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Fressin Castle, near Hesdin

1. 15th century: Fressin Castle flourished under the Dukes of Burgundy. 2. Fressin Castle was ruined in the Frondes revolt in the early part of Louis XIV's reign, after withstanding years of fighting between France and Spain.

Son-et-Lumiere: Yearly summer spectacle amid the castle ruins recreates the legends of a medieval knight who goes off to the Crusades after his wedding and is captured by the Turks.

Back to the Middle Ages A ruined castle echoes with the cries of knights on horseback returning from the Crusades in the Holy Land..... Burgundian splendour In the 15th century, John of Crécuy, close friend of the Duke of Burgundy, built a castle here. During the "golden years" of Burgundian rule, the Crecuys held court to artists, poets and learned men; and kept a library when few could even read. Later France and Spain fought for possession of the Artois region, and the castle was taken several times. It was largely destroyed in the Frondes revolt in the early years of Louis XIV's reign.

Son et Lumiere: booking La Légende de Raoul de Créquy 8, Grand'Rue 62140 FRESSIN Tél/Fax : 03 21 86 56 11 Email: [email protected] or [email protected]	Tour Today you can visit the ruins with a slide-show and audio tour, and see the underground passages and medieval gardens. Every year, a son-et-lumiere spectacle is staged in the ruins, "la légende de Raoul de Créquy" in June-July (booking details in box, left).
L'Eglise St-Martin still shows the wealth of the Crécuy family - visit their chapel (1425) Take a walk in the countryside near Fressin in the footsteps of Georges Bernanos, who drew inspiration from this area.	Medieval church The village church (L'Eglise St-Martin) still shows the wealth of the Crécuy family - visit their chapel (1425) with impressive family tombs. Fressin is a pretty village in the valley of the Planquette, up in the chalk hills north of Hesdin.
	Georges Bernanos - author who lived here You can walk in the countryside in the footsteps of Georges Bernanos(1888-1948), who had a home in Fressin (not preserved). Bernanos is famous as an original Roman Catholic thinker, author of "Under Satan's Sun" - his first novel, and "Diary of a Country Priest" set in a parish in the North - in which a young priest despairs because no-one comes to Mass, because the villagers wrongly suspect he is an alcoholic. Bernanos was wounded in World War I. In the 1930's he was a monarchist and supporter of the right-wing Action Français, but also denounced Franco and appeasement of Hitler. Some of his works have been filmed.
	"Diary of a Country Priest" Bernanos' first novel	"Under Satan's Sun" - influential book
	Click on book covers for a link to Amazon.com, with reviews, details and prices of new editions of Georges Bernanos available in English translation
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Background information Hundred Years' War - England v France in 14th-15th centuries Flanders under the Dukes of Burgundy	...Send in a review.. Reviewer - It could be you... Location: FRESSIN Directions: From Calais : autoroute A26 - exit 14 - follow signs to 'Fruges' on D928 , take D154 about 3km S of Fruges From N39 Le Touquet - Arras: exit at Hesdin - D349 to Aubin-St-vaast, then D154. Rough guide to opening: April to Sept: 10.00-18.00 Information/ reservations: Tel: 00 33 3 21 86 56 11
Web link:  http://www.lepaysdes7vallees.com/fressin

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