Vendhuile can be explored through three very different themes: the Église Saint-Martin, the Commonwealth burial sites and the Escaut Route of the Way of St James. There is also a crêperie and salad bar in the Bois de La Terrière, as well as a visit to the production workshop at La Brasserie de l’Escaut. When choosing what interests you about your stay, it is helpful to distinguish between them: architectural history and remembrance shape the cultural themes, while the route and gastronomy offer further perspectives. The timelines also differ: the war graves relate to 1914 to 1918, the church to its construction in 1927–1928 and its protected status from 1994.
Église Saint-Martin: Architectural History and Protected Status
The Église Saint-Martin de Vendhuile has been listed as a Monument historique since 4 November 1994. Construction began in early 1927 and continued until August 1928. The Parisian architect Jacques Droz (1882–1955) initially designed it. The construction period and listing mark two distinct milestones: the church was built in 1927/28, and its official protected status followed in 1994. This gives a clear picture of both the church’s architectural history and its subsequent heritage protection status as part of Vendhuile’s cultural history.
First World War Burial Sites
Vendhuile has two burial sites containing a total of 1,010 Commonwealth soldiers who fell between 1914 and 1918. The Unicorn Cemetery (Cimetière de la Licorne) contains 1,008 of the Commonwealth soldiers buried in the commune. The figures refer to different totals: 1,010 covers both burial sites, while 1,008 refers to the Unicorn Cemetery. More than 400 graves in this cemetery have no names engraved on them.
The Escaut Route to Santiago de Compostela
The Way of St James to Santiago de Compostela follows the Escaut Route. After Honnecourt-sur-Escaut, the route enters the Pays du Vermandois area at Vendhuile. This makes Vendhuile a specific point of reference on the pilgrimage route; the transition into the region comes after Honnecourt-sur-Escaut. If you are planning this route, check the latest route conditions beforehand, as they may change.
Food and Drink in Vendhuile
L’Orée du bois is a crêperie and salad bar in the Bois de La Terrière. It is set within a 30-hectare woodland in a hunting lodge designed in the Norman style, on the border between the D644 and D1044. The food and the setting give the place its own character: crêpes and salads are the focus, while the woodland and distinctive architecture provide the setting.
Visitors can discover the drinks made at the production workshop of La Brasserie de l’Escaut. If you are planning a visit, check the latest visitor information beforehand, as access details may change. The workshop offers an insight into drink production, while L’Orée du bois is a crêperie and salad bar.
A Regional Perspective on the Canal de Saint-Quentin
At the regional level of the Pays du Vermandois, leisure boaters use the Canal de Saint-Quentin. This adds a waterway connection in the wider region to the themes specific to Vendhuile. Alongside the pilgrimage route, it offers another way to experience the region: recreational use of the canal.
Discover more destinations: Chézy-En-Orxois, Crouy, Mons-En-Laonnois, Viel-Arcy, Vauxcéré, Aisonville-Et-Bernoville, Prémont, Martigny-Courpierre
Return to the regional travel overview: Aisne.
