Pecquencourt sits on the edge of the Scarpe valley east of Douai, where the coal basin meets a land of marshes, ponds and forests, and the Cités Sainte-Marie are rows of miners' houses built for the workers of the nearby Sainte-Marie pit. Like many mining settlements, they follow a regular pattern, with brick houses in pairs or rows, gardens at the back and wide streets, designed by the company to house its workforce and keep them close to the pit. They are part of the Nord-Pas de Calais Mining Basin World Heritage site.
What makes this area different is the nature that has reclaimed the industrial landscape. Just north, near Rieulay, the Terril des Argales is one of the largest spoil heaps in the region, now a nature reserve with a lake, walking trails and a surprising variety of plants and birds. The Scarpe-Escaut Regional Nature Park covers much of the area, with marshes, forests and wetlands that are home to herons, kingfishers and dragonflies. The forest of Marchiennes, a large woodland, is a pleasant place for a walk.
The history of Pecquencourt goes back long before coal. The Abbey of Anchin, founded in the eleventh century on an island in the Scarpe, was one of the richest Benedictine monasteries in the region, though little remains today. The town grew around the abbey and later the pits, and the mix of old and new is still visible.
The riding is flat and quiet, with small roads winding through villages, fields and forests. Cobbled sections and rough surfaces appear in places, and the roads can be muddy after rain. The area is not about curves, but about exploring a landscape that has been transformed by industry and nature. Spring and autumn are pleasant, with mild temperatures and beautiful light over the marshes.
Pecquencourt, about a kilometre away, has fuel and basic services. Douai, a few kilometres west, is a larger town with a famous Gothic belfry, one of the belfries of Belgium and France on the World Heritage list. The local cuisine is hearty, with dishes like waterzooi, a creamy stew, and tarts made with sugar or cheese. A glass of local beer is the perfect end to a ride.