Discover Willencourt

Willencourt lies on the banks of the Authie and has a history spanning more than 800 years. This offers two different perspectives for planning a trip: its riverside location and its long local history. If you are looking for a hotel for a stay in Willencourt, these themes can guide your plans—depending on whether you are more interested in history, exploring the area or going for walks.

Under the Ancien Régime, the course of the Authie divided Willencourt between Artois and Picardy. This is a historical connection to the river; its banks, by contrast, describe the geographical relationship with the town. You can therefore encounter two different aspects of the Authie: as a point of reference for orientation and as part of the region’s former administrative divisions.

Willencourt’s abbey history

The Abbaye Notre-Dame de Willencourt was founded at the end of the 12th century and was a Cistercian nunnery. Around 1655, it was relocated within the town walls. After the powder mill explosion in 1773, the convent buildings and the abbey palace were rebuilt. The founding, relocation and rebuilding thus mark distinct periods in the abbey’s history. This sequence provides a timeline from the Middle Ages to later changes.

Willencourt is also home to an 18th-century chapel. It adds a distinctive architectural feature from a later period than the abbey’s founding. The marshland of Willencourt, in turn, is connected to the history of the former royal abbey. In this way, landscape and architectural connections enrich the town’s history in different ways.

Exploring the town and its routes

The “Village Patrimoine” trail invites you to discover Willencourt. Walking trails in the surrounding area add to the local opportunities for a stroll. The two offerings have different connections to the town: the trail focuses on discovering Willencourt, while the walking routes are located in the surrounding area. When planning your stay, you can therefore distinguish between a walk in the town and routes in its surroundings.

For a specific walk, it is best to check the latest route information, as the exact paths may change. The general distinction between local strolls and walking trails in the surrounding area remains a helpful guide for your plans, without treating them as the same route.

Willencourt at a glance

Together, the Authie, the abbey’s history, the chapel and the opportunities to explore the town create a multifaceted impression of the destination. When choosing a hotel, it can be helpful to consider in advance whether you would like to plan your stay primarily around historical themes or opportunities for walks.

Discover more destinations: Douriez, Coquelles, Labroye, Senlecques, Calais, Leubringhen, Rivière, Violaines

For the overview of the wider region: Pas-De-Calais.