Daystepper Wadding - Eperlecques

Along waters and forests

The region in the Aa valley used to be an extensive swampy area. The river could only be crossed at the height of the Watenberg because it was narrow enough there. This place was the only passage between the Roman cities of Kassel and Boulogne. Watten (or Waten in Dutch) is thus derived from 'wade'. The tower on the Watenberg is the only remnant of the rich history of the monastery. Diederik van den Elzas was once buried there.

A famous resident was Jean-Marie Gantois. This priest joined the Flemish movement. During his studies, he began to learn Dutch. He documented this awareness in his book How I Found My Language and My People Again. In 1958, he was one of the founders of 'The Flemish Friends in France'. He contributed to the editorial board of Notre Flandre but did not manage to reach a large audience. That did not prevent him from publishing a large number of articles, still with the Great Dutch idea as the common thread. On May 28, 1968, his lifeless body was found in the Aa, some time after the death of his mother.