Those exploring Larouillies through its history and culture will find traces in both the church and events that shape the timing of a trip. Local details range from the history of the church’s construction to a road name that dates back to an event in the 17th century.
Church and sacred art
The church’s present-day structure dates from 1768–1769. At that time, Liessies Abbey built the choir and sacristy. The choir is the liturgical area around the altar; the sacristy is an adjoining room. These dates place the two parts within a specific construction phase of the present-day church.
The church is decorated in the Baroque style and has three altarpieces and altars with twisted columns, gilded ornaments, and floral, fruit and flame motifs. An altarpiece is the decorated structure behind the altar. The date and the furnishings describe different aspects of the same building: its construction phase on the one hand, and its artistic forms on the other.
A 17th-century processional cross is kept in the church and is classified as a historic monument. As its current display may change, check before visiting whether the cross is on view. The church also contains a tombstone belonging to the Bricard family. Its inscription names Catherine Bricart and Pierre Quenoy and records their dates of death: January 4, 1718, and February 28, 1726, respectively. The family name and the inscription use different forms: Bricard for the family, Bricart in the inscription. If you would like to see the tombstone, check whether the church interior is accessible when you visit.
A historic road name
The Chemin de la Reine in Larouillies is named after the route Marie de Médicis took through the village on July 19, 1631, while fleeing after the Day of the Dupes. The name thus refers not to a construction phase but to a specific passage through the area. Alongside the church, this road’s history adds an event from the village’s past to the architectural details.
Events and nature
In May, the Larouillies Patrimoine association hosts World Bee Day, and the Brocante takes place on the first Sunday in September. The two events therefore fall at different times of the year. If you would like to plan your trip around one of them, check the current World Bee Day program and the date of the Brocante for the relevant year.
Each topic involves different practical considerations: for events, check the program or date; for the church, check access to the interior and whether the cross is currently on display. Base your travel plans on whether a particular event date or the sacred art is more important to you.
Larouillies is part of the continental Type 2 ZNIEFF “Le Plateau d’Anor et la Vallée de l’Helpe Mineure en amont d’Etroeungt”. This gives the village a landscape designation alongside its ecclesiastical and historical points of interest.
Discover more destinations: MĂ©teren, Mouvaux, Dourlers, Marchiennes, Banteux, Bondues, Dunkerque, Halluin
For the broader travel overview: Nord.
