Attractions and Places To See around Mœuvres - Top 20

The Écluse de Cantimpré in Cambrai is a historic lock that played an important role in the development of the region's waterways. It was built in 1900 as part of the modernisation of the regional waterway network, as required by the Charles Freycinet law in 1879. The lock is equipped with two lock chambers, each 38 metres long and 5 metres wide, making it accessible to Flemish peniches and facilitating shipping. The lock is located at the junction of the canalised Scheldt and the Saint-Quentin Canal, and was part of the important port of Cantimpré, which was built in 1862. Today, the port of Cantimpré is mainly a pleasure port, but in the past it was a busy trading post with more than a hundred ships passing through every day.

The Écluse de Selles in Cambrai is a historic lock located on the Scheldt River. This lock dates back to the 18th century and is one of many locks in the region that were built to manage the waterways and facilitate navigation. The lock is located near the Château de Selles, a medieval castle originally built in the 13th century and later modified and expanded. The castle and lock are important historical monuments in Cambrai and attract many visitors interested in the history and heritage of the region.

The belfry, now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, was once the bell tower of the Saint-Martin church, the rest of the building having disappeared during the French Revolution. A symbol of communal freedoms, this belfry also ensured the security of the city. Night and day, lookouts monitored the city and warned of the arrival of enemies or the start of fires by sounding the tocsin. The oldest parts of this building date back to 1474 and rise from the base to the height of the cornice. Supported by wide buttresses, the first bell chamber opens onto triple bays in a Gothic-style pointed arch. Since 1736, this tower has been raised by another level in the classical style into which the second bell chamber opens. This part is topped by a drum where the watch room was located, the whole being topped with a dome and a lantern. Four sculptures made of cast concrete by Marcel Gaumont after the First World War evoke the historical periods of the city. We can see a Frankish warrior; a crossbowman symbolizing the communal militia; Louise of Savoy, mother of François I, who signed the Treaty of the Peace of the Ladies in Cambrai and the knight of Cezen, first governor of the city that became French. The entrance to the belfry has a sculpted decoration by René Faches. The central part bears the arms of Cambrai, surmounted by Saint Martin sharing his cloak to offer it to a poor man. These sculptures evoke the civil and religious duality of this belfry. (Cambrésis Tourisme)

The Beffroi de Cambrai is an impressive tower in Cambrai, located in the Nord department of France. Originally part of the old Saint Martin's Church, this tower is built in the Gothic style and is approximately 62 metres high. The beffroi is known for its sturdy buttresses reminiscent of medieval donjons. At the foot of the tower is a statue of Saint Martin, the patron saint of the city. The tower has a rich history and has survived both world wars unscathed. Since 1965, the beffroi has been classified as a historical monument and in 2005 it was included on the UNESCO World Heritage List, together with other beffrois in the region.

The British cemetery of Sains-les-Marquion contains the graves of 255 soldiers who died during the First World War, mainly Canadians who liberated the village from German occupation in September 1918. You can admire the architecture of the cemetery, designed by W C Von Berg, and pay tribute to fallen heroes.

Commonwealth Military Cemetery: https://www.cwgc.org/visit-us/find-cemeteries-memorials/cemetery-details/2102502/sains-les-marquion-british-cemetery/

Menhir part of the local history to discover. Be careful, the place is very swampy and it is more easily accessible in dry weather 😉.

The menhir of Oisy-le-Verger is like a "big pebble", as it is called here, planted in the middle of the marshy terrain of the Sensée valley. This particular location, on the old bed of the Scheldt, makes it difficult to access, especially during periods of rain. But, even from afar, at the end of the alley surrounded by a reed bed, the magnificent menhir classified since 1981 as an historic monument, remains particularly impressive.The emerged part is nearly 3 meters high, over a meter high. wide, for an invisible part which, for some, could be more than 8 meters deep. Its origin dates back to the Neolithic period, between - 5000 and 2500 BC. The marshy character of the land is much later than the megalith itself, which explains its presence in such an unfavorable place. But the surrounding waters have greatly contributed to the mystery that surrounds it. The legend of a pact with the devil Like many of its ilk, the legendary origin of the Oisy-le-Verger menhir is intimately linked to the devil. A tireless builder, but poor calculator, who, once again, will be caught off guard by the too early crowing of a rooster. This time, he offered his services to nuns to build their convent overnight. As a reward, they owed him their souls if the latter had ended before dawn. Satan set to work, and carried huge stones to the building all night long. Alas, for him, before the fateful hour, the nuns woke up the rooster, which began to crow. Surprised, the devil let go of the huge stone he was still holding ... She came to hide where we see her today.