Croisilles: Church Art, Memorial Sites and Routes

Croisilles offers several distinct points of interest for a stay: the architectural history of the Saint-Martin Church, local cultural activities, three war cemeteries and a route through fields and the village. This lets you shape your trip around the subjects that interest you most—from architecture and commemorative heritage to a walk through the countryside.

Church Architecture and Stained Glass

The Saint-Martin Church was built between 1924 and 1933 as part of the first reconstruction period. It was constructed in a regionalist Neo-Romanesque style. Its remarkable stained-glass windows add an artistic dimension to the building’s history: they were designed by Julien Vosch and produced in the 1930s and 1950s. The design and production therefore belong to two clearly distinct periods. Those interested in church architecture will find two distinct points of focus in the building period and the windows. This makes it possible to consider the building’s design and the stained-glass work completed later separately, without losing sight of their shared connection to the Saint-Martin Church.

Local Cultural Activities

Croisilles holds the “Village Patrimoine” label. It promotes rural tourism and highlights the area’s natural and historical treasures. Activities organized by Croisilles Histoire et Nature include village tours with a local guide, events as part of “Village en scène,” and programs for the European Heritage Days. Alongside the architectural points of interest, there are therefore also guided activities and events to explore. Dates may change, so check which activities coincide with your stay before travelling. This will help you connect local activities with the subjects that interest you most.

Three Cemeteries and Directions

The three war cemeteries differ both in location and in the historical details associated with them. Croisilles British Cemetery is 300 metres southwest of the village centre, along Rue Eugene Hornez, off the road to St. Leger (D9). It contains 1,171 burials and commemorations of Commonwealth personnel from the First World War, as well as the graves of six Commonwealth airmen from the Second World War. This site therefore links remembrance of two different wartime periods.

Croisilles Railway Cemetery lies southeast of the village, along a path about two kilometres long that branches off at the junction of Rue du Moulin and Rue de la Gare. It contains 181 Commonwealth burials from the First World War, as well as 26 German burials. Summit Trench Cemetery is at the end of a one-kilometre path, 100 metres west of the village. It contains 74 burials from the First World War, including five unidentified burials. For a direct comparison of the routes, the path to Railway Cemetery is about two kilometres long, while the path to Summit Trench Cemetery is one kilometre. Check access conditions and the current state of the paths before visiting.

A Route Through Fields and the Village

The “Evadez-vous à Croisilles!” route starts at the village shops and heads towards the municipal stadium through the fields. It returns to the village via the voie verte. The route can thus be divided into three sections: the start in the village, the passage through the fields and the return via the voie verte. If you would like to add a walk through the countryside to your trip, this sequence offers a practical starting point for planning. Check route conditions again before setting out.

Discover more destinations: Beauvoir-Wavans, Izel-lès-Équerchin, Labroye, Thièvres, Colembert, Blingel, Saint-Martin-Boulogne, Béthune.

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