La Virée du Bon Temps

On the outskirts of Saint-Omer, a renovated barn, the peace and quiet of the countryside, a large, cosy bed, a top-of-the-range spa, modern comforts and a mottled decor, our gîte is the perfect combination for a gentle interlude and a return to your roots. Coralie welcomes you, and invites you to relax on site, to visit the surrounding area and explore the Opal Capes and marshes that are so dear to her heart.

Notre-Dame de Wisques Abbey was founded in 1889. Built in Gothic style, it has been listed and subsequently classified as a Historic Monument. Comprising a number of different buildings, including two châteaux, one large and one small, it now houses around twenty Benedictine nuns. The monastery is partially open to the public: the abbey church, the parlour and the shop are accessible.

Come and relax in this remarkable garden! Separated from the town by the Boulevard Vauban, Saint-Omer's public gardens offer a variety of settings: a regular garden, an English-style landscaped park, an arboretum, a conservatory of Vauban's fortifications... In fact, in the last decade of the 19th century, Saint-Omer underwent one of its biggest changes with the dismantling of its ramparts. Only part of the western front of the fortifications was preserved and developed. The public garden, with its rich and varied flora, kiosk, waterfall and furnishings, became a popular place to stroll and meet the locals. To discover the public garden and its fortifications on your own, download the free "Walls and Gardens" application. Guided tours accompanied by a Pays d'art et d'histoire guide are organised on a regular basis. Information is available from the Pays de Saint-Omer Tourist Office and in our "diary" section.

The former town hall on the town's main square has been renamed after its original nickname, the Moulin à Café (Coffee Mill). Inside is a magnificent Italian-style theatre, restored between 2016 and 2018. Performances and guided tours are available all year round, by prior arrangement. La Barcarolle, a music and dance venue, offers a multi-disciplinary season at the Moulin à Café, Théâtre à l'italienne for small-scale musical, lyrical and theatrical productions, at the Salle Balavoine for dance and amplified music performances, and in other venues around the city. The structure's artistic project is to encourage as many encounters with the works and artists as possible, thanks to a major programme of partnerships and cultural initiatives to ensure that the venues are places of life, emotion and sharing, linking the region to the world of live performance. Open throughout the year to present a rich cultural programme, the building can also be discovered on guided tours scheduled from time to time outside performance and rehearsal periods. These tours are led by the Pays d'art et d'histoire tour guides. Find out what's on and book your tickets at the Pays de Saint-Omer Tourist Office (or directly on the online ticketing service).

Housed in a magnificent private mansion dating from the late 18th century, this Musée de France is a gateway to the region's rich history, with one of the finest collections of medieval art in Northern France. A second tour takes visitors on an immersion into the art of living in the 18th-19th centuries and the art of collecting, through reception rooms and cabinets of curiosities. Renovated spaces, new visitor routes, new works of art, interactive mediation tools... Your visiting experience is at the heart of this project, offering you a showcase of delight and emotion right in the heart of Saint-Omer.

Romantic ruins in a green setting, this site is one of the cradles of the town. Founded in the 7th century by Omer and his companions Momelin, Ebertram and Bertin, Saint-Bertin was one of the first Benedictine abbeys north of Paris, and also one of the most powerful. The abbots were great patrons of the arts, and many of their works can be found in museums around the world. The abbey's grounds are full of charm, and the way they have been laid out makes it easy to imagine their original dimensions.

La Station is Saint-Omer's work and innovation space, housed in the restored old railway station. It is also the driving force behind the transformation of the Saint-Omer region and the symbol of our strongest conviction: tomorrow's new ideas will come from everywhere, from contact with the most dynamic and creative people in the region: entrepreneurs, industrialists, students and service providers.

At the foot of the town of Saint-Omer, between the heritage centre and the marsh, the Maison du Marais offers you an immersion into the marsh in all its aspects thanks to two new interactive exhibitions entitled "Chez Capiau, la vie d'un maraîcher" and "L'Aventure Sous-Marais". The team of eco-interpreters will also take you on a traditional boat tour to discover the flora and fauna of the wild and inhabited marshes. You might even be lucky enough to see the fish being fed... and why not try a snack on the terrace by the pier?