48 Hours in the Scarpe-Escaut Regional Nature Park
Hauts-de-France/2026
This regional nature park is one of the least well-known in the region, but it offers a very pleasant walk around Saint-Amand-les-Eaux, showcasing its natural beauty as well as its tourist attractions and culinary delights.
Thispark is located between Valenciennes and Lille, with Orchies to the northwest— near the capital of Flanders—and Raismes to the southeast, five kilometers from Valenciennes.Its northeastern edgelargely follows the Belgian border . The two waterways that flow through it contribute to the beauty of its landscapes of forests, ponds, and rivers. The Escaut is a 355-kilometer-long river that originates near Saint-Quentin and is channeled from Cambrai onward. After Valenciennes, it flows through Condé-sur-l’Escaut before continuing its course into Belgium. The Scarpe, which originates in the Pas-de-Calais, is channeled from Arras and navigable for nearly 70 km. Before joining the Scheldt, it flows through the regional naturepark , creating remarkable sites that can be admired along its greenway. It flows through Saint-Amand-les-Eaux, as well as Marchiennes, which is worth visiting for its beautiful town hall and state-ownedforest .
Among the must-see natural attractions is the vast Chabaud-Latour pond and its recreational center, right next toCondé-sur-l’Escaut.Walking trails have been laid out, allowing visitors to admire waterfowlat certain sites. Former slag heaps also offer superb views. In the Raismes-Saint-Amand-Wallers forest, the vast 90-hectare Goriauxpond is an artificial body of water created by a former mining operation. You can walk alongits edge on a footpath that allows fansof the Paris-Roubaix race to explore the famous cobblestone section known as theArenberg Forest.
Saint-Amand-les-Eaux is, in a sense, the capital of this park. The banks of the Scarpe are pleasant,and its historic center is remarkable, particularly theGrand-Place and the abbey’s spectacular Baroque tower. Known sinceRoman times for the quality of its waters, the town is the only spa resort in theHauts-de-France region and thus a major destination for spa tourism, complete with its own casino. For older residents,Saint-Amand-les-Eaux is alsoknown for its participation in the first final of the TV show *Intervilles* in 1962, and for the enthusiasm of its mayor at the time, the iconic Georges Donnez—known as “Jojo”—who was the show’s true star. Fifty -plus years later, Saint-Amand got its revenge on its former rival Dax by winning the title in2013!
The Grand-Place comes alive on Fridays with the big market. As is the case throughout theHauts-de-France region, the local cuisine holds its own: Maroilles cheese is produced nearby, in Thiérache and Avesnois; there are numerous breweries; and the traditional taverns offer their specialties, including Flemishbeef stew and potjevleesch.
