In this part of France, where history and hospitality, the spirit of the past and the life of today merge into one, it is easy to see "la vie en rose" on one's travels through the rose-coloured brickwork of its towns and villages.
In this department, so rich in colour and tradition, scarcely a week passes by without the carnival processions, historical re-enactments, festivals of music and gourmet fare, parades by giants, fairs and street sales which are so much a part of the life of the friendly and welcoming people of the Nord.
As you travel wherever your fancy takes you around our varied countryside, you will discover to your astonishment and wonder the true identity of our department.
Where the land meets the sea and where vast expanses of beach and fresh sea air provide an exhilarating cocktail, Flanders Opal Coast reveals its maritime heritage and the charm of its coastal resorts. The Heart of Flanders, where country life and the authenticity of the past go hand-in-hand, shares with you its local customs and traditions. Greater Lille, the region's capital, reveals its secrets to those who take their time to see all its attractions. In Hainaut, the past glory of its historic towns and the charming landscapes of its countryside merge seamlessly to the delight of all its visitors.
And in the Avesnois, Nature is king, with its forests and valleys, its villages with blue slated roofs, its rivers, streams and leafy bocage countryside, and its traditional rural activities.
In spring, Nature puts on its green finery and adopts a playful, sporting mode. The Slag-Heap festival, the orchid exhibition, the Paris-Roubaix cycle race, the Walled Towns festival are all signs that winter is over and that colour and gaiety are now the order of the day. In summer, the time for getting out and about, the cultural and historic heritage of the Nord dons its new shining raiment. At the Fête de la Flamiche, the Bandstands Festival in the Avesnois, the Blessing of the Sea, and the Windmills Open Day, conviviality is the watchword.
Autumn brings its ever-changing golden browns and its own seasonal celebrations. The Braderie, Lille's great street sale, as well as the Milk Festival and the Amateur Beer Festival are all the place to be for joie de vivre and a happy mood.
Even the winter cold cannot diminish the determination to have a good time. The Christmas markets, the Lille 2004 Festival and the Dunkerque Carnival are wonderful excuses to carry on with the celebrations.
The Nord, land of encounters, of tradition, of art and history, is ready to welcome you !
Marne
( 51 )
Clévacances spring offer : a week for 200 €
From may 24 to may 31, low prices in this holyday rental : 200 €
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Mayenne
( 53 )
Finally in Mayenne, the visitors spend good moments, in family or with friends, far from the stress and the congestions, in a department which offers quite simply happiness at every moment. You will take again a little happiness, won't you ?...
Destination:
Nord
