Mining Heritage in Somain: Find Hotels for Your Trip

On this page

Editor's Choice

Pure Luxury

“Call me spoiled - but I love to be treated like a queen when traveling. Only the best is good enough for me. Hotels that make my vacation a dream of luxury and seduction are my choices. Pay attention to the (violet Medal) for luxury accommodation.”

Tatjana Herzegova, Kiew, Ukraine

Editor's Choice

Sustainable Travel

“There is only one earth and we should go out and see it. I like hotels, which look for sustainability. It is not only protecting the ecology, but also taking care for the local business and culture. I recommend the medal for eco accomodation. Let’s protect our earth. Sustainable travel is travelling with responsibility.”

Markus Lenk, Düsseldorf, Germany

In Somain, mining heritage can be seen both in individual buildings and in the miners’ housing estates. The Chapelle Sainte-Barbe is part of a larger UNESCO context; the mining towns represent a particular form of housing and a settlement that developed over many years. Parc Anne Frank offers a different focus: walks, fishing in the pond, play equipment and a pump track are among the possible activities here. Before your trip, you can consider whether you would rather focus on architectural and settlement history or a visit to the park.

Chapelle Sainte-Barbe and UNESCO World Heritage

The former Chapelle Sainte-Barbe was built in 1911, fully restored and now serves as the Espace Sainte-Barbe. It is one of the 353 elements of the French mining basin that is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The chapel brings together the history of an individual building and its place within the broader mining heritage. If you would like to discover Somain through its cultural history, this offers a specific starting point. Check the current programme and public access before your visit.

Somain’s miners’ housing estates

Four interconnected miners’ housing estates now form the Quartier De Sessevalle and illustrate the pavilion-style housing model of the Compagnie des Mines d’Aniche. Here, the focus extends beyond a single building: the neighbourhood as a whole and the housing style it illustrates belong together. This is a different way to explore mining heritage than at the Chapelle Sainte-Barbe, where the focus is on one building.

The Cité Beaurepaire adds its own architectural history. Construction began in 1910 and was completed in the 1920s; today, the estate comprises 250 homes. Compared with the single chapel, the Cité is on a different scale: its development period stretches from the start of construction in 1910 to its completion in the 1920s, and today it comprises 250 homes. The Ancien prieuré de Beaurepaire is also located in Somain.

Guided explorations and time in the park

You can explore the Cités de Somain on foot or by electric bicycle, accompanied by guides from the tourist office. This gives you a choice of two ways to get around on a guided tour. Availability and booking arrangements may change, so check the dates and booking details in advance.

Parc Anne Frank is a place for walking and fishing, with a pond. Its facilities include play equipment for younger and older children, as well as a pump track. This means the park offers walks and fishing alongside play facilities and the pump track. It provides a counterpoint to the architecture and history of the chapel and the mining towns: here, the focus is on enjoying a park. As the municipality’s information and the facilities may change, check the current park facilities before your visit.

Discover more destinations: Mouvaux, Roubaix, Caudry, Bousies, Sebourg, Armentières, Gommegnies, Saint-Saulve

For the broader travel overview: Nord.

Search accommodationAdvertisement · We may receive a commission if you book.