Pont-Sur-Sambre: Heritage and Nature

Pont-Sur-Sambre can be explored through two main themes: its local heritage and the landscape along the Sambre, with nature and walking opportunities. The Tour du Guet, the Église de Quartes and the Musée de la Maison de Pays offer different glimpses into history. At the RNR de Pantegnies and Parc des Libellules, trails, wildlife watching and green spaces offer other ways to spend time outdoors. To plan your stay, you can decide whether to focus on architectural history and museums or on nature trails and the riverside landscape.

Heritage and Local History

The Tour du Guet is a small brick-and-stone belfry dating from the early 17th century. It contains a clock, a bell and a dungeon; it also once served as a courtroom. The tower stands on the Grand Rue, which is considered to be a Roman road from Bavay to Reims. This gives the building several historical connections in a compact space: its early modern construction, its former judicial function and the road considered to be Roman.

The Musée de la Maison de Pays recreates typical interiors and clothing from the late 19th century. Its exhibition areas include an estaminet featuring a depiction of Robert Louis Stevenson, a seamstress’s workshop and a dairy. Mannequins there are dressed in period clothing, and historic objects are also on display. The museum welcomes individual visitors and groups by prior appointment or every second Sunday of the month from 2:30 to 5:00 p.m. Check the visitor information before your trip.

The Église de Quartes offers another way to explore the town’s history: a document from the chapter of Saint-Géry de Cambrai mentions the church as early as 1125. Inside are numerous 17th-century tombstones. The early written references and the later tombstones point to different periods in its history.

The Maison natale du peintre Félix del Marle also brings together local and art history. The building dates from the mid-19th century and became the manor house of a brewery built around 1888. Félix Del Marle was born in Pont-sur-Sambre on 21 October 1889. In his birthplace, he created a Neoplasticist decoration around 1926, which he altered around 1945. The building allows you to explore its architectural history, the history of the brewery and the development of the artist’s work all in one place.

Robert Louis Stevenson and his companion passed through Pont-sur-Sambre on their journey from Antwerp to Pontoise, travelling along the Sambre, among other waterways. Another tradition is the pilgrimage to Notre Dame de Quartes, held every Whit Monday. People invoke Notre Dame in cases of fever and illness. If you would like to take part, check the current arrangements in advance.

Nature Trails and Walks

East of the town lies the RNR de Pantegnies, in a bend of the Sambre. Its bocage landscape includes damp woodlands, plant species worthy of protection and a diverse range of wildlife. Two discovery trails run through the area: the 3.1-kilometre “boucle de la Sambre” and the 1.7-kilometre “boucle de l’hirondelle”. Their lengths make it easy to compare the two loops; the trails may be modified for conservation reasons.

Nature experiences here also include opportunities to watch wildlife and walk through the marshes. Visitors can watch ducks and herons from an observation point, and a wooden walkway crosses the wetlands. Another green space is the four-hectare Parc des Libellules. Designed for walks, it has well-maintained paths and picnic areas.

The Sambre and Outdoor Activities

Pont-sur-Sambre is listed as a nautical stop on the Escales Sambre network. Escales Sambre also offers walking and cycling routes along the towpaths beside the Sambre. Route arrangements may change, so check the latest information when planning a trip.

Sambre Évasion offers nature trips from Pont-sur-Sambre in electric boats that do not require a licence. Sambre Évasion also offers boat trips between Pont-sur-Sambre and Berlaimont. Availability and routes may change. Check the operator’s latest information before making plans.

The options for shaping your stay differ mainly in theme and planning: the heritage highlights range from the belfry and tombstones to museum rooms and an artist’s biography, while the RNR focuses on two loops of different lengths and wildlife watching. There are also walks in Parc des Libellules and activities on the Sambre. This lets you choose the focus of your trip without having to plan the same kind of activity for every visit.

Discover more destinations: Grande-Synthe, Sars-Poteries, Feignies, Saint-Sylvestre-Cappel, Avesnes-Sur-Helpe, Bergues, Douchy-Les-Mines, Masnières.

For the broader travel overview: Nord.