granted the status of Regional Nature Park in 1998. Its vast forests, winding rivers and streams, placid lakes, numerous orchards and grazing meadows make it a land when Nature is king.

Textiles, glassmaking, stone-carving, woodworking, the bocage countryside, country life and the religious heritage are all among the traditions of the Avesnois preserved in the Fourmies-Trélon regional Ecomuseum, which features the human, rural and industrial heritage of the area.

The New Bourse was built in XVIIIth century Flemish style in the early part of the last century by the architect Louis Cordonnier. Its belfry houses a carillon which plays popular tunes such as Le P’tit Quinquin.

The craftsmen and women of the Avesnois have elected to share their traditional skills with visitors. The expertise of yesteryear is still alive today.

Dunkerque Carnival has been setting fire to the Opal Coast for two centuries, in celebration of the fishermen of the past. This whirlwind of colour, singing and revelry hits the coast every year to the sound of fifes and drums and the mayhem created by bands of costumed revellers.

Man has transformed the earth and shaped its landscape. Hainaut pays tribute to its industrial past and the epic age of mining by bringing them back to life in this Centre.

The Avesnois is the green lung of the Nord, awakening the senses with its magnificent natural treasures and revealing its secrets.  Enjoy its fresh air and be transported into another world…

The windmills stand tall on hilltops, like giants watching over the undulating countryside of Flanders.

Among Lille’s great edifices with all their historical associations and reminders of the past are some of the richest treasures of Europe’s cultural heritage. Come and surrender to the charms of its old city, its museums, its impressive buildings and its picturesque architecture…

Greater Lille has contrived to take advantage of its industrial past and its favoured geographical location. Just one hour away from the great capital cities of northern Europe, the metropolis is now young, dynamic and forward-looking.

Watteau, Matisse and Carpeaux left their mark by tracing in their art the colours, shapes and curves of their native land. Visit the great museums of Hainaut and enter into their world.

Everything here is writ large; the beach, the sea and the horizon.

The wind  is an ever-present element in this picture, and brings with it the tang of the open sea and everything that makes up the coastline of the Nord.

Dunkerque Carnival, which runs from February to March every year, is one of the great popular traditions in the region, with crowds of happy revellers getting together to sing and dance till first light. Carnival is famous for its singing of songs in the local dialect and its homage to local fishermen and to Jean Bart - a truly traditional and enduring festive occasion…

Like these giants from Boeschèpe, these “mascots” over 3 metres tall and coming originally from Belgian Flanders are the pride and joy of the towns and villages which create them. Hoisted aloft by strapping young men during large popular events and gatherings, they are the focus of loyal attention on the part of the people, who celebrate the appearance of their families of giants in true Nord style…

How about walking or riding on a slag heap? These extraordinary places, hallmarks of the region and of its mining past, have now come into their own again as remarkable natural treasures. Fibres from the former mills which were once the great wealth-creators of the region were borne by the winds and settled on the slopes of these great “black mountains”, growing into rare exotic plants which love these warm damp conditions so much like their tropical places of origin… Signposted trails enable walkers and bikers to appreciate this remarkable world of nature. Come and enjoy it…

Roubaix’s Art Deco swimming baths are now home to a superb Museum of Art and Industry which, with a number of other great cultural venues, enabled Greater Lille to gain the accolade of 2004 European Capital of Culture. It is worth remembering that in terms of listed museums the Nord is second only to Paris, and that the Fine-Arts Museum in Lille, the Matisse Museum in Le Cateau and the Centre for Mining History in Lewarde have no cause to envy the great Paris museums in terms of numbers of visitors or the quality of their exhibits.

The region is renowned for the rich variety of its gourmet delicacies. With its world-beating chicory and its bêtises de Cambrai, its Maroilles cheese and its Potjevleesh, its carbonnade flamande and its waffles, the Nord continues to offer all the flavours of good food which are the proud boast of numerous restaurants, hotels and traditional estaminets in the region.

Sand-yachting and all the other water sports the Nord can offer give it the well-deserved reputation of a coast full of activities where people love to relax and get about at weekends. From kite-surfing to catamarans, from sea-kayaking to sailing, there are plenty of exhilarating things to do on the Opal Coast.

Because of its policy of prioritising the well-being of its inhabitants, the authorities in the Nord have been emphasising the development of tourist and leisure activities for families. Museums, leisure parks and other cultural amenities are not just for visitors: local inhabitants are encouraged to use the facilities for family outings, whatever the age and number of children. Enabling everyone to enjoy cultural and leisure activities is our priority…

The people of the Nord have the reputation of offering a warm and convivial welcome to visitors, and are proud of their welcoming and kindly image which so often encourages tourists to come back again! Good humour and smiles are among the most important qualities of the people of the region.