Discover Solesmes: Architecture, Carnival and Circular Walking Route
Accommodation in Solesmes
In Solesmes, local history, distinctive buildings, carnival traditions and a circular walking route come together. The town’s history stretches far back; its buildings reflect different architectural styles and periods. When planning your trip, you can focus separately on culture and outdoor activities.
Local History and Buildings
The Église Saint-Martin is an 18th-century church with a Baroque-style façade. The town hall was built in 1903; its façade combines classical and Neo-Flemish styles. The two buildings offer different architectural features: the Baroque church façade on the one hand, and the combination of two styles at the town hall on the other.
The date and design of the music kiosk are also clearly documented. The architect Henri Mallet designed the kiosk, which was built in 1888. Eight cast-iron posts are topped with ornaments shaped like treble clefs. The musical motif is clearly visible on the posts, setting this structure apart from the façades of the church and town hall.
The Calvary cross was created in 1861 by Emile Dutouquet, an architect from Valenciennes; its style is more strongly influenced by Gothic architecture. The dates form a clear sequence: the cross dates from 1861, the music kiosk from 1888 and the town hall from 1903. Solesmes was first mentioned in 706 and has Palaeolithic, Neolithic and Gallo-Roman remains. These details connect the town’s early history with specific buildings from later centuries, without conflating the different periods.
The fountains on Rue de l’Abbaye are made of stone and sandstone and date from the 7th and 19th centuries. Here, too, different periods coexist. Another feature of the landscape is the small stream Les Fontaines: surplus water flows into it, and it empties into the Selle.
Carnival and Local Tradition
Every year, the Solesmes carnival brings together the Seringueux. Since 1953, the giant figure Barbari, holding a syringe, has symbolised the town’s carnival tradition. The figure and its attribute give this tradition a distinctive emblem. If you are interested in local customs, Barbari links the annual carnival celebration with the story of a named symbol.
The association Les Amis de Barbari is committed to reviving and continuing local carnival customs, particularly the custom involving the syringe. It also aims to establish a folklore group centred on Barbari to promote these customs by taking part in carnival parades. This describes the association’s aim, not a commitment to take part in a particular parade or event.
Au Pays de Barbari Circular Walking Route
The Au Pays de Barbari circular walking route is 10 km long, and the estimated time to complete it is between 2 hours 30 minutes and 3 hours 20 minutes. This range provides a guide for planning your day, but is not a fixed duration for every walk. The route starts at the car park by Solesmes’s former railway station and is marked in yellow. It follows rural paths around Solesmes, running from the Béart valley to the Selle valley.
Alongside the buildings and local customs, you’ll find practical details for planning a walk: distance, estimated duration, starting point, trail markings and the route’s landscape. Trail conditions and the actual time required may vary. So before setting out, check the starting point, markings and local conditions. You can treat the route as a separate focus of your trip, without equating its walking time with the time needed to visit the buildings.
Discover more destinations: Landrecies, Bachy, Lezennes, LĂ©cluse, Orchies, TĂ©teghem, Villers-Guislain, Liessies.
Back to the regional travel overview: Nord.
