Secret France: Medieval

Secret France: Medieval escapades in the SEVEN VALLEYS Deep in the glorious countryside of Pas-de- Calais, in the far north of France, history has played its hand over and over. Janine Marsh explores the medieval past of this secret part of northern France. The lush green valleys of Pas-de-Calais are crossed by rivers and streams, woods and forests, ancient turf bogs and osier beds where willow is grown and coppiced. This is a place shaped by battle, ruled at times by the English, Spanish, Austrian and French, and it’s an area which offers visitors a glimpse into centuries past, as well as offering a taste of the tranquil French way of life. Although a small area it is very diverse, in places flat, in others quite mountainous. Once you turn off the main roads that cut through the countryside you will find yourself in an altogether different world. The undulating wooded valleys and the traditional rural architecture of the “fermettes”, long low farmhouses, are truly lovely, especially in spring when carpets of wood anemones and bluebells cover the ground of the forests. And along the banks of the rivers, towns, villages and buildings have sprung up over centuries, all with stories to tell. English army led by King Henry V coming up against a French army with many more men, more food and more energy. But the unthinkable happened, the English with their formidable archers, won the day. The French dead numbered some 6000 versus a few hundred English lost (read more about this historic battle here). Among the French dead were hundreds of knights, the majority from the north, Pas-de-Calais, Normandy, and Picardy. Many were buried in the grounds of local churches – 27 of them known to be at the nearby Abbey of Auchy-lès-Hesdin including Gallois de Fougières, the first gendarme to die in combat. Azincourt 1415 Several battles shaped the early history of Pas-de-Calais, and one of the most famous took place in Azincourt on October 25, 1415. Picture a weary, hungry, and disease-ridden Azincourt Centre Discover all about the battle, the knights, the local people and the life and times at the Centre Azincourt 1415 where immersive scenography brings history to life. Delve into the contents of a medieval soldier’s bag, feel 56 | The Good Life France The Good Life France | 57