Attractions and Places To See around Abancourt - Top 20

The menhir is located in the marsh of Aubigny-au-Bac, on a footpath leading to Brunémont. It is a block of Landenian sandstone 2.90 m high (including 1.48 m above ground) by 2.15 m wide and 0.70 m thick. It is said to have been sunk to about 2.40 m. Shaped like a horse's head, it is associated with a prehistoric megalith despite the absence of evidence.

Built in 1623, the Notre-Dame gate marks the northern entrance to the city. At that time, city gates, protected by bastions, freed themselves from their defensive role and became symbols of the wealth of cities. With its “diamond point” hardware and its rich sculpted decoration, the Notre-Dame gate is representative of the Baroque style. The sun that adorns the upper part was added after the capture of Cambrai by Louis XIV. https://www.villedecambrai.com/decouvrir/decouvrir-la-ville/portrait-de-ville/patrimoine-et-architecture/heurs-et-malheurs-dune-ville-frontiere/la-porte-notre-dame

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 Thun Leveque lock is a double lock located on the Scheldt canal, between the municipalities of Thun-l'Évêque and Iwuy, in the Nord department. It allows boats to overcome a difference in height of 2.5 meters between the two reaches of the canal. It is part of a series of five double locks which were built between 1825 and 1830 to improve navigation on the canalized Scheldt1. The Thun Leveque lock has been classified as a historic monument since 19922. It is surrounded by a landscaped park which dates from the 19th century and which belongs to the domain of the Château de Hamel, an 18th century residence which is also protected as architectural heritage3. The Thun Leveque lock is a place of passage and discovery for boaters, cyclists and hikers who use the Scheldt canal or the greenway which runs along it.

A hike to Porte Notre Dame in Cambrai will take you to one of the most beautiful monuments in the city. It is an old gate of the medieval fortifications, built in the 14th century and renovated in the 17th century. With rich baroque decoration, a diamond-shaped stone pattern and a coat of arms of the city, you can admire the architecture and history of the gate, which was once the entrance to the cathedral and the episcopal palace.

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

Very beautiful monument of local history to discover during a walk in nature.