Bergues reveals its history in many different ways: in the belfry, with its 50-bell carillon; along the almost completely preserved ramparts; and in a museum collection featuring art from several centuries. The town also has wetlands with open and wooded ditches, as well as distinctive animal species. Visitors planning a stay can therefore choose from a range of interests—from architectural history and art to the town’s landscapes and habitats.
Belfry and Église Saint-Martin
The Beffroi de Bergues has stood at the heart of the town since the 13th century. Originally, it was built as a watchtower and a symbol of municipal liberties. Today, it is a landmark classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and its carillon has 50 bells. The building thus combines a long urban history with a distinctive musical feature.
A different period of construction is reflected in the bell tower of the Église paroissiale Saint-Martin de Bergues: it was built between 1510 and 1543 to plans by Daniel Stoocke. The south gable of the southern transept of the Église Saint-Martin was classified as a Monument historique by decree dated 24 December 1907. The church’s stained-glass windows are also noteworthy: they were made by Max Ingrand. Together, the belfry and church offer different ways to explore Bergues’ architectural and artistic history.
Ramparts, Walking Tours and Guided Visits
The Remparts de Bergues are almost completely preserved. They include building elements dating from the time of the Counts of Flanders, the Burgundian and Spanish periods, and Vauban’s works. To visit the ramparts, you can use a map available from Terre de Flandre Tourisme in Bergues, or choose a guided tour. This lets you combine an interest in the fortifications with either an independent walk or a guided visit.
There are also options offering different durations and areas of focus. The Tramway Touristique offers a narrated 40-minute tour aboard the “Tram nonante-neuf,” exploring Bergues’ history and heritage. Le Ch'ti Tour lasts 1.5 hours and covers 800 metres; along the way, a guide talks about the three weeks of filming, as well as the film’s background and secrets. The 3-kilometre Circuit des Vieilles Pierres leads through Bergues to historic buildings that have shaped the town’s history. The durations of the two tours and the length of the Circuit offer different ways to plan: a short tour, a more in-depth themed walk or a longer route to historic buildings.
Art and Nature in Focus
The Musée du Mont-de-Piété de Bergues preserves paintings and drawings from the 16th to the 19th centuries, mainly from the Northern schools, as well as a natural history collection. The main work in the Musée Municipal du Mont de Piété is “Le Vielleur au chien” by Georges de La Tour. The combination of art schools with strong regional roots, a named masterpiece and natural history holdings makes the museum a cultural stop in its own right, with a different focus from the belfry, church and fortifications.
The wetlands along the ramparts offer another perspective on Bergues. The ZNIEFF Remparts de Bergues includes open and wooded ditches, ponds, eutrophic—that is, nutrient-rich—meadows and numerous drainage ditches. The wetlands provide nesting habitat and are home to little egrets, grey herons and great crested newts. For nature enthusiasts, this offers a clear counterpoint to the historic buildings: here, the focus is on habitats and the species that live in them, rather than towers, works of art and fortifications.
When planning your visit, it helps to distinguish the options according to what you are most interested in: the narrated tram ride focuses on the town’s heritage, Le Ch'ti Tour on the filming and the film’s background, and the Circuit des Vieilles Pierres links historic buildings along a 3-kilometre route. For the ramparts, you can also choose between using a map and taking a guided tour. This lets you consider the architectural history, museum and wetlands as distinct themes for your stay in Bergues, rather than treating them as a single walking-tour option.
Discover more destinations: SĂ©meries, Steenwerck, Boeschepe, Roubaix, Ramousies, Lille, Erquinghem-Lys, LĂ©cluse.
Return to the regional travel overview: Nord.
