So I am taking you to the north of France, yes dept Nord 59 and a town very familiar to me but seldom written perhaps one entry in my blog. However, there is family here as my dear late wife Martine oldest brother and we have visited several times. Just not in the tourist mood… It’s about time I change that thanks to some older photos I found in my vault. Hope you enjoy it as I do.
Caudry is located in the south of the département 59 or Nord in the region of Hauts-de-France. Lots of fabrication of tulle and lace by mechanical means where the quality was crowned in the international exposition of Brussels in 1910. Caudry shares with Calais the title of the World Capital of Lace of Calais design to go into high fashion garments. The town is ,also, named City of Occupations and Arts in 1995. It is well known for its Bétises candies which we gobbled up each time! It is located about 14 km from Cambrai, and 62 km from Lille . It is south of the D643 road, the old N43 that links Cambrai with Charleville-Mézières. The origins of the town are not well knownw but it can be said goes back to the Merorvingians era as many passages mentioned the martyrdom of Maxellende. Caudry was anneexed to the kingdom of France by the treaty of Nimègue signed in 1678, after the taking of Cambrai by king Louis XIV in 1677.
The Basilica of Sainte Maxdellende is located at the rue passage Thiers , and was done as the previous one was too small and was in bad shape. The new one was started in 1887, consecration in 1890 and was raised to basilica minor by a Papal briefing in 1991. It has a neo gothic style built in bricks on white stone measuring 72 meters long and 36 meters wide with a bell tower at 75 meters high with three bells Vox Dei, weighting 2 tons, Pax at 1700 kg and Maxellende 1500 kg; the bells were blessed in 1920 and 1922 replacing those taken by the Germans in 1918 (WWI).
The basilica of Caudry is dedicated to Sainte Maxellende, a young lady of Caudry assassinated by her pretender Harduin d’Amerval in the 7C. The building, in neo-Gothic style, its a place of pilgrimage for the blind and visually impaired. The transept ends with two chapels, the one on the left dedicated to Our Lady of the Rosary and the one on the right to Sainte Maxellende with the reliquary of the saint. It is enlightened to see it each time there.
The local area Cambrai-Caudry tourist office on the Basilica: https://www.tourisme-cambresis.fr/basilique-sainte-maxellende-caudry.html
The city of Caudry on the Basilica: https://www.caudry.fr/fr/visiter-caudry/la-basilique.html
The tourist office of Caudry on the basilica: https://www.tourisme-caudry.fr/basilique-sainte-maxellende.html
An interesting building we walked by each time as bro lives not far from it is the Hôtel de Ville or city/town hall of Caudry. The main body of the city/town hall was built in 1875 and it was in 1911 that the two wings were added to the building. It was also at this time that the pediments that crown it were made. During , WWI, the German Kommandatur was established there, and the building was damaged by shrapnel. Today, this elegant neoclassical building dominates the town square at Place General de Gaulle.
The local Cambrai-Caudry tourist office on the city hall: https://www.tourisme-cambresis.fr/hotel-ville-caudry.html
And I leave you with the city of Caudry and its history/heritage page in French: https://www.caudry.fr/fr/visiter-caudry/histoire-de-caudry.html
Hope you enjoy this brief tour of one personal town in my belle France. Caudry is a laidback town, but worth the detour for its laces museum and the candy errors or bétises! Hope you enjoy it as we do.
And remember, happy travels, good health, and many cheers to all!!!
Paris1972-Versailles2003 