Here, the chalk hills of the Artois blend into the plain of Flanders and the coastal plains reclaimed from the ocean. Water is omnipresent here, with its many springs, lively rivers, and wetlands. It is what gives life to a lush flora and a diverse wildlife.
Here, over the centuries and moreso than anywhere else, men have tamed the rivers and the wetlands, creating diversified landscapes for all to enjoy on foot, by bike, by boat, and even by steam engine!
Here, the old roman roads of England, Flanders, and France have converged since the ancient times, where merchants, pilgrims, scholars, and priests came together and armies clashed.
Here, adventure began when the Celtic people of Morini valiantly faced against Caesar! A gallo-roman city was established in Therouanne, later becoming one of the most powerful bishoprics before being abandoned and uninhibited, becoming one of the rare ghost towns in France. Its neighbor, Saint-Omer picked up the torch in 1000 A.D. , becoming one of the largest trading cities of Europe circa 1300, then a pivotal seat of learning starting in the 16th century. Land of industrial innovation, the region has also housed the hostilities of two world wars.