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Overview:
Cambrai, France, The
city of Cambrai lies along the Escaut River, some 35 miles (55
kilometers) southeast of Lille in the Nord department, Nord-Pas-de-Calais
region, of northern France. Before 1914 Cambrai had a prosperous
textile economy based on the fabric cambric, which was named for
the town. Occupied by the Germans during both world wars and
severely damaged both times, Cambrai has been revived. Cambrai
has been a textile town since the 14th century. It was famous
for its fine linen - "Cambric" - used for
handkerchiefs and fine underwear. The area still has many
textile factories, some with factory shops where you can pick up
household linens, sheets and bedding, towels, bathrobes, socks
and nightwear at bargain prices.
The area round Cambrai is fertile farmland - some of the
richest in France, used for growing sugar-beet and cereals.
Cambrai's food specialities are small chitterling sausages (andouillettes),
and mint-flavored sweets, the Bętises de Cambrai - sold all
over France. An annual Festival celebrates all the
confectionary specialties of France, particularly the famous Bętises
- mint humbugs with a yellow stripe.
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