Berneville: Church History and Hiking Trails

Berneville brings together cultural and historical buildings and two marked hiking trails as distinct points of interest. The Église Saint-Géry and the Chapelle de la Vierge offer specific insights into local history and religious architecture; the routes can be distinguished by their length and approximate duration. To plan your visit, you can first decide whether to spend more time exploring the historic buildings or on a hike of a particular duration.

Churches and Historical Traces

The Église Saint-Géry was built in 1763. Its white marble grave plaque is framed in black wood and bears a long inscription dedicated to the Truffier family, who were once tenants of Saint-Vaast Abbey. In this detail, material, inscription, and local history come together: the plaque is linked to Berneville’s past not only through its design, but also through its dedication. The church bell adds another date to the picture. It was blessed in 1737, and an inscription names its godparents and the parish priest at the time. This brings two distinct historical details together: the year the bell was blessed and the year the church was built.

The Chapelle de la Vierge has a two-stage building history: it was built in the 18th century and rebuilt in 1814. Its curved gable features volutes—spiral-shaped curves—and a small niche. Inside are a small altar with an altarpiece and statues of the Virgin Mary and Saint Thérèse. Its building phases, gable design, and named features offer different points of interest from the bell and grave plaque at Saint-Géry.

Another architectural trace is the Tourelle to the right of the gate of the former priory of Saint-Vaast. It once served as a staircase to the convent buildings. The area’s history goes back much further: in 653, the Merovingian king Thierry III gave the land of Berneville to Saint-Vaast Abbey, which held it until 1790. Along with the dedication to the Truffier family, this connection to the abbey points to a recurring historical theme.

Two Hiking Trails, Different Time Commitments

The Sentier des Tourelles starts at the community hall in Berneville. It is 6 km long, marked in yellow, and listed as taking about 1 hour and 30 minutes. A route listing published on January 27, 2022, gives these details. The Sentier du Bout du Monde is 9 km long and takes about 2 hours and 15 minutes. Its listed starting points are the church in Simencourt or the community hall in Berneville; this trail is also marked in yellow. The route description was published in 2022. Check local conditions before setting out.

The approximate durations differ by about 45 minutes, and the longer route is also 3 km longer. This can help you factor the time needed for each into your travel plans. Both trails are marked in yellow, but they differ in distance, approximate time commitment, and the listed starting points.

Discover more destinations: Hesmond, Hucqueliers, Beussent, Fiennes, Saint-Josse, Sorrus, Courrières, Bouvelinghem.

For the broader travel overview: Pas-De-Calais.