Northern France cities, in June

Disagreement here but if the below isn't your thing.

Brussels has magnificent Art Nouveau, Art museums, chocolate and mussels among other treasures.

Cambrai because of a tank battle fought in WWI was almost completely destroyed and rebuilt in many places in French Art Deco. As it was part of the Spanish Netherlands, some buildings remain from that period, most notably a beguine which has been declared an historic monument. Arras, too, leveled in WWI has a Flemish baroque center and many military cemeteries.

Andrew forgot to mention slag heaps. For What Once Was read Zola's Germinal or see the Depardieu movie of the same.

Thank you for the suggestions. I would stay in Brussels, and only spend 1-2 days there. I like Bruges and Antwerp, I've been to both a few times. But I like France as well, and was hoping there would be good day trips from Brussels.

Amiens and Rouen are both really nice towns to visit with sights to fill a day or two. A bit far for a day trip but maybe an overnight or two?

Lille is certainly to consider and easy to combine with historical Tournai (Doornik in Flemish), still in Belgium but close to the border. The latter is on the same line (you have to change trains there) to Lille. Arras is worth a visit too, but to my opinion too small for a complete daytrip, but makes more sense if you can combine it with for instance Lille, or with visits related mostly to WOI, like Vimy Ridge and Carrière Wellington. But afraid Vimy Ridge not (easy?) to reach with public transport.

Like 75020, I wouldn't be too quick to dismiss Brussels as a good base. The Royal Art Museum is stunning and we had a wonderful Art Nouveau tour there, thanks to Harold who posted the information on this forum. It's offered by a non-profit of architects, city planners, etc. http://www.arau.org/en/t/1-brussels-1900-art-nouveau/1
(FYI, Nancy is famous for its Art Nouveau, not Art Deco.)

Another defender of Brussels here. I'm curious about the complaint about not finding "good art" in Brussels. The Royal Museums of Fine Arts has three great collections. The Old Masters Museum has Bruegel, Bosch, Van der Weyden and other Flemish masters--plus David's masterpiece, "The Death of Marat." The Fin de Siecle Museum has great works by James Ensor--"Shocked Masks" is especially creepy--plus Gaugin, Seurat, and Fernand Khnopff's "Caress of the Sphinx." The Margritte Museum is chock full of his surrealist icons. As a bonus, these museums are not jammed packed like the National Gallery in London or the Louvre. I spend five minutes alone with "Marat"--really an unforgettable experience if you love great art.

As far a northern France goes, you might also consider Reims for its champagne houses, cathedral, and WWII surrender museum.

Lille is an absolute underrated gem. Near Lille there is also the Louvre in Lens and La Piscine museum in Roubaix (check to make sure it isn't closed, I know it was closing soon for some renovations).

Brussels also has the Musical Instrument Museum, if you're into that sort of thing. My musician husband found it amazing, even though we had just gotten off an overnight flight and were barely conscious at the time. :)

And for those loving Henry Matisse, there is a museum in his birthplace Le Cateau-Cambrésis, some 25km east of Cambrai. Visited the place for another reason and not the museum, but think it's worth checking out and you will need a car this time.

Hi,

You are picking one of my few favourite areas in France...north France, ie north of the Somme River. Of all the places in France, I have the most time in the north and in Paris. Forget doing day trips from Brussels, stay in North France instead. Stay in Arras, Amiens, Canbrai, St Quentin, Lille, or small places like Albert,

Arras is main rail junction. The TGV goes to Paris Nord, one TGV goes to Strasbourg direct. The regional trains go Amien, Dunkirk, Calais. If Paris is caught in a heat wave, North France such as Arras will be a couple of degrees lower.

Keep in mind that Arras was in the thick of the fighting in WW 1 and in 1940, the first phase involved Arras and ended at Dunkirk, since the British advanced from their bases in north France to the Dyle River which flows through Arras, and in 1944 with the fighting there that ended in its liberation by the British.