In Looberghe, routes by the water meet a history that can be traced through its mills and the organ in Saint-Martin Church. For planning, you can choose different focuses: a circular route along a canal, loops with specified distances and times, or historical details about the local mills and the church.
Waterways and routes through Looberghe
The “Au fil de l’eau: Gracht et Haute Colme” circular route starts at the church in Looberghe and follows the banks of the Haute Colme canal. This also makes the church a specific starting point for the loop. Another waterway is the Lang Gracht: it is 16 kilometres long and connects the Broucks marshland in the municipality of Looberghe with the Bergues canal.
For a walk with a specified time frame, the “Circuit des nouvelles terres” offers loops of 9 or 18 kilometres. The 9-kilometre option is listed as taking 2 hours 30 minutes, and the 18-kilometre option as taking 5 hours. The longer loop therefore doubles both the distance and the stated duration. This lets you choose the route according to the time available, rather than comparing the two options only by length.
The “Circuit des nouvelles terres” passes the Chapelle Sainte-Germaine in Looberghe; the Chapelle des Roses is also along the route. Another walking option is the long-distance GR 128A, which passes through Looberghe. It is a supplementary route to the GR 128 between Watten and Bourbourg. This distinguishes a local circular route with described loops from a route that forms part of a longer walking connection.
Mills and organ history
The Regost windmill was formerly used for drainage. Its remains were listed as a historic monument on 6 March 1979. The Regost Mill, also known as the Moulin de l’Hostine, is a mill with an Archimedes’ screw. Its function, name and listed status each offer a different clue to understanding Looberghe’s mills.
A second mill is the Meesemaecker windmill, which dates from 1860 and is known as the “Mill of Million Bricks”. It was designated a historic monument in March 1979. The Meesemaecker is notable for its construction date, its traditional name and its designation; the Regost Mill’s former drainage function is also part of its history.
Saint-Martin Church has an organ with its own chronology: it was acquired in 1793 from the convent of the choir nuns of Bourbourg. Its case dates from 1713 and has been classified as a protected movable cultural object since 1980. The two dates relate to different things—the case predates the acquisition of the organ. Along with the mills, the organ’s history offers another cultural focus when planning your stay.
Practical information for your visit
In the centre of Looberghe, the Café-Rando Au Lion des Flandres offers refreshments, local cuisine or picnic options, as well as information about places worth visiting. Light meals are available by reservation. This can be helpful when planning your day if you want to combine a walk with a break or a picnic.
An event date may also be relevant when planning your trip: the annual Festival international d’orgue en Flandre lists Looberghe as a venue on 25 October 2026. If this date is a key factor in your trip, check the event details before travelling.
Discover more destinations: Proville, Pecquencourt, Féron, Solre-le-Château, Pont-Sur-Sambre, Bierne, Anstaing, Lille.
For the main travel overview: Nord.
