Cambrai's belfry is the tower of the church of Saint-Martin, a stout, plain-faced tower that rises over the roofs of a town of about thirty-six thousand people in the flat, open Cambrésis. Belfries in northern France and Belgium were symbols of civic freedom, built by town councils to hold the bells and the charters, and a group of them is on the World Heritage list. This one has a more modest charm than the giants of Bruges or Ghent, but it still announces the town from a long way off, across fields of sugar beet and wheat.
Cambrai has had a hard history. It lay on the frontier between France and the Spanish Netherlands, was besieged and captured many times, and was battered in both world wars. In November 1917 it gave its name to the Battle of Cambrai, where hundreds of British tanks were used together for the first time on a large scale. The town is also known for the cloth called batiste, said to be named after a medieval weaver, and for the minty sweets called bêtises de Cambrai, which you can buy in tins from shops in the centre. The writer and archbishop Fénelon once served here.
For a rider, the roads around Cambrai are a long, open trellis of straight lines across rolling farmland. Wind is a constant companion, and a strong crosswind can blow hard across the exposed plateau. The old town has narrow streets and some cobbles, so ride slowly there. The ring road around the centre is busy but easy.
Fuel, supermarkets and cafes are all in Cambrai itself, with plenty of places around the main square. It is a good place for a coffee and a pastry, and a quick walk to see the old gate and the cathedral. The light is best in April and September, and the fields in June are a deep, sheeted green. Take care on wet days, because the cobbles and tram-lined streets are slippery.