Prisches – Bocage Countryside, Chapels and History

Prisches brings together bocage countryside and a rich religious heritage. Dense hedgerows, meadows with ponds and streams shape the protected area; the church, chapels and oratories reflect different periods and forms of sacred architecture. The routes also offer different options: they range from a very easy walking route to one with a specified distance and duration. As you plan your trip, you can weigh up whether to focus more on the landscape, history or a particular route.

Bocage Countryside and Nature

The “Bocage de Prisches et Bois de Toillon” protected area includes dense hedgerows, meadows with ponds, numerous streams and the Rivièrette. The hedgerows, meadows and waterways create a distinctive landscape, complementing the village’s architectural history. If you would also like to include the landscape in your trip, these features offer specific points of interest for discovering Prisches’ natural side.

Routes through Prisches

The “Chapelles et oratoires” route passes through Prisches. Small country lanes wind through the bocage, passing scattered blue-stone oratories. Craftspeople built the oratories, which vary in shape, size and detail. The 2025 edition of the Baladavesnois guide gives this route a distance of 26 kilometres and a duration of 2 hours 30 minutes. The “Circuit des boutons d'or” loop is a very easy 8.3-kilometre walking route. It starts on Rue de la mairie in Prisches and passes the Croix Vendois. These routes offer different ways to plan: the “Chapelles et oratoires” route specifies its distance and duration, while the “Circuit des boutons d'or” loop can be assessed by its difficulty level, starting point and a notable waypoint.

Saint-Nicolas Church and Sacred Art

An earlier church was destroyed by fire in 1472; a new church was built in Prisches in 1550. Prisches Church had the appearance of a fortress because its cemetery was surrounded by a wide moat and an enclosing wall. During attacks, villagers could take refuge there and defend themselves. The bell tower of Prisches was rebuilt in 1780–1781 and is 23 metres high. The altars also tell the story of the village: the high altar and two side altars came from Maroilles Abbey and were acquired in 1791. The ensemble “autel de Saint-Nicolas, son retable et son tableau: Saint Nicolas” dates from the 18th century; the lower part of the altarpiece is more recent. It was listed as a protected object on 7 June 1973.

Chapels and Village History

The “Calvaire Cochet” chapel stands at the edge of Prisches on the road towards Le Nouvion, at a place called Malgarni. It is named after the Cochet family. The “N.D des Victoires” chapel is at La Sablière, dates from 1897 and contains numerous small statues of saints. The two chapels have different points of interest: the name Calvaire Cochet refers to a family, while the date and the statuettes stand out at N.D des Victoires.

The settlement of Prisches probably became established around the year 1000 on the site of today’s village centre. The village is said to have originated with a Gallo-Roman villa at Linières. The Charter of Prisches, dating from 1158, organised the market and protected inheritance rights.

Discover more destinations: Anstaing, Bailleul, Sars-Poteries, Cassel, Dimont, Loon-Plage, Petite-Forêt, Oisy

For the broader travel overview: Nord.