Exploring Bethune, France 🇫🇷 | Belfry Tour, War Memorials & Local History

welcome back to the road today we are visiting the historical town of Bethune, France Bethune is a town rich in history resilience and cultural heritage located in the Hauts-de-France region, it has been shaped by centuries of conflict and rebuilding. Once a medieval stronghold Bethune played a crucial role during both world wars. Today it stands as a testament to perseverance with its Charming architecture, significant landmarks, and deep historical Roots. Our first stop is Église Saint-Vaast. This stony church originally, built in the 16th century has been a cornerstone of faith and history in Bethune. It's architecture reflects a mix of gothic and classical influences. Inside visitors can enjoy it's intricate stained-glass windows and ornate woodwork. The church has survived wars and destruction, a symbol of the town's endurance. Next we move on to our interview. To understand Bethune beyond it's landmarks, we will be speaking with a local guide who will be sharing insights into the town's past the significance of its monuments and landmarks. Hi how are you doing? Good! So um please go ahead and introduce yourself. So my name is Cindy, I'm working for the tourist office of Bethune, and I am a tourist guide. Can you tell me a little bit about the local history here? So Bethune is north town which became Rich thanks to uh wool trade sand stone trade and Agriculture and during the middle ages we received the charter and thanks to this Charter we could build first belfry in wood, and uh unfortunately it's threaten to collapse so uh the new belfry was built in 1388 and only sandstone which is a local stone because we we have sandstone on the under the floor in Bethune there were carriers in Bethune and uh unfortunately the town was bombed during the World War One so it destroyed a large part of Bethune 90% of the center of the town was destroyed 50% of all the town so uh the houses on the main Square were rebuilt during the 1920s and uh it gave a new um a new face of the of the new town what was the town like like back then during the Germans occupation? The town was not occupied by the Germans but British soldiers lived uh in the town in the town yes and did they like what was the life like back then do you know? um nurses uh took care of the wounded soldiers uh in college in school for example and and um British soldiers uh can have fun in a cafe in Bethune to forget what they are living uh at the front and um they uh liked what they lived here because after War a British Town Bristol helped Bethune for reconstruction also, you know when I went to visit the cemetery um I saw there was a spot for sister Lawrence it was just a kind of indication but of course she returned back to Ireland after the war yes yeah but there was the indication for her part and I also noticed there were some other indications you know for the British soldiers who um buried here as well as even the um for the local Mayors so they were uh also buried at the local Cemetery here. Do you know any the like historical mayor figure or from this area who helped the town um a lot? yes for example uh we have Alexandre Ponnelle, who chose the architect to rebuild the the uh the city hall? Yes that's it and um we have a lot of mayors linked to the history of Bethune for example Charles Delisse-Engrand who decided to destroy the walls which protected the town Bethune was a fortified town and in 1870 he said that we uh can destroy all the wall, all the walls, sorry, in Bethune so what are the, like, local specialties or for food and uh, around this area or traditions? people like a, for example, we organize big uh fest here um there is uh singers here during the 14th of July which is a real an important date in France um I don't know the words in English carnival oh um it's the same, Carnival Carnival? yeah so we organize in, at the beginning of April carnival because we have a um a giant here. Gambrinus, which is the king of beer oh my God! Why do they call it the king of beer? I don't know. Wow! Gambrinus is a king who is drinking a beer. that's why we have a lot of of Cafe here on the main Square I see and there is a cafe whose name is A Gambrinus if you know let's say I come here as a tourist I want to like eat some local food right something that is unique to this place. What places would you recommend? Here on the main Square we have the Bierbuik uhh um and you can eat uh really really local food uhhuh uh specialities only from the north of France okay and the cooker won a TV show. so I did watch that movie called les Ch'tis where I found it to be amusing because people from, it seems there this like misconception where people from south of France, what their idea or imagination of people from north of France is that like true or they, you know they think people from north of France they drink beer all the time is cold, and all is that is that true or not? before people had um bad um. How can I say that? um they said that it was sad because of the weather uh that people are drinking beer every day but when they came they are coming here it's different because in summer it's not too hot as the south of France so they are coming here um for the the cold, and they they are discovering that uh our region is also beautiful. uhuh that there are lot of things to do. So they're changing their way of thinking of the north of France. some places, when you go on like or visit they, they also organize a certain kind of activity where they take you to different restaurants to taste the food um are there any similar activities here? we organized visits and like just for foodie people who loves to eat food. we are working with shops for example to visit and uh, eat cheese and beer So we can do cheese and beer or chocolate. chocolate too? yes, yes, it's amazing to uh the combination yes my goodness you will have to taste so you have done it yourself? yes I taste I tasted it uh um during Christmas for people who um don't know much about North of France or here, like what would you to tell what would you want them to know about your town or people in the North of France? do you have like, any, you know, any special like tradition or culture you want to share with people outside of France? For me it's a, it's a beautiful region uh we have different things to do we have the coast Coast uh a lot of history here um from different periods the middle ages, uh modern history with two world wars so people have a lot of things to learn about our region, and it's not so hot during summer so it's good place for people from the south of France, and we have a lot um um of thing to to eat local food um the there is a lot of things to do Now let's take a tour of the belfry of Bethune. this iconic tower is one of the last remaining belfry in northern France Part of a UNESCO world heritage site built in the 14th century it has witnessed sieges, revolutions and bombings the belfry stands proudly in the Town Square offering panoramic views of the surrounding region climbing to the top we can see the town's historical layout and how it has evolved over the centuries next we visit the site of Le Paradis Massacre a deeply moving and tragic chapter of World War II. The massacre at Le Paradis took place in May 1940 when German SS troops executed 97 British soldiers who had surrendered. this site serves as a solemn reminder of the horrors of war and sacrifices made by those who fought for freedom it is an essential visit to honor the memories of those brave men. following this we stop at War Cemetery in Le Paradis. here we pay our respect to the soldiers who lost their lives in battle. the rose of gravestones tell silent story of bravery and loss making the the final resting place of those who perished during the war the cemetery is a place of reflection urging us to remember the cost of conflict and the value of Peace next we head to the main Cemetery in Bethune. beyond the war Graves this cemetery is a resting place of several historically significant figures among them is Sister Lawrence, a beloved figure known for her dedication to the community her work in humanitarian efforts and her role in supporting the town during times of hardship have left a long lasting impact on Bethune's history although there is a plaque honoring her here her actual resting place is in Cork Ireland walking through this Cemetery we see not just names on stones but the legacy of individuals who helped shape this town Bethune is a place where history is woven into every street and structure from medieval times to Modern conflict it has stood as a witness to the triumphs and tragedies of the past I hope you enjoyed this visit to Bethune France is more than just a town it is a living history book and I hope today's tour has given you a deeper appreciation of its significance thank you for watching see you next time.