Most travellers to France will admit to whizzing down the A16 straight past Saint-Omer - a shame since it actually has a lot to offer. The newest attraction is the suspiciously named Rando-Rail at Lumbres (Rando is actually taken from the French word randonnee, meaning to ramble or hike), a blue contraption which runs on part the old disused railway line from Saint-Omer to Boulogne.
Two Rando-Railers can pedal along at their own pace while passengers on a seat behind enjoy the ride through the wooded national park. A special seat (supplied) can be attached to the front of the Rando-Rail for small children and wheelchairs can also be carried by removing the central seat. There is also a route following the railway alongside the river.
Visitors must not miss La Coupole - the gigantic launching pad built by the German army during WW2 for the V1 and V2 rockets destined for London. Now a history centre, La Coupole reveals what life must have been like in the region under German occupation, exposes the fascinating military and space history of the V2 rocket, and documents the terrible suffering experienced by prisoners of war. Be prepared for an emotional, but extremely thought-provoking visit and bear in mind that certain exhibitions may be too upsetting for children.
Fancy a gentle boat trip along a picturesque canal? Then hop onboard one of the passenger boats from Clairmarais to explore the Audomarios, the only cultivated marshland in France. The area was created by Benedictine monks, who spent 1,300 years rerouting the river Aa and clearing the land. The boats are roof-less, specially built to sail beneath the bridges across the canals - beware - you will be asked to duck, the bridges are extremely low!
I stayed at La Sapiniere, a comfortable hotel in Wisques just outside Saint-Omer. A member of the fantastic Logis de France Group, the 31 rooms are clean, tidy and are located in quaint two-storey wooden chalets, set away from the main reception and restaurant building. The food, as you would expect from a Two Chimney* grade hotel, is simple, yet tasty and reasonably priced. Three-course menus start from 16 euros and room prices start at 60 euros.
Did you know?
- The residents of the Audomarios marshland receive their post from the only postman in France to deliver mail by boat .
- The Audomarios marshland is made up of canals stretching over 400 miles, which support peat bogs and fertile land for some 70 farmers and their families living on the water banks.
- Over the centuries, hundreds of shoes belonging to children unable to walk, have been placed on top of the thousand-year-old tomb of Bishop S. Erkembode in Saint-Omer's Notre Dame cathedral, by parents who believe the Bishop, who also had walking difficulties, will heal them.
