50°28′49″N2°17′30″E / 50.4802°N 2.2918°E /50.4802; 2.2918
Mont Cassel (Dutch:Kasselberg) is a hill in northernFrance, in theNord department. The hill rises to a height of 176 metres (577 ft) above sea level, making it the highest of theWesthoek region. At the top of Mont Cassel is thecommune ofCassel (Dutch:Kassel), about 30 kilometres (19 mi) from theNorth Sea. Its geological composition comprises limestone capped with a very hard ferruginous layer of rock.[1]
During the lateIron Age the hill of Cassel was inhabited by theMenapii, aBelgic tribe, who made the hill-top settlement the capital of a large territory extending from modernCalais to as far as theRhine.[2] The hilltop was probably used as anoppidum orhill fort.[3] The Menapii were absorbed into the Roman province ofGallia Belgica in the first century B.C. Cassel was redeveloped asCastellum Menapiorum, the urban centre orcivitas of the Menapii.[4] The modern town and hill take their name from the Roman settlement.
In the first centuries A.D., Mont Cassel was close to aninlet of theNorth Sea, making the settlement vulnerable to attacks from sea. In 928 the town on top of the hill was destroyed byViking raids.[5]
By end of the 16th century Cassel had become a border town between France and theSpanish Netherlands.[6] Cassel was annexed to France in 1678 under the terms of theTreaty of Nijmegen, which ended theFranco-Dutch War. The annexation led to the town's defences being dismantled. Mont Cassel was considered indefensible, as it was within easy firing range of the nearbyMont des Récollets, and it would have cost far too much to fortify both hills. In addition, without the proximity of the border, the town had lost its strategic significance.[3]
During the early part ofWorld War I Cassel served as the headquarters of MarshalFerdinand Foch because of its strategic position near the northern end of theWestern Front and to be closer to the Belgian headquarters atVeurne.[1][7] From 1916-1918, Cassel was the headquarters for theBritish Second Army under SirHerbert Plumer. The town avoided significant damage during the war, though it came under occasional shellfire when the Germans advanced to within 18 kilometres (11 mi) during theBattle of the Lys in April 1918.[8]
Mont Cassel | |
|---|---|
| Location | Nord-Pas-de-Calais,France |
| Start | Cassel, Nord |
| Gain in altitude | 84 m (276 ft) |
| Length of climb | 1.7 km (1.1 mi) |
| Maximum elevation | 174 m (571 ft) |
| Average gradient | 4.9 % |
| Maximum gradient | 10 % |
The hill is a regular climb inroad bicycle races in spring. It is regularly included in theFour Days of Dunkirk stage race andGent–Wevelgem classic, where it comes in the early stages of the race.[9][10] It is also regularly included in theTour de l'Eurométropole.
In 2014, it was included in the fourth stage of theTour de France, coming halfway the course.[11]Thomas Voeckler won the intermediate sprint on the top;Marcel Kittel won the stage in a bunch sprint.
The road leading up from the bottom of the hill to the top is 1,700 m. The upper kilometre has a cobbled surface. Unlike the fearful sections ofpavé inParis–Roubaix, the surface is in excellent condition, as it is one of only two roads leading to the commune of Cassel.
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