Arques, commune in Pas-de-Calais, France
Arques is a small town in northern France located in the Pas-de-Calais region, surrounded by waterways, channels, and marshlands. The landscape features stone buildings with arched bridges, winding rivers, and flat expanses of water that shape its character and structure.
The town was strategically important and experienced power changes and battles over the centuries while maintaining traditional activities like glassmaking and boat-building. The Fontinettes boat lift, an old system for raising boats between water levels, now serves as a museum showing how workers once operated this industrial feat.
Arques holds deep roots in boat-making and glasswork traditions that visitors can see in daily life. Local artisans continue crafting boats and glass objects, which reflect how the community has built its identity around water and skilled trades.
A visit is best in fair weather when you can explore the channels and surrounding woodlands like the Rihoult-Clairmarais forest. Guided walks explain the marsh history and show how people have traditionally used the waterways in this region.
The Cristallerie d'Arques glassworks began in the 1800s, using local earth and sand to create fine glass that became known worldwide. This glass-making tradition set the town apart in European craftsmanship and made it famous for producing objects of refined quality.
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