Cassel

Cassel stands on a mound rising about a hundred and seventy-five metres above an otherwise flat Flemish plain, which made it strategically important for two thousand years and gives it a view said on clear days to reach into Belgium and toward the sea. On the summit sits a wooden post mill, rebuilt from an original and still milling flour, one of the last working examples in a region that once had thousands. The town below is Flemish in character, with a cobbled square, brick and stone houses and an estaminet culture of small cafes serving local beer and dishes like potjevleesch. Foch had his headquarters here in 1914.

What you actually see

• The post mill - a working wooden windmill on the summit.
• The plain view - flat Flanders spread out in every direction.
• The cobbled square - the Grand'Place with Flemish facades.
• The estaminets - traditional Flemish cafes serving regional beer and food.

When to go

April to October; the mill runs on set days and not continuously. Carnival in spring, with its giants, is the town's big event. The climb from the station is steep.

Honest expectations

The climb from the railway station to the town is long and steep. The mill operates on limited days. The town is small and quiet outside carnival.

Nearby

Lille lies southeast; the Belgian border is north.