Taxi Lille → Maubeuge

Maubeuge is a fortified town whose ramparts built by Vauban in the 17th century constitute one of the finest bastioned fortification ensembles in northern France. Listed as a historic monument, these fortifications stretch over 3 km along the Sambre river and form a remarkable defensive system with curtain walls, bastions, half-moons and guard houses. The town is the gateway to the Avesnois, the greenest and most hilly natural region in Hauts-de-France, nicknamed the 'Little Switzerland of the North'. The Avesnois is the land of Maroilles, that soft-paste, orange washed-rind cheese with a powerful smell and delicate flavour, made here since the 10th century on traditional farms. Maubeuge Zoo, set within the former Vauban fortifications, is one of the few fortress zoos in Europe and welcomes 300,000 visitors a year. The town is also a historic industrial centre (steelmaking, glasswork) undergoing transformation, with an Italian-style theatre and Art Deco heritage from post-war reconstruction. The Mormal Forest, the largest in Hauts-de-France (9,000 hectares), is 15 km to the south — a paradise for hikers and cyclists.