The local what's-on guide for the Opal Coast
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Hello! Tell me what you feel like — “a concert this weekend”, “a family outing near Calais” — and I'll suggest events on the Opal Coast.
Watten, Opal Coast
Source : DATAtourisme — Hauts-de-France Tourisme, mise à jour du 2020-02-17. Licence Ouverte 2.0.
Saint-Aubin
A covered wayside shrine made of brick, featuring a small gate with blue wrought-ironwork. It is set within a small enclosure containing two other shrines and a tree. A remarkable tree stands opposite it, marking the crossroads.
Bourbourg
Featuring 50 bells, the instrument plays automatically or when struck by the carillonneur. Today, it is one of the most beautiful carillons in France.
Gravelines
The chapel stands proudly amid the dunes of Petit-Fort-Philippe. Built in the 18th century and destroyed in 1789, it was rebuilt on the seashore in 1829. The 18th-century statue of the Virgin Mary is brought out onto the forecourt—an exceptional occurrence—for a Mass in memory of those lost at sea and for the Icelanders every September.
Saint-Aubin
A square-plan chapel built of brick and blue stone (base and facade).
Wisques
Located in the small village of Wisques, 7 kilometers from Saint-Omer, Saint-Paul Abbey offers a fascinating tour, both historically and architecturally. The abbey, also known as “the great castle,” was built on the site of the former Wisques Castle, which was constructed after the Hundred Years’ War. All that remains from that period is the keep, crowned by two turrets and four towers (late 15th century), a small courtyard to the west, and the large Saint-Bertin Tower (early 15th century). The building was later expanded in the 18th century with a residence and a porch that are quite characteristic of the region. The Benedictine brotherhood settled there in the 19th century. In 1930, a series of modern elements were added. The “poet of brick,” Dom Bello, a Dutch architect heavily influenced by the Amsterdam School, added a cloister and a refectory with elegant proportions, making subtle use of the building materials. Joseph Philippe completed the complex with a chapel (in 1957) and then a guesthouse (in 1968). Originally intended to be a monastic library, Joseph Philippe’s chapel is remarkable for its choir, which features a magnificent brick drapery. In addition to guided tours, visitors can admire the ceramics crafted by the monks and sold in the shop located near the pottery workshop. Finally, visitors can attend Masses sung in the Gregorian chant tradition.
Calais
Having survived bombings and several construction projects, Calais’s oldest building now stands on Rue de Croy. When construction began in the 13th century, Adrien de Wissant had the church built on the site of the current transept. Extensive expansion projects were then undertaken through the 16th century, and it was during the English occupation that the upper sections of the nave, the choir, and the bell tower were built. Built in the Tudor style, this church drew on its British influences to reach its final form in the 17th century; a chapel and a Baroque altarpiece were added at that time. A testament to medieval architecture, the Church of Notre-Dame de Calais also features a massive tower supporting the bell tower at the intersection of the transept and the nave. As you head toward the north side of the nave, you’ll notice a cistern with a capacity of 1,800 m³ that was used to collect rainwater; it was built by Vauban in 1691 to meet the population’s needs in the event of a siege. It was in this building that General de Gaulle and Yvonne Vendroux were married in 1921. Nothing could prevent the Allied bombings during World War II, which occurred one week before the city’s liberation; as a result, the bell tower collapsed onto the transept, and the altarpiece sustained severe damage. Since then, the church has undergone extensive restoration, which will allow visitors to appreciate the full originality of its architecture.