The best cycling routes around Flesquières

The Masnières Newfoundland Memorial in France commemorates the heroic actions of the Royal Newfoundland Regiment during the First Battle of Cambrai in 1917. Located on the northern edge of the town of Masnières, this monument honours the Newfoundlanders who took part in the capture and defence of the town during this battle.

This Cistercian abbey was founded in 1132 by Bernard of Clairvaux and grew into a large and influential community within a century. Royal armies camped there as in a fortress and Charles V signed peace with Henry II in 1556. In addition to the sick and outcasts, travellers and pilgrims also found shelter in the hospital. The largest abbey church in Europe stood here with an extraordinary length of 135 metres. On feast days, 3000 meals were provided to the needy in the wide area. After the French Revolution, it was declared national property and an inglorious end followed as an open-air quarry. Now, restored parts remain, such as the abbot's palace with the dormitories and monks' halls with the chapter house next to it. The 7-hectare abbey park is being restored to its former glory. Open March to November (Tue-Sat 10am-12pm and 2pm-5.30pm, Sun 3pm-6.30pm, closed Mondays).

Parts of this gigantic abbey are interesting to visit. The church has disappeared but must have been enormous. Beautiful garden and shop with, among other things, abbey beer.

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.

Tortequesne is surrounded by lakes and marshes on the border of the Nord and Pas de Calais departments. The Church of St. Martin, dating from the nineteenth century, is a sight to behold.

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.

Arleux is a commune in the north of France, between Douai and Cambrai, in the heart of the Sensée valley. It is a green oasis and a true haven of peace with vast ponds, swamps as far as the eye can see, rivers and canals that delight nature lovers with their exceptional biodiversity. The municipal pond of Arleux is a popular spot for fishermen, where pontoons have been installed for people with reduced mobility. There are many coarse fish such as roach, bream, tench, carp, eel, bleak and gudgeon, but also predatory fish such as pike, zander and perch.

Arleux is a commune in the north of France, between Douai and Cambrai, in the heart of the Sensée valley. It is a green oasis and a true haven of peace with vast ponds, swamps as far as the eye can see, rivers and canals that delight nature lovers with their exceptional biodiversity. The municipal pond of Arleux is a popular place for fishermen, where pontoons have been installed for people with reduced mobility. There are many white fish such as roach, bream, tench, carp, eel, eel and goby, but also predatory fish such as pike, pike-perch and perch.