Going up the Nave, we arrive at Amettes, known for the birthplace of St. Benedict Labre, which attracts many pilgrims every year. The visit is free and open access. Opposite, the church of the sixteenth century is home to many of his relics.
Further away is the beautiful village of Nedon, awarded as a flower village. The relief widens further to finally arrive at Nédonchel, overhung with multiple hills covered with fields and woods. Among them, one can quote the hill of Hurtebise, culminating point of the Artois. The Nédonchel woods and the nearby hills also offer an exceptional setting for outdoor sports, with significant elevations and steep paths.
By getting closer to Saint-Pol-sur-Ternoise, you can stop at Belval Abbey, Troisvaux, famous for its cheese once made by the nuns who lived there. Finally, the city of Saint-Pol-sur-Ternoise combines both modernity and old buildings. The complex gives a unique character to the city, and the many shops along the main road also make you want to stroll through the streets of the city.
By heading north-east, we gradually enter the mining basin, characterized by its many slag heaps that allow the emergence of fauna and flora unpublished in the region. The wood of Saint-Pierre, located in the towns of Ferfay and Auchel, is also an ideal place to enjoy nature. Shrapnel craters also shaped the landscape, also recalling the stigma left by the two world wars last century in the region. Each year a sound and light show occurs, The legend of the Irish prince, retracing a local legend.
By taking the path of the miner, located right next to the woods and leaving for Ferfay, you arrive at Lillers, a city that has long been considered the capital of footwear. Even though shoe factories have now disappeared, a museum traces the history of this industry in the city. Several historical monuments are anchored in the town such as the Saint-Omer collegiate church, the house of the treasurer or the chapel of the Mercy.
Not far away is the city of Bethune, known for its 14th century belfry and Grand'Place. Many shops are there.
It is the same for Bruay-la-Buissière where the commercial area of the North Gate is located, ideal for an afternoon shopping. Bruay is also home to the city of electricians, ancient corons restored and converted into cultural space.
Nearby, you can also ski on a heap, on the edge of Lake Noeux-les-Mines.
Further on is the city of Lens, characterized by its large number of mining buildings such as corons, but especially now by the Louvre Lens, home to many works of art.
The city of Arras, located about 35 minutes drive from Ames, is famous for its beautiful squares, belfry, and the places of memory that surround it. Most notably, the Canadian Vimy Memorial and Lorette Hill, the largest necropolis in France.
While heading towards the plains of the Lys, the city of Aire-on-the-Lys is worth the detour. On the border between Artois and Flanders, the one nicknamed "the Belle of Pas-de-Calais" has an important architectural heritage. In the center is the Grand'Place, in front of which rises its magnificent belfry overhanging the town hall. We can also mention the imposing collegiate Saint-Pierre, the bailiwick or the chapel Saint-Jacques. Many shops adjoin the streets of the city center.
Going up to the northeast, you enter the heart of Flanders. There are very pretty typical villages like Steenbecque, Terdeghem, or the now famous Cassel. Local specialties can be enjoyed in the authentic estaminets. About an hour's drive from Ames, one can discover the city of Lille, true cultural and architectural center of Flanders.
From there, there is only one step to go to Belgium. Mont-Noir includes many cross-border businesses, as well as Ploegsteert, Bizet or the place called Callicanes in Godewaersvelde. Several cities near the border are worth seeing as Ypres, completely rebuilt in the aftermath of the Second World War, or Warneton.
To the north-west of the town is the Audomarois, centered around the city of Saint-Omer. This city includes many monuments, including the Gothic cathedral Notre-Dame. Saint-Omer is also known for its beautiful public garden, a real green lung in the heart of the city.
Another remarkable natural site, the marsh Audomarois allows to discover an extremely rich ecosystem as well as a cultural heritage deeply implanted in this space, so that it has been inscribed on the UNESCO world heritage.
Finally, about an hour drive west, is the wonderful Opal Coast, lined with beautiful and huge beaches of fine sand.
The city of Boulogne-sur-Mer is one of the must-see cities to visit, with its castle, basilica, ramparts, fishing port, city center, but also Nausicaá, the largest aquarium in Europe. The resorts of Le Touquet-Paris-Plage and Wimereux are also worth a look, not to mention the many hiking trails. The Deux Caps site is also unavoidable, with Cap Gris-Nez in the South and Blanc-Nez in the North.
Returning a little inland, we can also stop at Montreuil-sur-Mer, cradle of the novel Les Misérables by Victor Hugo. Its ramparts, its cobblestone streets and its traditional buildings will succeed to plunge you into the novel. Going further south, you reach the Bay of Somme, a huge stretch of sand with a remarkable wildlife including many seals grouped on sandbanks.
