Apologies, we’ve long since returned to the UK from Tour 12 and I’m still playing catch up with the blog. Just one more entry after this and I’m up to date.
I was so disappointed with Cambrai. It looked such a mess. The place needs tidying up (the Jardin Des Grottes in particular was overflowing with trash) butI think too the city should employ someone with a better understanding of urban planning. Take a look at Cambrai and then visit Arras, less than 25 miles away, and you’ll understand precisely what I mean. Both suffered terribly during the two World Wars but while Arras has been transformed into something very appealing and is well maintained (it’s delightful), Cambrai is … well, very much the opposite. I think Cambrai lost it’s way a bit during it’s reconstruction after the two World Wars but, hey, that doesn’t explain all the rubbish scattered around the city. The last time I was moved to make such a comment, I was in Canterbury (at the start of Tour 1).
None of the above is to suggest that we will not one day revisit Cambrai. After all, Cambrai was classified as a city of history and art in 1992 and; there is much of interest yet to see both in the city and the surrounding area and; of course just like Canterbury, it can always be tidied up. Among the more interesting sites I did see during our visit were the Cathedral of Our Lady of Grace (beautiful inside although it doesn’t look much from the outside); an imposing Mairie (city hall) on the Place Aristide-Briand; a 15th century Belfry; the Chateau de Selles; the Porte de Paris (one of only two remaining gates into the city, the other being the Porte de Notre Dame); the Maison Espagnole (the sole remaining half timbered house in the city, now used as a tourist office) and; the Chapel des Jesuits (which is alongside the aforementioned Spanish House). Oh, I did also see the Eglise Saint-Gery and the city’s covered market but both were closed.
I approached the city centre from the municipal campsite; crossing Canal de Saint-Quentin on my way in and passing first L’Eglise Saint-Gery; then the Belfry; and, finally, City Hall. I missed out on the Rubens painting inside Saint-Gery but the interior of the Cathedral of Our Lady of Grace more than compensated for this disappointment.
The Cathedral of Our Lady of Grace is actually Cambrai’s second cathedral; the first having been torn down during the French Revolution. This second cathedral was originally an early 18th century church which formed part of the Abbey of Saint-Sepulcre. It survived the Revolution only because the revolutionaries converted it into a ‘Temple of Reason’ as part of a strategy towards replacing Christianity with ‘State Atheism’. The strategy failed
After enjoying the peace within the cathedral for a short while(I seemed to be the only one there) I crossed the Avenue de la Victoire to visit the local tourist office which, as I mentioned above, is housed in the only remaining half timbered house in Cambrai (the Maison Espagnole) and they kindly supplied me with a tourist map of the city which identified a few other nearby places of interest.
Cambrai is a compact little city and easy to explore. Adjacent to the Maison Espagnole is the Chateau des Jesuits with it’s beautifully sculpted facade and; a short walk south along the Avenue de la Victoire is the impressive Porte de Paris, one of the few surviving aspects of the city’s medieval walls. Beyond this old city gate is another fine looking building but I was unable to find out much about the place other than that it is a school now.
I missed out on La Maison des Templiers, the Cambrai Tank Museum and the Cambrai Memorial but did get to wander the City Park with it’s Palais des Grottes and I passed by the covered market. I understand this market is only open twice a week. That was a shame because amongst other things I missed out on the Betises de Cambrai (assorted mint candies) which the city is famous for and it’s Maroilles Cheese Sauce. Next time.
