Godewaersvelde offers a variety of ways to explore its heritage and landscape: the village brings together a neo-Gothic church, memorial sites and border history with walking trails and Mont des Cats. This makes it easy to plan a stay around your own interests—from a walk with a set time frame to a monastery, museum or village festival. The places and activities offer a range of starting points for planning your stay.
Walks for a range of interests
The Sentier des Fraudeurs offers a clear time frame: this 11 km walk starts at Godewaersvelde’s former railway station and takes about 3 hours and 50 minutes. The route follows paths, a former railway line and quiet roads; along the way, it passes Godewaersvelde British Cemetery. This makes the route a combination of landscape and a prominent memorial site.
The municipality’s walking page also currently links to downloadable walking routes that start in Godewaersvelde. Several circular routes begin in the village centre and can be used for walking, mountain biking or horse riding. Two questions can help you choose: would you prefer a named route with an approximate duration, or is having the choice of walking, mountain biking and horse riding more important to you?
Mont des Cats: landscape and monastic heritage
Mont des Cats lies within the municipalities of Berthen and Godewaersvelde. Its 164 m elevation offers walkers the rolling landscapes of the Monts de Flandre. A 20-hectare wooded area invites visitors to stroll through a typically Flemish setting. The Type 1 continental natural inventory “Mont des Cats, monts de Boeschèpe et Mont Kokereel” also includes Godewaersvelde; the associated record was updated on 11 June 2024.
A Cistercian monastery with around 30 monks of the Trappist tradition has stood on Mont des Cats since 1826. The abbey’s cheese dairy is now the monastic community’s main source of income. The milk comes from nearby farms and is supplied by the company Danone in Bailleul. One guided tour includes a tasting of two cheeses made by the monastery; check dates and availability in advance.
Church, memorial sites and border history
The Église Saint-Pierre is a neo-Gothic church rebuilt between 1904 and 1906; its interior was designed by Gustave Pattein. Nearly 1,000 Commonwealth service personnel are buried at Godewaersvelde British Cemetery. A ceremony is held at the Chapelle de la Passion on Good Friday and continues to draw many people. The religious practice of tying pieces of cloth from sick people to the railings around the Holy Sepulchre also continues to this day.
The Musée de la Vie Frontalière is housed in the former presbytery and explains the historical conflict between customs officers and smugglers. The Brasserie Saint-Eloi building documents Godewaersvelde’s significant brewing activity at the beginning of the 20th century and the local brewing tradition.
Village life and local discoveries
Traditional popular festivals are a regular part of village life. These include a carnival with a parade and floats, as well as traditions such as high-pole archery, Flemish bowling and cockfighting. Godewaersvelde’s village guides offer tours of the village’s sights to individuals and groups on request; contact them in advance.
In the village centre, Calibou & co combines a bistro with a grocery store selling local products. Between Godewaersvelde village and Mont des Cats Abbey lies the Aire ludique L’Observatoire caché, with two land-art installations. Visitors can play, climb and observe life in and around the pond.
Discover more destinations: Lecelles, Romeries, Bachy, Landrecies, Arleux, Crespin, Quaëdypre, Bousignies-Sur-Roc
For the full travel guide: Nord.
