FAQ activities: what to do in Saint-Omer during the holidays?
Answers to your questions about places to visit and activities not to be missed during your stay in St Omer and the Audomarois
Welcome to our FAQ dedicated to the many activities to discover in Saint-Omer, an emblematic town in Pas-de-Calais where history, culture and nature combine harmoniously.
Whether you're looking for a family getaway, a night out with friends or a solo adventure, Saint-Omer offers a range of enriching experiences. Stroll through its parks, take the paths along its picturesque canals and let yourself be charmed by unique landscapes.
Among the must-see sites, the cathedral, a true architectural gem, stands in the heart of the city. In addition, a variety of activities are offered to entertain young and old, with outings specially designed for children, walks and hikes in preserved natural settings, as well as the discovery of local specialties that will delight your taste buds.
Every year, various major events, including some traditional festivals, bring Saint-Omer and its surroundings to life, creating a festive and friendly atmosphere that invites discovery.
Browse our FAQ to explore all the practical tips and tricks that will help you plan your memorable event and take full advantage of all that Saint-Omer has to offer.
Also find our article on the discovery of the heritage of Saint-Omer
Saint-Omer and its surroundings offer several parks and gardens, including:
The Public Garden of Saint-Omer: Designed as a landscaped park, it has been a place for walking and leisure since its creation. It retains this function today. Created in 1893 on the site of the old fortifications, the St Omer public garden is home to a wide variety of local trees and other remarkable species from the Far East and America. The arboretum is identified by plaques on the ground. The garden also includes an English garden, but also a superb French garden with bowling greens, clipped shrubs and a fountain.
Picnic areas are available near the children's playground and at the entrance to Les Glacis on the park side. The garden is accessible to people with reduced mobility and dogs are allowed. It is located at Allée du Parc, 62500 Saint-Omer.
Arques Public Garden : Located on Rue Adrien Danvers in Arques. It offers similar facilities to the Jardin Public de Saint-Omer, such as picnic tables, children's games and dog-friendly areas.
Saint-Omer and its surroundings offer various activities for families and children:
Saint-Omer Public Garden: le St-Omer park is a landscaped park with a wide variety of trees, a French garden, picnic areas, a large children's playground, grassy areas, sports fields (rugby, football, handball, basketball, volleyball) and a dog-friendly area. The Saint-Omer public garden also has a menagerie with fawns, ducks, peacocks and other birds.
The House of the Marais: la swamp house offers a walk in a park and a conservatory vegetable garden, an eco-grazing area with sheep, a mill, a hanging garden and an outdoor treasure hunt with geocaching. A short 1km walk ideal for a little family outing on the outskirts of the city center.
The public garden of Arques, 2km from Saint-Omer. This park has a playground for children.
Clownland (Arques): An indoor playground with various attractions, slides and courses for children from 1 to 13 years old.
Audoland : Located on Avenue de l'Europe in Saint-Omer, has a large playground with bouncy castles, swimming pools and other attractions. Entrance at 12e/child and free for adults.
Dennlys Park: amusement park located in Dennebrœucq, 25 minutes from Saint-Omer
Saint-Omer and its surroundings offer many activities and sites to discover during your stay:
Discovery of the city and its history:
Grand Place: The nerve center of the city, it is home to many bars and restaurants and provides access to the old quarters. The architecture is photogenic. On every street corner, a church or monument tells the story of this beautiful city in Pas-de-Calais.
Old Town Hall – Italian-style theatre: building with neoclassical architecture housing a magnificent Italian theater called “the Coffee Mill”. Restored in 2019, this 300-seat theater presents a rich program for your cultural evenings.
Notre-Dame Cathedral of Saint-Omer: la Cathedral is definitely a must-see historical site!
Motte Castrale Prison: Visit this former 18th century military prison and enjoy the views of the city and the cathedral.
Sandelin Museum: with the Saint-Omer museum, explore the decorative arts, fine arts and history collections of Saint-Omer in this 18th-century mansion.
Nature and relaxation:
Saint-Omer Public Garden: Stroll through this 20-hectare landscaped park, with a French garden, an English garden, an arboretum, a bandstand, and even an animal park.
Audomarois Marsh: Explore the only market gardening marsh in France, with its rivers, crops, fauna and flora. A natural space recognized by UNESCO that can be visited by bacôve with the Bateaux Makers!
Activities and leisure:
Bike rental: Explore the city and the marshes on Californian bikes, tandems, Ruffian bikes and 2CVs with Les Belles Echappées (A Clairmarais).
Amusement and leisure parks: Options are available in Saint-Omer and the surrounding area: Audoland, Clownland, Dennlys Park…
Workshops and guided tours: Take part in baking workshops, escape games, night-time guided tours and much more. To find out about the programme of unusual outings, visit the Saint-Omer tourist office website.
Culture and heritage in the surrounding area:
The Dome (Wizernes – Helfaut): Discover this war museum and 3D planetarium housed in a former V2 launch base. The dome constitutes a flagship activity around Saint-Omer!
The Aa Valley Tourist Railway: travel the Audomarois from Arques to Lumbres in a steam train or a Picasso railcar with the CFTVA !
The Eperlecques blockhouse: the blockhouse at Eperlecques is a huge bunker initially dedicated to sending V1s to England.
This list gives you an overview of the many possibilities to enjoy your stay in Saint-Omer and the Audomarois region. The list is of course not exhaustive.
To visit the Notre-Dame Cathedral of Saint-Omer, you can do this freely and find detailed guides or leaflets at the “Point-Accueil de la cathédrale”. This reception point is located in the chapel of the Assumption, at the North-West entrance into the Nave, which is the second chapel on the left as you enter. The Friends of the Cathedral association manages this reception point.
It is also possible to contact the Tourist Office on 03 21 98 08 51 to organize a group visit. You can also contact "Les Amis de la cathédrale" on 06 08 93 75 08, who offer a spiritual visit.
Opening hours of St-Omer Cathedral:
From November 1st to March 31st: Open every day from 8:00 a.m. to 17:00 p.m. The reception point is open from 14:00 p.m. to 17:00 p.m.
From April 1st to October 31st: Open every day from 8:00 a.m. to 18:00 p.m. The reception point is open from 14:00 p.m. to 18:00 p.m.
The cathedral is located at Enclos Notre-Dame, 62500 Saint-Omer
To visit the canals of the Audomarois marsh in Saint-Omer, several options are available to you:
Boat trips
The Boat Makers (that’s us!):
Guided tours or rental of rowing and electric boats or canoes.
Discovery of the different types of marsh (inhabited, cultivated, wild). Visit to the last local shipyard, tavern at the water's edge.
Address: 43 Route de Clairmarais, 62500 Saint-Omer. 06.08.09.94.88
The House of the Marais:
Offers guided tours in a traditional boat (bacôve) to discover the fauna, flora and history of the marsh.
Address: 36 Avenue du Maréchal Joffre, 62500 Saint-Omer.
Ô Marais by ISNOR:
Varied offers: guided tours, rental of rowing or electric boats, canoes.
Departures from Clairmarais.
Address: 3 Rue du Marais, 62500 Clairmarais.
At Bon Accueil (Salperwick):
Guided cruises or free trips by boat, canoe or bacôve.
Address: 29 Rue du Rivage Boitel, 62500 Salperwick.
Other means of exploration
Hiking : Explore the developed trails such as those of the Romelaëre ponds nature reserve (2,5 km), the Lansbergue trail (5,9 km) or the Cuvette trail (17 km).
Bike rides: Discover part of the marsh thanks to the adapted cycle paths.
Your stay in Saint-Omer would not be complete without a tasting of its 4 flagship specialties:
The Cauliflower of the Audomarois Marsh : This vegetable is the emblem of the marsh, cultivated with passion for centuries. Its freshness and unique flavor make it an ingredient of choice for many dishes. Don't miss the cauliflower gratin, a simple but authentic dish!
Endive: Although its introduction is more recent (around 1920), endive has found a place of choice in the market gardening of Saint-Omer. Its delicate bitterness and crunchy texture make it a versatile vegetable, perfect raw in salads or braised. Endive gratin with ham, a classic of French cuisine, is particularly delicious with fresh endives from the region.
Craft Beer: Saint-Omer and its surroundings are full of craft breweries producing beers with character. From light blondes to full-bodied browns, including aromatic ambers, there is something for everyone. Accompany your dishes with a local beer for an authentic taste experience. The beers go particularly well with gratins, bringing a touch of complexity and freshness. Special mention for the products of the Clairmarais Abbey brewery!
Saint-Omer beer and Goudale: Nationally and internationally known beers brewed each year by the millions of hectoliters in Saint-Omer and Arques. Bonus: the Goudale brewery can be visited !
You can also find Flemish carbonnade, Welsh, waterzoi, chicken with Maroilles cheese and other specialities from the North of France in all the taverns and good brasseries in Audomarois.
Here are some events and festivities not to be missed in Saint-Omer:
Medieval Festival: A popular event featuring fire shows, role playing, period music and a variety of activities for all audiences. Held in July.
Saint-Omer Jaaz Festival: A festival for jazz lovers held in July.
Saint-Omer procession: A traditional nautical procession which takes place every last Sunday in July and which brings the Haut-Pont suburb to life.
The beer festival: organized at the beginning of September in the city center of Saint-Omer
The Boat Lift Festival : concert festival organized in Arques during July.
Summer party: big concert organized at the end of June each year in Longuenesse, in the town hall park.
Looking for adventures in the great outdoors? Discover the trails around Saint-Omer. Between the meanders of the marsh and the tranquility of the Clairmarais forest, many walks and hikes are available to you. Each route reveals preserved landscapes, local species and unexpected panoramas, inviting you to relax and escape. Whether you are passionate about walking or a lover of peaceful walks, these varied routes guarantee you unique moments of discovery.
Hiking in the Audomarois marsh:
Beautiful walks allowing you to appreciate unique landscapes, observe the fauna and flora and cross canals. Departure: Clairmarais, Serques or Tilques.
Lansbergue trail:
Distance: 5,9 km.
Highlights: Homes with private docks, quaint cottages, quiet, resort-like atmosphere.
Departure: Serques/Tilques.
Find our article on the Lansbergue trail
Romelaëre Ponds National Nature Reserve:
Distance: minimum 2,5 km. Several marked trails.
Highlights: Bird watching (herons, storks, grebes, bitterns, etc.), landscapes of reed beds and ponds.
Departure: Clairmarais.
Find here our article dedicated to the Romelaere reserve.
Fontinettes boat lift trail:
Distance: 7-10 km.
Highlights: Discovery of the historic boat lift, the surrounding forest, fields and ponds.
Departure: Arques.
Find our article here on the Fontinettes boat lift
The hillsides of the Aa:
Distance: About 10 km.
Highlights: Panoramic views of the Aa Valley.
Departure: Wavrans sur l’Aa, 20 min from Saint-Omer.
A walk in the Clairmarais forest:
Distance: Varies depending on the trails.
Highlights: shaded paths, absolute tranquility, discovery of the Harchelles pond in the heart of the forest.
Departure: Clairmarais, wall path.
The path of the basin in Clairmarais
17 km hike to discover the canals, watergangs, the village of Nieurlet, market garden fields and the Clairmarais forest.
Accessible from the Grange Nature (near the Romelaere Reserve), this circuit offers an immersion in varied landscapes: old peat bogs, reed beds, peat woods and drained meadows. You will pass near the National Nature Reserve of the Étangs du Romelaëre, a site rich in biodiversity. The hike combines nature and heritage, with possible encounters with grey herons or wild boars. Medium level, estimated duration: 4h15 on foot or 1h30 by mountain bike.
Large loop around the Neufossé canal
A 10 km loop. From Saint-Omer station, head towards the St-Bertin lock. Continue on the footpath to reach the large vannage. Then follow the Neufossé canal to the Haut-Pont suburbs (via Doulac) to reach the station. Allow a good 2 hours of walking or 45 minutes by bike.
Also find our article on the hikes and walks around St-Omer
