At Lac d’Ardres, water and green surroundings take centre stage; the history of Ardres, by contrast, is reflected in a wide variety of structures: a bastion, underground grain silos, the Église Notre-Dame de Graces and a tower windmill. You can focus your visit on nature and activities at the lake or on the historic buildings.

At Lac d’Ardres

Lac d’Ardres is 2 kilometres long and covers 64 hectares. It lies in a green landscape of meadows and wooded areas. The length and area describe different dimensions of the lake and give the landscape-focused part of a stay a concrete point of reference. If you choose Ardres for its water and surroundings, these details, together with the activities mentioned, offer some useful guidance for planning.

The Sentier des Tritons is a loop of about 1 kilometre beside Lac d’Ardres. It leads to new parts of the lake and provides access to the nearby Maison de la Nature. This route option therefore combines a short walk with access to the nature centre. Its approximate length is intended as a guide, not as an indication of walking time.

Canoeing and sailing are also possible on the lake; seasonal availability may vary. Carp, pike, perch and eels are also caught in Lac d’Ardres. If you plan to fish, check the local rules beforehand. Planning therefore involves different considerations: the season matters for canoeing and sailing, while local rules should be observed when fishing.

Another specific planning point is the Véloroute des marais Guînes-Ardres. Its starting point is on Avenue Charles de Gaulle in Ardres. This route therefore has a designated starting point in the town.

Bastion, silos and architectural history

The Bastion Royal, also known as the Grand Bastion or Bastion Condette, is the last surviving remnant of Ardres’ town fortifications. It contains two double flanking casemates connected by a counter-mine gallery. This makes it possible to understand the bastion both in terms of its role in the history of fortifications and through its specific architectural features: the gallery connecting the two casemates is part of its described structure.

Les Poires are remarkable underground grain silos whose name derives from their shape. There are nine hemispherical-cylindrical silos, each 5.5 metres in diameter and 7 metres high. They were arranged in rows of three. Their number, measurements and arrangement give the granaries a clearly defined profile: in addition to their unusual shape, their size and grouping in threes are also distinctive features.

For the Église Notre-Dame de Graces, heritage protection applies to specific architectural features: the central tower, the tower attached to the north side, the choir, the crossing, and the walls between the transept arms and the side chapels of the choir are protected. The church was listed as a historic monument by decree on 29 March 1974. To understand the protection status of the church, it is important to note that it applies to these specified parts.

A historic stay takes us back to 1520: François I stayed in Ardres during the Camp du Drap d’Or, from 1 to 24 June. The Moulin Desombre was built in 1703 and is considered the oldest in a series of tower windmills in Ardres. Together with the church’s heritage-protection date, these details mark different aspects of the town’s history: a visit, the construction of a mill and the protection of specific parts of a church.

Discover more destinations: Ramecourt, Saint-Martin-Boulogne, Lens, Wirwignes, Bourlon, Auchy-au-Bois, Marconne, Wierre-Effroy.

See the main travel overview: Pas-De-Calais.