It was in the Valenciennes region, at Fresnes-sur-Escaut in 1720, that the first swings of the pick in the history of the coal industry in Nord-Pas de Calais took place. For almost two and a half centuries, the Compagnie des Mines d’Anzin (Anzin Mining Company) made the Valenciennes region a trailblazing place of progress which today retains a prestigious heritage.
Many of the 353 heritage sites included within the World Heritage area can be discovered today through various circuits or through heritage tours organised by the Valenciennes Tourist Office.
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