Attractions and Places To See around Neuville-Sur-Escaut - Top 20

Strook is also called Pont Gibus. Gibus is the nickname for Duclos Lassalle who won Paris-Roubaix in 1992 and 1993.

Very beautiful site full of history where it was filmed Germinal.

Well-known photo moment here. There is always a professional sports photographer here during the Paris Roubaix Challenger. You can order his photos afterwards, of course for a fee

Avesnes-le-Sec is a commune in the French Northern Department, in the Hauts-de-France region. It has an area of 10.4 km² and has 1,445 inhabitants (2020). It is part of the arrondissement of Valenciennes and the canton of Denain. Avesnes-le-Sec has a number of sites and heritage that testify to its history and culture. Some examples are: Avesnes-le-Sec Communal Cemetery Extension, a war cemetery from the First World War, where 65 British soldiers are buried. The ruins of the Moulin de Pierre, a tower mill from the 18th century, built with white limestone from the region. The mill was destroyed by a German shell in 1918. The Saint Aubertus Church, a Gothic church from the 12th century, dedicated to the patron saint of the municipality. The church has a remarkable portal with sculptures and an organ from the 19th century. Avesnes-le-Sec is also a pleasant place for walking or cycling, thanks to its green surroundings and its proximity to the River Somme. There are several routes and paths that run along the water or through the countryside. One of the most beautiful routes is the Voie verte du cavalier d'Agincourt, which connects Aniche to Escaudain over a distance of 12 km.

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.

This site is worth a detour to discover the two impressive mine shafts. One from 1902 and the other from 1954.

The castle was built in the 17th century and was completed in the 19th century. Originally owned by the Abbaye Saint-Aubert de Cambrai, the castle was built on land owned by the abbey. The plans are said to have belonged to Ange-Jacques Gabriel or Alexandre-Théodore Brongniart. The castle was sold as national property during the Revolution. With the help of a stooge, Count François Marie Joseph de Frahan became the owner. It was sold by his descendants to Pierre Joseph Danjou in 1853 and then to Nicolas Meriaux in 1884. In 1887, Marie-Adélaide Verkinder, wife of deputy Ernest Déjardin, acquired the château. It passed to her daughter and son-in-law, Ambassador Pierre Lefèvre-Pontalis. During the First World War, the castle became the headquarters of Jagdgeschwader and Baron Manfred von Richthofen lived there. The castle, its moats and bridges have been classified as a historical monument since September 21, 1983, while the outbuildings, the old building on the edge of road number 4, the facades and roofs of the pigeon tower and the pavilion in the park and the perimeter wall with its gates since the same date have been registered as a historical monument.

Pont Gibus 1600 meters - 3 stars The strip has been in use since 1974 but has been missing in recent history due to its poor condition. In the autumn of 2012, the strip was restored - for a lot of money - and has been part of the trail again since the 2013 edition. The strip is characterized by the two bridgeheads halfway through the strip. On one of the bridgeheads it says in large letters: GIBUS. The official name of the strip is pavé de Wallers à Hélesmes, but has been known as Pont Gibus for years. Gibus is a pet name for Gilbert-Duclos Lassalle. The tough French hunk from Gap (high mountains, of all places) managed to win the Helle Classic twice and enjoyed great popularity among the French public. This strip is more or less attributed to Gilbert-Duclos Lassalle by the fans. In the final there is a strip just outside Cysoing and it has been formally named Pave Gilbert-Duclos Lassalle. The stretch starts at the D40 just to the south where the riders have reached it after crossing the Bos van Wallers. The strip runs northwest. Almost in a straight line and halfway at the old track there is a pendulum in the strip. The strip joins the D955 After the restoration, the strip lost a star and is now at three stars. That does not change if you have just passed the Forest of Wallers, this remains a difficult strip. That is why many riders will be happy with the restoration because before 2012 the strip was very bad and for many riders the intermediate section on the D40 was too short to catch their breath.