Cambrai

Cambrai: a European crossroads in the heart of Hauts-de-France

Cambrai, a City of Art and History in the Nord department, benefits from a strategic geographical location at the heart of the Paris-Brussels-London triangle. A true meeting point between northern France and Belgium, it is approximately 50 km south of Lille and about thirty kilometers from the Belgian border.

• Exceptional road access: Cambrai is at the intersection of two major motorway routes — the A2 (Paris-Brussels) and the A26 (Calais-Reims). It is less than 1 hour 30 minutes from Paris, 1 hour from Brussels and 45 minutes from Lille by car.
• Rail connections: Cambrai station is served by TER Hauts-de-France trains with regular connections to Lille-Flandres, Douai, Arras, Valenciennes and Saint-Quentin.
• A developing logistics hub: The future Seine-Scheldt river link, expected by 2027, will further enhance the city's economic influence by connecting the industrial basins of northern France to Belgian seaports.

Cambrai, the main town of its district with approximately 33,000 inhabitants, was the first municipality in the Nord department to obtain the prestigious label, back in 1992. City of Art and History awarded by the Ministry of Culture. Its economy is based on four complementary pillars: agriculture, the agri-food industry, logistics and textiles — a productive fabric that generates regular traffic of professional and passing customers.

Visit Cambrai: belfry, cathedral and secret underground passages

Nicknamed the "City of Bell Towers," Cambrai boasts an architectural and historical heritage of rare richness for a city of its size. Its historic city center is best explored on foot, along streets where Flemish buildings, Baroque structures, and public gardens stand side by side.

Architecture and heritage:

• The BelfryThe tower, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is one of the city's symbols. Formerly a communal watchtower since 1550, it rises to a height of 62 meters with its characteristic dome and lantern.
• The Cathedral of Our Lady of Grace, a jewel of the 18th century, seduced by its spectacular baroque trompe-l'oeil, its venerated Byzantine icon and the tomb of Archbishop Fénelon, one of the great names of French literature of the Grand Siècle.
• The Spanish HouseThis rare example of 16th-century timber-framed architecture recalls the Habsburg period which left a lasting mark on the history of Cambrai.
• The Gate of Paris, a vestige of the old medieval fortifications, testifies to the city's past as a stronghold.
• Saint-Géry ChurchThe oldest church in the city harmoniously blends Romanesque, Gothic, Renaissance and Classical styles.
• The Castle of Selles, northwest of the city center, represents one of the oldest parts of the agglomeration.
• The Citadel and its underground passages: Cambrai has the most extensive underground network in France. The countermine galleries, dug into the chalk beneath the citadel, can be visited in guided groups by reservation with the Tourist Office — an unusual and memorable experience.

Museums :

• Beaux-arts museumHoused in the private mansion of Francqueville (1720), it contains one of the richest collections in the North: archaeology, Flemish and Dutch paintings, sculptures signed by Rodin, Carpeaux or Claudel, and a relief map of the city in the 4th century, over more than 300 m² of exhibition space.
• The Henri Matisse Museum in Le Cateau-CambrésisLocated 25 km from Cambrai in the painter's birthplace, it is one of the most important museums of modern art in France. It houses major works by Matisse, as well as by Picasso, Chagall and Giacometti.
• The Lace and Embroidery Museum of Caudry15 km away, you can witness the operation of antique Leavers looms and discover the creations of the world's greatest fashion houses.

The Battle of Cambrai and the gastronomy of the Cambrésis region

Cambrai occupies a special place in the history of the Great War: it was here that the 17th liberation was delivered in November 1917 the first major tank battle in historyThe Cambrai Tank 1917 site in Flesquières houses the British tank Deborah 51, one of the 476 tanks that took part in the fighting — a moving visit for military history enthusiasts.

Cambrai's gastronomy is also quite unique. The city is world-renowned for its Cambrai stupiditiesThis mint candy, whose two historic manufacturers, Despinoy and Afchain, open their workshops to visitors, is a must-try. Beyond sugar, Cambrai cultivates its own specialties: Cambrai andouillette sausage, Cambrai tomme cheese, and a vibrant brewing scene in the Ch'ti tradition.

Book your cheap hotel in Cambrai directly >