Houdain can be explored through specific cultural landmarks and routes with distinct features. This offers a clear choice when planning your trip: would you like to focus on World Heritage and religious artworks, or are you mainly interested in viewpoints, open countryside and a signposted circular route? The town’s history provides precisely named points of reference; for the routes, the landscape, length and possible means of transport can help you decide.

Cultural History and the Church

On 30 June 2012, the Cité de la Victoire and its school, the Cité des Arbres and its school, and a medical centre of the Société de Secours minière in Houdain were designated UNESCO World Heritage. The designated sites therefore comprise two Cités, each with a school, as well as a medical centre. This specific group of sites is of interest if you want to focus on culture in Houdain: it is not just a single named property, but a group of different components designated together as World Heritage.

Two artworks at the Church of Saint-Jean-Baptiste can also be distinguished by their precise locations. Outside, a commemorative plaque for Jean-Baptiste-Ferdinand Kerkof is attached to the southern buttress of the main façade. Inside the nave, the statue of Saint John the Baptist stands on a console to the right of the triumphal arch. Describing the locations inside and outside makes the two easy to tell apart: the plaque is on the exterior façade, while the statue is in the nave. If you are interested in the church, these specific details can help you find your way around without confusing the two works.

Another historical point of reference is the former Ernest Damay brewery and malt house, later known as Damay Frères. It produced malt and top-fermented beer. In 1959, it reportedly produced 10,000 hectolitres of Damay brand beer. The former brewery’s name and the recorded production volume bring this part of local history to life: alongside the World Heritage sites and the religious artworks, beer production is also part of Houdain’s history.

Routes and Landscape

The two routes described offer different highlights. The “Les Châtaignes d'Houdain” circular route starts in the lower part of Houdain and mostly passes through fields along the foothills of the Artois hills. There are several viewpoints along the way overlooking the valleys of the Brette and the Lawe. If you are choosing mainly based on the landscape and views described, these are the route’s defining features.

The Route du Patois offers different points of reference. It starts at Place des Martyrs in Houdain and is a 33-kilometre circular route that can be travelled by bicycle or car. Signs featuring humorous drawings and sayings in the local patois line the route. When comparing it with “Les Châtaignes d'Houdain,” different considerations apply: one route is defined by fields, foothills and views over two valleys, while the other has a specified length and means of transport, along with signs along the circular route.

Activities at Parc d'Olhain

Parc d'Olhain in Houdain has a treetop adventure course with activities for children up to age 5, children aged 5 to 10, and adults aged 10 and over. Zip lines are optional. These age groups provide a useful guide when comparing activities for different ages. Availability may change, so it’s best to check before your visit. This helps you plan around the age groups that are actually suitable and the activities you want to try.

For the broader travel overview: Pas-De-Calais.