Cité Crombez is a miners' settlement at Noyelles-Godault, on the eastern edge of Hénin-Beaumont, in the heart of the old coal basin between Lens and Douai. Built by the mining company to house its workers, it has the classic layout of brick houses, gardens and straight streets, and it is part of the Nord-Pas de Calais Mining Basin World Heritage site. Today it is a quiet residential area, surrounded by shopping centres, motorways and the remains of heavy industry.
The area has a difficult environmental legacy. For most of the twentieth century, the Metaleurop lead and zinc smelter at Noyelles-Godault was one of the largest in Europe, and it left the soil around it heavily contaminated. The plant closed abruptly in 2003, leaving hundreds of workers without jobs and a polluted site that has since been partly cleaned up. The story of Metaleurop is a symbol of the industrial decline and environmental problems of the region.
Despite this, the area has its charms. The terrils around Hénin-Beaumont and Courcelles-lès-Lens are now green and some are nature reserves. The Deûle canal, running north towards Lille, offers pleasant towpaths for walks or bike rides. And the towns themselves, with their brick houses, churches and markets, have a strong sense of community.
The riding here is mostly urban and suburban, with busy roads, roundabouts and traffic lights. The A1 and A21 motorways meet nearby, making it easy to get in and out, but the local roads are not particularly scenic. Head south towards Arras or west towards the hills of Artois for more interesting rides, with country roads through farmland and villages. Weather is changeable, so be prepared for rain.
Noyelles-Godault, a few hundred metres away, has fuel and large shopping centres. Hénin-Beaumont and Courcelles-lès-Lens have more options for food and services. The region is known for its hearty cuisine, with dishes like carbonnade, potjevleesch and maroilles tart, and for its beers, brewed in many small breweries across the north. Stop at a local friterie for a cone of chips and a fricadelle, a long sausage of minced meat, a quintessential northern snack.