Tucked away slightly out of the centre of St Omer, its cathedral is one of the most impressive…read moremediaeval monuments in the Pas-de-Calais region. Fortunately largely spared the ravages of the Two World Wars which devastated much of the area, it is an excellent example of the flamboyant style of gothic architecture of the 13th, 14th and early 15th centuries. The substantial, square tower (15th-16th century) is reminiscent of perpendicular gothic towers in England, such was the cross-over of architectural styles in the period. A 12th century octagonal tower also survives from an earlier building. Despite the length it took to construct, the overall effect is remarkably harmonious and uniform, in part because of the use of the distinctive local white limestone. The church is also well-known for its sculpture and furnishings. The highlight is the 'Descent from the Cross' by Rubens, but it also has a working astrological clock from 1558, some stained glass from the 15th century, the tomb effigy of Saint Omer himself (13th century) and interestingly, a statue of God from Therouanne, dated to around the 13th century: his strange proportions reflect the original intention to place it 60ft from the ground. Both south and west doors have interesting decorative sculptures, including a 13th century Doom on the south door. The church is currently undergoing restoration, following severe damage during a storm in January 2007, which brought down a substantial number of pinnacles from the tower. The interior is nevertheless open.

St Bertin was once a wealthy and influential abbey, founded in the 7th century. Actually founded by…read moreSt Omer, it was named after a monk he brought with him, who could speak the early Flemish language of the locals. Renowned as a centre of learning and manuscript writing, the monks also drained the surrounding marshes (the Audomarois), leaving a fertile area of market gardens still famous for its produce to-day. The abbey church was rebuilt in the 13th - 15th centuries, in a formidable gothic style. Alas, it fell prey to the closure of the Abbeys following the \French revolution, but St Bertin suffered more than most. Pictures of the cathedral in 1814 show its impressive structure still largely intact, but shortly afterwards the local townspeople started using it as a stone quarry, most notably for the Town Hall which still graces the town's main square to-day. To-day, the remains - still impressive in their own way - are located in a backwater of the town, but are miserably neglected. The contrast with the town's other monuments is painful. EU money is being used to develop a park around them, which I hope redeems the current landscape.

The is one of several impressive sites from World War Two in northern France, connected to the…read moredevelopment and construction of the V2 rocket-bombs by the Nazi regime. The site at Éperlecques was designed and built by the Todt Organisation, initially using voluntary labour, but later using large numbers of forced labour. Essentially, the site consisted of a series of enormous bunkers, intended to include a liquid oxygen plant for the V2 rocket propellant, an assembly plant to load on the explosive warhead, and a firing facility. 35,000 labourers worked at the site between 1943 and 1944. However, the Allies were alerted to its existence before it was completed. A series of bombing raids, using the then newly-developed 'Tallboy' bunker-busting bombs, caused severe damage to the facility (as well as huge loss of life to the construction workers). Thereafter, V2 construction was moved to a new site at La Coupole, and the bunker was used only to manufacture liquid oxygen. The site to-day is surrounded by woods, and the most of the tour takes place out of doors: displays explain the concept of forced labour, the Todt organisation, and the background to the V1 and V2 rockets. But the highlight is the bunker itself. It's a huge construction - over 90,000 tonnes of concrete were used, and the Blockhaus rises over 25m from the ground. It's a sobering thought to think that it is only a third of its planned size. The atmosphere is chilling, almost eerie: much of the lower section is under water, as without pumps the groundwater has flowed back in. The impact of the tallboy bombs is made clear by huge holes in the bunker roof and masses of twisted metal reinforcement. Part of the interior is accessible: a video presentation in the largest chamber inside describes the construction and operation of the facility, and the lives (and deaths) of the labourers. The tour finishes with outdoor displays of a V1 launch pad and other military items. There's no cafe but there is a small shop on site, selling books and momentos. There is specially reserved (level and firm) parking for motorcycles, and motorcyclists get a reduction of 1EUR on the entry fee. The whole site is now a French national memorial, dedicated to the victims of forced labour.

Dark. Concrete. Austere. Concrete. Twisted metal. Concrete. Concrete and more concrete. This is Le…read moreBlockhaus. It's also an immensely interesting place which in one foul swoop shows the strength and the evils of war. Situated in northern France, not far from the equally excellent La Coupole, Le Blockhaus is a war site, left untouched from its abandonment, standing as a monument to all. The bunker of Eperlecques was (and is) the largest WW2 bunker in Northern France. One cannot fail to be amazed at the scale of the construction, largely hidden from view until you're at its feet. There's a real sense of desolation here, despite other tourists walking round and chatting. The evil that was felt at La Coupole was not felt in such quantities here although it's hard to state why. Perhaps that Le Blockhaus was discovered by the Allies before too much evil was allowed to form here. Who knows? Evidence of warfare lies all around. The V1 doodlebug is on display, sitting atop its launch rails. Shells, rails, trains and did I mention the twisted metal and concrete? Le Blockhaus is more of a monument than a traditional museum. There is facility for guided tours but this place stands on its own and speaks far more loudly than any guide could. You'll only need an hour or so to visit here and it makes an ideal companion visit to La Coupole in nearby St Omer. Recommended.

From the owner: Les grands hommes de Calais Récemment restauré, ce bronze, commandé par la ville en 1885 à…read morel'artiste Auguste Rodin, rend hommage au courage des six notables calaisiens qui se dévouèrent pour livrer les clés de la cité assiégée par les Anglais en 1347. Depuis peu, le Musée des Beaux Arts propose des visites autour de cette oeuvre ainsi que de sa restauration.

It's known as the site that is close to where Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae wrote his famous poem…read more It is here that you'll see the Advanced Dressing Station bunkers along a bank of the Yser Canal. These types of medical stations were established very close to the front line. The original one where he tended to the wounded was a roughly made dugout shelter that had a roof covered with wooden boards. The ones that you see today are the reinforced concrete dressing stations built into the bank around 1917. The cemetery was named after the Essex Regiment in memory of the very first soldiers to be buried here from the Commonwealth. There are military cemeteries peppered throughout this region. Many that are buried in these cemeteries are still unknown. Recovery of the dead was difficult due to constant artillery bombardment and the initial gas attack during the Second Battle of Ypres. You'll learn more about that at In Flanders Fields Museum. This was our final stop of the tour. It put everything that we saw that day into perspective. The John McCrae Memorial Site, Monument to the 49th West Riding Division, and the Stone of Remembrance are prominent along with all the beautifully manicured garden of headstones. In the midst of it all are wild poppies that sprout up in the Fields around it. You can definitely see and understand how it all inspired a Canadian infantry field surgeon to write such a beautiful poem after one of his closest friends was killed in battle. I'll leave you with this famous poem. In Flanders Fields by John McCrae In Flanders fields the poppies blow Between the crosses, row on row, That mark our place; and in the sky The larks, still bravely singing, fly Scarce heard amid the guns below. We are the Dead. Short days ago We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow, Loved, and were loved, and now we lie In Flanders fields. Take up our quarrel with the foe: To you from failing hands we throw The torch; be yours to hold it high. If ye break faith with us who die We shall not sleep, through poppies grow In Flanders fields.

A small cemetery by World War I standards, but the medical facilities behind it on the Yser Canal,…read morethe British Advanced Dressing Station (ADS), are its most unusual feature. A line of crude, cold bunkers faces away from the canal and the line of advance of the 1915 German Army. It is difficult to imagine doctors working in near-caves like these - but no more difficult than imagining a civilization that would descend to the lunacy of the Western Front. The ADS saw its worst action in the Second Battle of Ypres, on April 23rd, 1915, when the German Army attacked for the first time under a cloud of poison gas.

This was a very nice museum. I really enjoyed the exhibit here. Before coming, i read that the…read moremuseum had been closed and renovated. If that's true, they did a wonderful job. The rooms are layers out in a timeline. The very first thing you see is a video that goes over the battle at Dunkirk. You then move on to learn about the civilians, life during the war, and Dunkirk's place in all of that. There are a lot of artifacts and memorabilia. There is a very well done model of some of the shops involved in the rescue. And there is a lot to read! You can easily spend a good hour learning about this important piece of history. I highly recommend a visit.