Saint-Omer

St-Omer is truly worth the detour and has three important sites.

The Notre-Dame Basilica was originally a collegiate church, then became a cathedral and is now a basilica. This 16th-century building in the Gothic architectural style has a grand interior but is not as well maintained as its counterpart in Amiens. The main attraction of the church is the tomb of St-Erkembode. He is revered for growth issues, hence the many children's shoes and clothing on his grave.

The Sandelin Museum was a Jesuit chapel and dates back to 1777. It contains beautiful paintings by the likes of Brueghel and a collection of porcelain.

For a walk in a park, you must be in the Jardin Public. This park is located on the outskirts of the city and covers 10 hectares. French and English gardens have been laid out. Also on the outskirts of the city is the ruin of the St-Berten Abbey. Nothing is straight anymore, but it is a place where much history has been written. Suger was prime minister under the kings of France and stayed here. Here, the lineage of the Merovingians also came to an end. The last of the Merovingians was shaved bald by Pepin the Short, who became a monk and died here in 754.

Paertje