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Ostricourt
ℹ️Practical info — Ostricourt
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🌤 Weather — 5 days
📍 Nearby
Sights nearby
💡 Tips
- Visit the old slag heaps (terrils), which are now unique nature reserves offering fantastic views.
- The Offlarde forest is handy for a quiet morning walk or for cycling.
- Parking is straightforward in the town and mostly free of charge.
- Explore the traces of the mining past on a walk through the historic workers' settlements.
🍽 Food
Look for a traditional chip stand (friterie) for genuine Northern French fries.
Try dishes featuring this strong-flavored cheese from the Nord-Pas-de-Calais region.
Enjoy this traditional Flemish beef stew at local brasseries.
🛍 Shopping · 🧘 Quiet spots
Buy craft beer from the region as an authentic souvenir.
Taste and buy local baked goods such as the sweet 'Tarte au Sucre'.
A large woodland area inviting you to relax away from the town center.
Climb the former coal spoil tips for peaceful nature spotting.
Water temperature…
Tucked away in the Nord department, Ostricourt is a quiet yet historically significant town that played a vital role in the industrial narrative of the Hauts-de-France region. Like many of its neighbors, Ostricourt's identity is deeply intertwined with coal mining, which dominated the local economy for generations. The legacy of this era is still visible today, particularly in the form of carefully preserved workers' housing estates and the towering slag heaps, known locally as terrils. These massive artificial hills have undergone a remarkable transformation over the decades, evolving from stark industrial byproducts into flourishing ecological reserves. The Terril of Fosse 2, for instance, is now a verdant sanctuary crisscrossed by hiking and mountain biking trails, offering visitors unexpected natural beauty and panoramic views of the surrounding plains. To the north, the beautiful Thumeries forest provides additional green spaces for walking, birdwatching, and unwinding in nature. Ostricourt perfectly embodies the successful transition of the Nord-Pas de Calais Mining Basin from a landscape of intense industrial extraction to a peaceful, nature-oriented destination where history and biodiversity harmoniously coexist.
- Location: Hauts-de-France, France
- Top sights: Saint-Vaast Church · Offlarde Wood · Bâche à incendie
- Nearby: Courcelles-lès-Lens (4 km)
- Population: ~6.097
Best time to visit & climate
The most pleasant time to visit is Jun–Aug.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avg °C | 3 | 4 | 6 | 10 | 13 | 16 | 18 | 18 | 15 | 11 | 7 | 4 |
| Rain mm | 60 | 55 | 53 | 41 | 59 | 61 | 68 | 73 | 52 | 65 | 71 | 74 |
Geography
Facts
- Area: 7.6 km²
- Postal code: 59162
- Highest point: 102 meters above sea level
- First mine founded: 1855 by the Compagnie d'Ostricourt
- Distance to Lille: approx. 25 kilometers south
- Natural setting: Part of the Scarpe-Escaut Regional Natural Park
Explore nearby
Notable places around
Route planner — Car & Motorhome
Where do you start? We build the route here, with stops and country notes along the way.
© OpenStreetMap contributors · OpenRouteService
Sights in the town Ostricourt (4)
Frequently asked questions
What is Ostricourt historically known for?
How far is Ostricourt from Lille?
Are there natural areas for hiking?
When do local events take place?
Is the town family-friendly?
Ostricourt: where is it located?
Ostricourt: what is there to see?
Ostricourt: when is the best time to visit?
Ostricourt: why is it worth visiting?
Nearby cities
