Places to visit
Farming

A few traditional windmills have survived amid the fields of wheat and barley.	Cooler climate At the north-east tip of France, Nord-Pas de Calais' farming has traditionally reflected its cooler climate, compared with the Mediterranean South. Wheat & barley Thanks to generally fertile soils overlying the chalk hills and valleys, the region's farmers produce some of France's highest cereal yields: wheat for bread, and barley the raw material of beer. Beer Brewers can find all their ingredients locally. As well as barley, there's pure water from chalk wells and hops grown on warm hillsides. Picture [left]: hops - a traditional crop of the Nord, grown to flavour beer.	Cattle and cheese Clay soils in the river valleys make fertile pastures, ideal for dairy farming - producing some interesting local cheeses, and a traditional supply of beef for the North's cooks. Vegetables The drained marshes of the coastal areas support market gardening, giving the region's cooks a profusion of vegetables, especially cooler climate varieties such as onions, garlic, chicory, root vegetables and cauliflowers. Sugar beet is grown along the Belgian border. Lamb The marshes also support pastures for fattening lambs that have been bred on the hills - a similar pattern to the traditional farming on Romney Marsh
1. Smoked garlic is a speciality of the Nord 2. Look out for stalls selling many varieties of garlic and onions in local markets

Places to visit: Bommelaers Wall Ecomusée - Country Life Museum, Ghyvelde Steenwerck Country Life Museum - near Bailleul

Related background information: Fishing Local markets Regional Specialities - eating & drinking Snails - snail farms to visit

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