Summary 04 PAYS DE SAINT-OMER 34 LUMBRES 36 FAUQUEMBERGUES 28 ARQUES 72 CULTURE 26 AIRE-SUR-LA-LYS 30 THÉROUANNE 32 THE HEM VALLEY 38 THE AUDOMAROIS MARSHES LEISURE 63 & RECREATION 54 NATURE AND SPORT ACCOMMODATIONS, LOCAL PRODUCES RESTAURANTS & EVENTS 50 REMEMBRANCE 88 & SCIENCE 70 KNOW-HOW 130 SAINT-OMER TOURIST OFFICE - 7 Place Victor Hugo, 62500 Saint-Omer • +33.321.98.08.51 • m [email protected] V www.tourisme-saintomer.com Editorial director: Julien Duquenne • Copyrigt: Laure Decoster, Pays d’art et d’histoire, Comimatex - OTPSO, Photo Carl - OTRSO, P.Hudelle Balades en Audomarois, Interstice, Bibliothèque d’Agglomération de Saint-Omer, Musée de l’hôtel Sandelin, Tercréa, A.U.D.R.S.O, P.Queste, F.Legris, Ville d’Aire-sur-la-Lys, Enerlya, La Coupole, Isnor, Eden 62, Maison du Marais, Audobarquoise, Najeti Hôtel du Golf & Aa Saint- Omer Golf Club, Aéroclub, Rando-rail, CFTVA, Les Belles Echappées, Dennlys Parc, Bal Parc, Planet Karting, Port de plaisance d’Arques, SCENEO, Espace 36, Ecole d’Art, La Barcarolle, Ville de Saint-Omer, Communauté de Communes du Pays de Lumbres, Ville d’Arques, OCA, OTPSO, Jean-Claude Renaux, L. Rangognio, mus ées de Saint-Omer, OTAVH, Atelier terre de Flandre, Jérôme Pouille, René Dehondt, loeildeiannick, Aéro Fun Formation, Bruno Delannoy VDN • Photo production: Studio 2 bis - Gael Heux • Photo shooting acknowlegements: Olivia Leviez / Hervé Brami / Marion Beaussart / Clément Blary / Axel Landrecies / Quentin Boulinguiez / Musée Henri Dupuis / Les faiseurs de Bateaux / MDE / Le Rando-rail / Train Touristique de la Vallée de l’Aa / La mairie de Saint-Omer. AUDOMARWOUAH! - 87, rue de Dunkerque, 62500 Saint-Omer • m V +33.983.62.72.89 - [email protected] • www.audomarwouah.fr • SAS au capital de 1 200 e • RCS 834340242 • Published by SAS A.L.S • Publication director: Armelle Nuns • Sales manager: Sylvain Dubois, Armelle Nuns • Graphic creation: SAS A.L.S, 87, rue de Dunkerque, 62500 Saint-Omer • Graphic designer: Laure Decoster • Photogravure: SAS A.L.S • Printer’s: Mordacq, 62120 Aire-sur-la-Lys • Registration of copyright: in publication • The total or partial reproduction of articles published in this guide is forbidden except with prior 3 authorization of the editorial director. Articles published in this guide commit only the responsibility of their authors . 3 MAP OF THE SAINT-OMER REGION 4 PRACTICAL INFORMATION • SAINT-OMER REGION TOURIST • LUMBRES TOURIST OFFICE • GETTING TO SAINT-OMER? AND CONVENTION BUREAU 13 rue François Cousin, 62380 LUMBRES. By train: 7 place Victor Hugo, +33.321.93.45.46 TER Lille - Boulogne-sur-mer. 62500 SAINT-OMER. [email protected] TER Lille - Calais. +33.321.98.08.51 www.pays-de-lumbres.com By car: [email protected] A26 from Calais. www.tourisme-saintomer.com • AIRE-SUR-LA-LYS TOURIST OFFICE A16 from Dunkerque. Le Bailliage, Grand’Place, A25 from Lille. Opening hours: 62120 AIRE-SUR-LA-LYS. A26 from Reims. High season: +33.321.39.65.66 E42/A25 from Brussels. From April 1st to September 30th: [email protected] A26 from Paris. Monday to Friday: www.tourisme-saintomer.com 10am-12.30pm / 2pm-6pm. • GETTING AROUND SAINT-OMER Saturday, Sunday and bank holidays: • FAUQUEMBERGUES TOURIST OFFICE Public transport 10am-6pm. 28 avenue Roland Huguet, Mouvéo Public transport network Closed on May 1st. 62560 FAUQUEMBERGUES. Bougeco.com : Direct Information on +33.321.38.38.51 the public transport network. Low season [email protected] Taxis and car hide: From October 1st to Marsh 31st: www.tourisme-saintomer.com please contact the Tourist Board. Monday: 2pm to 5.30pm. • THÉROUANNE TOURIST OFFICE From Tuesday to Saturday: 1 place de la mairie, 10am-12.30pm / 2pm-5.30pm. 62129 THÉROUANNE. Closed on Sunday and Monday +33.321.93.81.22 morning, December 25th [email protected] and January 1st. www.tourisme-saintomer.com 5 YOUR JOURNEY BEGINS… INFORMATION AND RESERVATIONS : TOURIST BOARD - 7, place Victor Hugo - 62500 SAINT-OMER +33.321.98.08.51 / [email protected] www.tourisme-saintomer.com billetterie.tourisme-saintomer.com he door opens, the view is splendid and the smile of your host speaking your language already makes the T journey wonderful. The Tourist Office welcomes you all year round in Saint- Omer and in its Tourist Information Centers in Aire-sur-la-Lys, Fauquembergues and Thérouanne. Here, you will find the information you need to make your stay as pleasant as possible, and you will be able to find tickets for the tourist attraction and the major events of the territory, just like on our website. If, like many others, you fall in love with the richness of our territory, you will certainly be tempted by our books, souve- nirs and local products available in our shop 6 HERE The Saint-Omer tourist office welcomes the visitors and propose several services: ACTIVITIES • Guided tours: From the Tourist Office, discover with a guide the history of Saint-Omer and admire the Cathedral, the Jesuits chapel or the ruins of the Sain-Bertin abbey. • Electric bike hire: for half a day or a day. More information at the tourist office. • Segway ride : From the tourist office, an original and playful way to discover Saint-Omer. ESCAPE GAME Two new games appeared this year with exclusives enigmas, at the museum Dupuis in Saint-Omer. «The secret of Dupuis» and «welcome at Marie Groët’s» dive our players in fascinating universes. Booking at www.septbis.com or +33.321.98.08.51 TEAROOM The «Passage merveilleux», a beautiful tearoom next to the Saint-Omer Cathedral, opened its doors last summer. In a cosy space and a friendly atmosphere, it proposes beverages and local sugared delicacies, furnished by local producers. In the Saint-Omer Tourist Office garden, open from Tuesday to Sunday and 7 days a week in high season. SHOP The tourist office shop propose local gustative specialties and different souvenirs of Saint-Omer Area. Books, pencils, magnets, dishes and even snow globes: all these little objects will remind you your journey to Saint-Omer. 7 8 9 READY TO DREAM? e arrived in the Saint-Omer region in the late with the task of finding somewhere to stay: a castle, a hotel afternoon. We were immediately impressed by room, a gite next to the marshes, a campsite or a lodge. W the beauty of the place and the warm welcome The possibilities were endless and it took them nearly all from the locals. We were going to a big concert at the morning. Sceneo complex and we’d booked a restaurant and a room in town after the show. As for the detective, he wanted to stretch his legs. He was convinced that the fact that the Professor was in At 11pm, the little one was still not asleep, she was so the Saint-Omer region was connected with its history. excited at having seen her favourite singer. As always, at In Aire-sur-la-Lys, he soon approached a local who was a time like this, I needed to tell her a story. I was in a hurry. passionate about the local heritage. Several people She didn’t want to hear any more about the woodcutter offered to help him discover the «jewel of Pas-de-Calais». in «The Little Red Riding Hood» and the red apple in «Snow He was impressed by the town’s charms. From the top White» or count the pebbles in «Hansel and Gretel». of its belfry, listed as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO, he saw below him the «- Have you heard of Sherlock Holmes triangular square and the traditional the detective? I found myself asking Did you know? andouille sausage festival, the Bailliage, her. Royal Air the Salle du Manège, the Collegiate The story of the legendary - No, is he nice? she asked me. Force is intrinsically linked to Pays Church of Saint Peter and the Beaudelle de Saint-Omer. - He’s very nice and so are his friends: Many consider its spiritual home Chapel. Dr. Watson and his wife Mary. But, as to be the century-old aerodrome at Les Bruyères. During World War in every story, there’s a villain and this II, the famous British pilot Douglas When he reached Saint-Omer, he took one is particularly bad. He might just Bader was injured and taken the guided Land of Art and History tour. prisoner in Saint-Omer. change you into a big bad wolf.» And, this summer, the Tourist At each step, leads appeared one Office is giving you the chance to after the other like London taxis. First retrace his footsteps. You’ll find all She held her teddy tight and I began. the information you need about of all, he looked for a link between the the Royal Air Force Centenary at www.tourisme-saintomer.com or on founding of Saint-Omer by 4 monks «Did you know that one day, Sherlock p.139. appointed by King Dagobert - the found himself a few miles away from one who put his breeches on inside London, in France, in the Saint-Omer out - and Moriarty. At the ruins of the region? Abbey of Saint Bertin, the final resting place of the last Rumour had it, from the other side of the Channel, that his Merovingian king - a dynasty that you will learn about at sworn enemy, Professor James Moriarty, had taken refuge school - he inspected every stone, without success. Not there to hatch a plan as dangerous as it was mad. far away, the gigantic Chapel suggested a link with the history of the United States. He was enthralled by the words This time it seemed more serious than usual.