Holiday apartment in Bouvines – history, trails and spiritual heritage

Bouvines places its history unusually vividly at the centre of attention: the Église Saint-Pierre was rebuilt from 1880 to 1886 as a memorial monument to the Battle of Bouvines of 1214. This battle took place on Sunday, 27 July 1214, and pitted Philippe Auguste, King of France, against Ferrand, Count and Governor of Flanders.

Culture

In the Église Saint-Pierre, 21 large stained-glass windows tell the story of the battle; each window measures 8 m × 3 m. The windows were installed from 1889 to 1906 before being classified as historic monuments in 1981. Les Amis de Bouvines organise guided tours of the church and its stained-glass windows.

The statue of Joan of Arc is also part of the town’s religiously influenced history. It was erected between her beatification in 1909 and her canonisation in 1920 on land belonging to the Dehau family. The Chapelle St Léonard was built in the mid-19th century by François Duponchelle. It once marked the footpath used by workers from Templeuve or Orchies to travel to Lille, Roubaix or Tourcoing.

History

An annual pilgrimage took place at the Fontaine St Pierre on 29 June. Its tradition dated back to the 13th century and continued until 1974. On every Tuesday during Rogationtide, the inhabitants of Bouvines also went to the Chapelle St Léonard to pray for good harvests; this tradition lasted 130 years.

The path known as the carrière du Curé is a section of the ancient Roman road from Seclin to Tournai, which crossed the Marque at this point. Philippe Auguste’s army travelled along this path during the Battle of Bouvines on 27 July 1214.

The present-day building of the Petit Château was constructed in 1696. The first building is said to date back to the 11th century. At the Monastère de Bouvines, the Chemin Neuf Community organises Christian educational seminars; the Monastère also welcomes diocesan visitors. The Boutique du Monastère offers products from the abbeys of the Chemin Neuf Community, including honey, wine, beer and the monastery’s apple juice.

Trails and experiences

The Balade culturelle is an accessible circular route for everyone, covering 1.8 km or 2.7 km with a variant, through the historic centre of Bouvines and its religious, architectural and rural heritage. The Boucle de la Marque is an 8 km walking route along the Marque through forests and meadows.

Another option is the Randonnée-photos découverte: this photo treasure hunt, approximately 7 km long, runs around Bouvines towards the Marais de Bonnance. Les Amis de Bouvines organise guided walks through the village and its surroundings, including the former battlefield. Short village circuits, longer walking routes and a playful photo tour therefore offer different focuses for planning your day.

Surroundings

The Église Saint-Louis is located in the immediate surroundings of Bouvines. Also nearby are the historic site of the Beffroi de l'hôtel de ville de Lille and the Synagogue de Lille. The Monastère Notre Dame de la Plaine is located in the vicinity of Bouvines.

In the wider regional surroundings of Bouvines are the Mont de la Justice, classified as a hill, and the Mont de l'Enclus, also classified as a hill.

Themed planning can therefore be based on short local trails, longer walks, history and spiritual sites.

Other places:Walincourt-Selvigny, Maubeuge, Esquelbecq, Lannoy, Jolimetz, Dunkerque, Hordain, Vicq

To the overarching travel overview: North.