A 10-kilometre circular walking trail and distinctive architectural and cultural landmarks offer different ways to explore Solesmes. Au Pays de Barbari follows country lanes around the town, while the church façade, bandstand, and carnival tradition offer further insights into local history. When planning your visit, it helps to choose what you want to focus on: would you rather spend time outdoors on a marked route, or explore architectural styles and local customs? The route provides a concrete time frame; the historical details offer a different focus.

On foot along the Au Pays de Barbari circular walking trail

The Au Pays de Barbari circular walking trail is 10 km long. It is estimated to take between 2 hours 30 minutes and 3 hours 20 minutes. It starts at the car park by Solesmes’s former railway station and is marked in yellow. It follows country lanes around Solesmes, from the Béart valley to the Selle valley. The distance, time frame, and route can all be taken into account when planning your day. Trail conditions and the time needed may vary; check the route and conditions locally before setting off.

Church, town hall, and bandstand

The Église Saint-Martin is an 18th-century church with a Baroque-style façade. The façade of Solesmes town hall combines classical and neo-Flemish styles. The building was constructed in 1903. The bandstand offers a different architectural accent: it was designed by architect Henri Mallet and built in 1888. It has eight cast-iron posts, topped with ornaments shaped like treble clefs. Alongside the descriptions of the styles, these details provide specific features that distinguish the buildings.

Traces of different eras

Solesmes was first mentioned in 706; the town also has Palaeolithic, Neolithic, and Gallo-Roman remains. The calvary cross was created in 1861 by Emile Dutouquet, an architect from Valenciennes, in a more strongly Gothic style. The fountains on Rue de l’Abbaye offer another point of reference: made of stone and sandstone, they date from the 7th and 19th centuries. Taken together, these details span a broad range of history, from early archaeological traces to 19th-century structures.

Carnival tradition and Barbari

Solesmes’s carnival brings the Seringueux together every year. Since 1953, the giant Barbari, holding a syringe, has symbolised the town’s carnival tradition. The association Les Amis de Barbari works to revive and preserve local customs, particularly the tradition involving the syringe. The association also aims to create a folklore group around Barbari to promote these customs by taking part in carnival parades. Both the recurring tradition and the planned passing on of customs contribute to Solesmes’s cultural identity.

Historic use of water

The monks of the nearby priory built basins to collect water from several small springs and create a fishpond. This detail adds a practical perspective on the historic use of water to the town’s architectural and local history.

Les Fontaines and the Selle

The surplus water flows into the small stream Les Fontaines, which empties into the Selle. This watercourse also offers a distinct, clearly defined perspective on the landscape around Solesmes.

Discover more destinations: Seclin, Trelon, Salomé, Drincham, Cambrai, Méteren, Sars-Poteries, Lille.

For the wider travel overview: Nord.