If you want to combine nature and history in Méteren, there are several options: the Étang des 4 Fils Aymon offers strolls and opportunities to observe local wildlife and plant life, while the church and mausoleum tell the story of the First World War. The Wednesday market and bus services can also help you plan your stay.
Strolls and hikes around the Étang
The Étang des 4 Fils Aymon offers a family-friendly walk around the pond, where you can observe local wildlife and plant life. Picnic areas provide a place to stop for a meal by the water. Fishing is permitted for holders of an annual permit; check the local regulations before your trip.
The Étang is also the starting point for numerous hiking trails into the Monts de Flandre. The trails lead, among other places, to Mont des Cats and the Abbaye Sainte-Marie du Mont, and to Mont Noir and the Parc Yourcenar. When planning your hike, you can choose between these two named destinations, each associated with its own attraction.
The options differ in their destinations: a stroll keeps the Étang as its focal point, while hiking trails lead from there into the Monts de Flandre. You can choose between a walk by the water and an outing to one of the named destinations.
Local history and remembrance
The parish church of Saint-Pierre-et-Saint-Paul was destroyed during the First World War and completely rebuilt between 1923 and 1927. Méteren itself was completely destroyed in April 1918 during the First World War. In chronological order, Lieutenant Morris's death in 1914 was followed by the destruction of the town in 1918 and the rebuilding of the church from 1923 to 1927.
The Mausoleum of Lieutenant Atwood Morris commemorates the burial of the British officer, who was killed in Méteren on 13 October 1914. His individual burial in a mausoleum was an exception to British wartime burial regulations. The brick-built, pagoda-like structure has four brick pillars and a hipped roof covered with tiles. A hipped roof slopes down on all four sides of the building.
Wednesday market and getting there
A market is held on Place de Méteren on Wednesdays until 6 p.m. Items for sale include fish, cheese, fruit and vegetables, and chicken. If you plan to visit the market, check its hours and offerings again before your trip.
Méteren is served by bus route 109 of the Arc en Ciel network and route L2 of the Hop Bus network. Bus routes may change, so check the current timetable before travelling. The Haeghe Doorne carpooling point is at the junction of the RD642 and RD18, near junction 11 of the A25 motorway. It opened in 2015; check the latest information about the facility before using it, as details may change.
Discover more destinations: Templeuve, Cousolre, Solesmes, Petite-Forêt, Solre-le-Château, Saint-Saulve, Sainghin-En-Mélantois, Eppe-Sauvage.
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