Attractions and Places To See around Sauchy-Lestrée - Top 20

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 Seven Bonnettes are a fascinating megalithic site, surrounded by legends and mysteries. Located in a picturesque valley, this 75 meter high mound is crowned with standing stones forming a crown. According to legend, these stones represent six young girls and a musician, transformed into statues by Heaven for having danced instead of attending vespers.

They are part of the unknown treasures of Arras and the Pays d'Artois. The various megalithic sites are good for a beautiful walk, among mysteries and legends, history and extraordinary landscapes. Set sail for the Scarpe valley and the Sensée valley, in the wake of the megaliths of the Pays d'Artois.

Small mythical location. The stone pillars on top have already made many passers-by think. They are part of the unknown treasures of Arras and the Pays d'Artois. The various megalithic sites are good for a beautiful walk, among mysteries and legends, history and extraordinary landscapes. Set sail for the Scarpe valley and the Sensée valley, in the wake of the megaliths of the Pays d'Artois.

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.

The story goes that once the people of the country showed the scratches produced, according to legend, by the claws of the demon when he seized the stone. Streaks do indeed appear on two sides of the menhir… But are they the same as before or do they come from the destruction of the stone in 1918