Top 5 Natural Monuments around Saint-Nicolas

The Battle of Vimy Ridge (April 9-12, 1917) This is one of the most famous battles for Canadians during the First World War. Vimy Ridge was a strategic position fortified by the Germans since 1914. In April 1917, the four Canadian divisions, united for the first time, attacked to retake it. - 💥 The bombardments that created the shell holes Before the assault For several weeks, Allied artillery (mainly British and Canadian) bombarded the German positions to weaken the defenses, cut the barbed wire, and destroy the enemy trenches. It is estimated that more than a million shells were fired in preparation for the attack. During the attack On April 9, 1917, the Canadian infantry advanced under a creeping barrage, that is, artillery fire that advanced just ahead of the soldiers to protect their advance. Result These intense bombardments literally riddled the ridge with craters. Each shell exploding in the ground dug a hole of varying width (depending on the caliber, often between 1 and 5 meters in diameter). 🏞 After the War Why are the shell holes still there? After 1918, it was decided to preserve certain areas as they were, particularly around the future memorial, to demonstrate the scale of the fighting. The land was therefore not leveled or cultivated, unlike other areas of the front, which reverted to agricultural fields. A Landscape for Remembrance The shell craters, reconstructed trenches, and replanted trees (each tree represents a killed Canadian soldier) create a living memorial park, keeping the scars of the conflict visible for future generations.

Vimy Foundation Centennial Park Vimy Foundation Centennial Park offers visitors a unique and reflective space to reflect on the horrors that occurred on these lands during the Great War, contrasting with the solemnity and grace of the adjacent Canadian National Memorial. The main attraction of the four-acre park is 100 Vimy Oak trees, grown from acorns collected on the battlefield in 1917, along with the Borden bugle, the Centennial Flagpole, and 360-degree memorial views of the First World War battlefield. One hundred years after the war, the Park ensures that we never forget the sacrifice of all those who served our country. The Vimy Foundation The Vimy Foundation is a national charitable organization whose mission is to preserve and promote Canada's legacy of the First World War, symbolized by the victory at Vimy Ridge in April 1917. This momentous event is widely considered a pivotal moment in our history, Canada's first steps onto the world stage. Through youth education programs, awareness campaigns, and legacy projects, including the new Vimy Visitor and Education Centre and Centennial Park, the Vimy Foundation provides Canadians with opportunities to learn how the First World War transformed our nation. Vimy Oaks The park's oak trees are directly descended from acorns collected on the Vimy Ridge battlefield by a Canadian soldier, Lieutenant Leslie Miller of Scarborough, Ontario, and later planted on his farm in Canada, which he named The Vimy Oaks. A number of these majestic oaks are still alive today in Canada, while virtually none of the Vimy Ridge oaks survived the First World War. The Vimy Oaks Legacy Society, a Canadian non-profit volunteer association, was created to repatriate young Vimy oaks descended from acorns collected after the battle. Volunteers landscaped and planted these repatriated Vimy oaks, which now stand guard in this park adjacent to the Canadian National Vimy Memorial.

La Carrière de Craie de Bray is a quarry in the municipality of Mont-Saint-Éloi. It is a popular place for hikers and nature lovers because of its beautiful surroundings. The hills around Mont-Saint-Éloi consist of a thick layer of secondary-age chalk, formed by the accumulation of skeletons of marine animals when Artois was submerged in a shallow sea.

The Source Sainte-Bertille is a source in Maroeuil, a commune in the French department of Pas-de-Calais in the Hauts-de-France region. The spring is named after Sainte Bertille, a 7th century saint known for her healing powers. Legend has it that Sainte Bertille created the well by hitting the ground with her staff when she encountered a group of thirsty workers. The spring is still active and is considered a place of pilgrimage for people suffering from eye diseases. It is also a popular place for hikers and nature lovers because of its beautiful surroundings.

Path blocked at the exit of the wood, after the wooden footbridge. Unable to pass.

Interesting story from this source: https://nord-decouverte.fr/maroeuil-fontaine-miraculeuse/

Indeed, the lack of maintenance is disappointing 👎

Too bad the site is poorly maintained but it deserves a moment's attention.