Audincthun can be explored through three distinct themes: technological history, park design and religious architecture. The V1 pumping station represents a specific wartime infrastructure function; the park of the Château de Dion de Wandonne, along with the Dion Chapel and the Church of Saint Nicholas, offers other perspectives on the area. For planning, it helps to distinguish between these themes: water engineering, landscaped grounds, and architectural and art history are separate interests, each of which can be explored in greater depth.
V1 Pumping Station: Technology and Local History
The V1 pumping station was built in 1943 to send very pure water through a pipeline to a nearby V1 launch site. The heavy launch site was destroyed in the 1944 bombing, but the pumping station survived. It subsequently supplied water to the village of Audincthun until 1976. Its history therefore spans its original purpose serving the nearby site and its later role in supplying the village. Both its purpose and the changes in its use over time are relevant to understanding the facility.
Since 22 March 2012, the pumping station and all its pumping equipment have been listed as a historic monument. This status covers not only the building but also, explicitly, its technical equipment. The site thus connects the specific history of the water pipeline with the village’s later water supply and its status as a historic monument.
Park, Chapel and Church Art
The park of the Château de Dion de Wandonne was redesigned in 1840 with local tree species and retains its ponds and remarkable trees. Local planting, water features and distinctive trees provide different points of interest for exploring the landscape. The park is also associated with the history of the château, built in 1760. The château was destroyed by a fire at Christmas 1917, caused by British troops billeted there. The park’s design and the history of the château are two distinct aspects of the local heritage.
The 15th-century Dion Chapel has rib vaults with elaborately designed corbels. Ribs divide the vaulting; corbels are projecting structural elements that support such constructions. The elaborate corbels add a crafted detail to the form of the vaults. Another church object can be found in Saint-Nicolas: a reliquary cross of the Holy Thorn, dating from the 18th century, rests on the altar in the south side chapel. These represent two distinct cultural points of interest: the architecture of a medieval chapel and a later reliquary cross at a precisely identified location in the church.
Accommodation and Activities
The 2-star La Nouvelle Aventure campsite is located at 84 Rue Principale, 62560 Audincthun. It offers pitches for tents, caravans and motorhomes, as well as mobile homes for rent. Activities offered at the campsite include fishing and hiking. If you plan to take part in either activity, check before your trip whether it will be available during your stay. This lets you plan your accommodation and activities separately.
Discover more destinations: Licques, Wamin, Wimille, Sainte-Catherine, Saint-Inglevert, Sorrus, Bapaume, Lespinoy.
For the broader travel overview: Pas-De-Calais.
