Watten, French Flanders

Places to visit | Local area map | *
Nearest station: Watten-Eperlecque on Calais-Hazebrouck line

Watten

Watten on the banks of the river Aa; the church (left) dates from 1236.
Town on a (very) small mountain
Watten stands on the smallest “mountain” of the Monts des Flandres (72m high), where the river Aa meets the wide flat coastal marshes. The river flows out to sea near Gravelines, while a wide canal branches off towards Dunkerque. Watten grew up around an abbey, founded on the mountain by monks in 1072.

Canal barge from Dunkerque. There are boat trips along the river and canals from Watten.
1. Watten windmill - built in 1731 (an unusual stone tower-mill) of stone from Watten abbey. 2. The abbey was sold and demolished in the Revolution, except for the tower, which was left as a navigation mark for sailors.

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Weblinks and more information
Office de Tourisme, 12 rue de Dunkerque, 59143 WATTEN. Tel: 00 33 3 21 88 27 78
www.chez.com/watten
feature

QUICK TOUR round the Heart of Flanders, starting with a typical Flemish estaminet... Local area map:
map
Click on towns for more information

Places to visit
Blockhaus, Eperlecques - Nazi bunker for launching V2 rockets
Gin distillery, Houlle just up the river Aa.
Boat trips from Watten along the river Aa
Maison Guillaume de Rubrouck - museum about local monk who went to Mongolia in 13th cent. (13km from Watten)

Background Information:
Flemish dialect and customs
Beer - North France's favourite drink

Bergues
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www.theotherside.co.uk Last updated 7th March 2000 © Copyright Invicta Media 1999-2000

Places to visit \| Local area map \| * Nearest station: Watten-Eperlecque on Calais-Hazebrouck line
*Watten*

Watten on the banks of the river Aa; the church (left) dates from 1236.	Town on a (very) small mountain Watten stands on the smallest “mountain” of the Monts des Flandres (72m high), where the river Aa meets the wide flat coastal marshes. The river flows out to sea near Gravelines, while a wide canal branches off towards Dunkerque. Watten grew up around an abbey, founded on the mountain by monks in 1072.
Canal barge from Dunkerque. There are boat trips along the river and canals from Watten.	1. Watten windmill - built in 1731 (an unusual stone tower-mill) of stone from Watten abbey. 2. The abbey was sold and demolished in the Revolution, except for the tower, which was left as a navigation mark for sailors.

Weblinks and more information Office de Tourisme, 12 rue de Dunkerque, 59143 WATTEN. Tel: 00 33 3 21 88 27 78 www.chez.com/watten	feature QUICK TOUR round the Heart of Flanders, starting with a typical Flemish estaminet...	Local area map: Click on towns for more information
Places to visit Blockhaus, Eperlecques - Nazi bunker for launching V2 rockets Gin distillery, Houlle just up the river Aa. Boat trips from Watten along the river Aa Maison Guillaume de Rubrouck - museum about local monk who went to Mongolia in 13th cent. (13km from Watten)
Background Information: Flemish dialect and customs Beer - North France's favourite drink