Summary of Attractions in Maubeuge
Until the year 1678, when it was annexed by France, Maubeuge experienced significant turmoil, having been sacked and plundered an astonishing 20 times. Once the town was under French control, it transformed into a fortified border settlement, featuring walls designed by Vauban, the esteemed military engineer of Louis XIV.
Large sections of these walls, ditches, water channels, and bastions remain today, contributing greatly to Maubeuge’s character. This pattern of destruction continued during the Second World War when Maubeuge suffered extensively during the German invasion. Much of its historic architecture was lost in 1940, but the town rejuvenated itself with an idealistic modernist landscape crafted by André Lurçat.
Let us examine the notable attractions in Maubeuge:
1. Remparts de Vauban
After the Treaty of Nijmegen in 1678, Maubeuge came under French dominion, positioning it on the frontier between France and the Habsburg Empire.
Construction of a citadel around Maubeuge quickly commenced, led by the ingenious architect Vauban.
Remarkably, even after the German bombardment in 1940, two-thirds of Maubeuge’s outer wall remains intact.
The remaining sections were removed voluntarily post-war to facilitate the town’s expansion along the right bank of the Sambre River.
The walls and bastions were designed with a low profile, currently serving as a vast park featuring passageways, grassy ditches, and solemn stone curtains.
2. Porte de Mons
The most magnificent remnant of the fortifications is the gate located at Place Vauban on the northern side of the town.
In typical Vauban style, the Porte de Mons showcases considerable finesse despite its defensive purpose.
This gateway features three portals beneath a pavilion adorned with a pediment and mansard roof facing the town.
In contrast, the town-facing side is somewhat less intricate, incorporating a guardroom (now housing a museum), robust wooden doors, and remnants of the original drawbridge winch.
The Porte de Mons serves as an excellent starting point for exploring Maubeuge, as the tourist office is situated within.
3. Musée du Corps de Garde
While exploring Vauban’s ramparts, you may require additional context, which is provided by the museum situated in a guardroom behind the Porte de Mons.
This structure dates back to 1683 and was part of Vauban’s original plans, inclusive of a guard room, dormitory, and powder room.
It remained military property until 1914 and was designated the citadel’s gallery in the 1970s, showcasing antique weapons, uniforms, and documents that delineate military life in Maubeuge.
Notably, it features a plan-relief, a 3D map of the town created in 1825.
4. Zoo de Maubeuge
This zoo uniquely incorporates the existing Vauban ramparts into its design.
The historical embankments and walls serve as effective barriers and provide excellent viewpoints for observing the enclosures.
The zoo is compact yet well-designed, featuring 350 animals from 56 species.
Visitors can expect to see a variety of wildlife, including a white tiger, Sri Lankan panther, giraffes, elephants, zebras, hippos, capybaras, kangaroos, and much more.
Consult the schedule to witness feeding times for the hippos, gibbons, elephants, and wolves.
5. Église Saint-Pierre-et-Saint-Paul
During the Second World War, Maubeuge’s church was destroyed, with its replacement erected in 1955, now serving as a significant symbol of post-war reconstruction.
This site has been recognized as a French historic monument, with modernist architect André Lurçat having contributed to its design.
Lurçat infused the church with his artistic perspective, believing that religion would ultimately fade away, prompting him to create a neutral space intended for potential future use as a theatre.
Upon entering, be sure to admire the stunning mosaic crafted by André’s brother, Jean Lurçat, an acclaimed artist in his own right.
6. Historic Religious Buildings
Despite the widespread devastation in Maubeuge during the Second World War, a few religious edifices remained unharmed.
On Rue de La Croix, you will find the 16th-century Béguinage des Cantuaines, which once housed a community of beguines, women who lived religious lives without formal vows.
Additionally, on Avenue du Lieutenant-Colonel-Martin lies La Chapelle des Sœurs Noires, a small 17th-century Baroque chapel belonging to a now-vanished convent.
This chapel has served various purposes over time, including acting as a library, military depot, and Protestant temple, and currently houses part of a university.
7. La Ferme du Zoo
Fun and educational for younger visitors, La Ferme du Zoo is located to the east of the town amidst picturesque countryside.
Children can interact with friendly farm animals such as Jersey cows, shaggy highland cows, donkeys, ponies, goats, Texel sheep, and rabbits.
Spacious lawns are available for picnics, while playground facilities offer children opportunities to expend additional energy.
Adults will appreciate the area’s tranquility, enhanced by the farm’s conservatory orchard cultivating Avesnois fruits.
A delightful kitchen garden featuring medicinal and aromatic plants, as well as an apiary, further enriches the experience.
8. Zone des Etangs
Located in the southeast of the town, this tranquil green area occupies the site of channels excavated by Vauban adjacent to the Sambre River.
The location is enveloped in woodlands, and the harmonious mix of greenery, soothing waters, and remnants of ancient fortifications creates enjoyable walking paths.
It is fascinating to consider that this area once comprised a sophisticated defensive system utilizing water and dams to protect the southeastern approach to Maubeuge.
In the 1800s, the site was repurposed as a canal, connecting Belgium’s coalfields to steel mills in the Nord region.
Today, however, it has transformed into a habitat for dragonflies, irises, willows, alders, and recreational anglers along the banks.
9. Cycling
The Maubeuge tourist office provides a selection of 22 bicycles that can be rented for up to three days.
Available options include mountain bikes for adventurous forest trails, as well as city bikes for leisurely rides along country lanes while exploring quaint villages like Feignies.
Before embarking on your journey, you will receive maps and brochures detailing three routes that venture into the Avesnois Natural Regional Park from Maubeuge.
While cycling, you will encounter meandering streams, historic watermills, deciduous forests, orchards, hedgerows, and vibrant wildflower meadows, particularly in the summer months.
10. Avesnois Regional Natural Park
As a general principle, the further one ventures from the Sambre Valley and its historic industrial communities, the more tranquil and picturesque the countryside becomes.
Numerous kilometers of tributary streams meander toward the Sambre, and following these waterways will lead you through serene oak and beech forests.
Since the decline of heavy industry in the 20th century, the area’s water bodies and woodland have become cleaner than they have been in centuries.
Wherever the woodlands have been cleared, a “bocage” landscape of meadows and cereal farms, interspersed with rows of pollarded trees and hedges, flourishes.
One notable characteristic of the region is its local bluestone, a dense, dark limestone commonly used in constructing cottages, chapels, and oratories.
11. Théâtre du Manège
Since its establishment in 1990, Maubeuge’s theatre has served as a Scène Nationale, functioning as a regional center for contemporary arts.
There is another Manège theatre located in the nearby Belgian city of Mons, and both venues collaborate to form a cross-border cultural platform, frequently booking the same artists while they are in the area.
The optimal time to visit is during spring: In March, the VIA festival showcases theatre, dance, and digital arts.
Later in June, the Festival des Folies caters to younger audiences, presenting nightly performances, street artists, and contemporary circus acts.
12. Maubeuge-Élesmes Aerodrome
A significant number of visitors arrive in Maubeuge due to the aerodrome, primarily utilized for light aviation and parachuting.
Individuals travel from both sides of the Belgian border to participate in these activities.
“Skydive Maubeuge” offers tandem jumps, which necessitate minimal training or preparation since participants are securely attached to an experienced skydiver.
During the jump, you will ascend to 4,000 meters and experience speeds of 200 km/h.
The entire experience is captured on HD video for later viewing and downloading.
Additionally, the aerodrome provides opportunities for one-off flying lessons in gliders or light aircraft.
13. MusVerre
A pleasant drive through the Avesnois countryside will lead to the town of Sars-Poteries.
Up until the 1930s, Sars-Poteries was known for its flourishing glassware industry.
Although the industry declined after the war, efforts to revive it began in the 1960s, and the museum recently relocated to a stylish new building.
This contemporary structure, clad in local bluestone, is an aesthetic marvel.
The rough, chiseled edges are meant to evoke the silica, the primary ingredient in glass.
In addition to its historical glassware, MusVerre boasts the largest public collection of contemporary glass design in France, showcasing 550 stunning creations by over 100 international artists.
14. Forum Antique de Bavay
Located about 15 minutes to the west, the town of Bavay was once a significant regional capital in Roman times.
Bagacum Nerviorum was the settlement of the Nervii Belgic tribe, which established itself around the 1st century BC. In 1906, the immense forum (one of the largest north of the Alps) was rediscovered, along with thermal baths fed by an aqueduct that extended over 20 kilometers.
While the scale of the site can be appreciated visually, the accompanying museum features a remarkable 3D projection of the forum as it appeared in the 2nd century BC, complemented by displays of artifacts, including locally-produced pottery.
15. Regional Food
The easternmost reaches of the Nord department offer several delicacies to discover at local markets.
The Avesnois region is characterized by apple orchards, and multiple mills in the area produce traditional French “cidre.” Their freshly pressed apple juice is also delightful, alongside a small but notable beer industry; one must-try is the cuvée des jonquilles, which ferments in the bottle with live, unfiltered yeast.
In terms of local cheeses, the robust maroilles cheese holds AOC status and is available in rectangular blocks.
Another local culinary delight is flamiche au maroilles, a hearty tart featuring this cheese with a layer of crème fraîche.
To satisfy your sweet tooth, indulge in tarte au sucre, a luxurious pastry filled with cream and vanilla, generously coated in brown sugar.
