Church history, architecture and hiking give Gouy-Saint-André several distinct reasons to visit. Saint Martin’s Church brings together an early mention, a choir built at a later date and a carved crucifix. Le Campet starts in the village. There are also the seasonally changing offerings at L'Encas et L'Échoppe. When choosing your destination, you can therefore weigh up culture, hiking and a program of visits with changing dates.

Church history and architecture

Saint Martin’s Church in Gouy-Saint-André has been mentioned since 1123. The church’s patronage was transferred to the Abbey of Saint-Josse-sur-Mer in a charter by Bishop Enguerrand. The choir was built before 1587. These dates mark different events: 1123 refers to the mention of the church, while before 1587 refers to the choir.

The choir is a space in the Flamboyant style. Its ribbed vaults and carved corbels provide distinct architectural details. A ribbed vault is structured by projecting ribs; corbels are supports or projecting elements that extend from a wall. The corbels depict grapevines, ivy and oak motifs. The vault structure and the plant-inspired carvings are thus two separate design features.

The church also contains an over-life-size oak Christ on the cross. The work was carved by Simon Pfaff de Pfaffenhoffen and comes from Saint-André-au-Bois Abbey. Unlike the plant motifs on the corbels, this is a figurative sculpture: the two forms of carving each have a distinct focus in Saint Martin’s Church. The crucifix and the church’s patronage connect it to two different abbeys.

Le Campet and the landscape

The Le Campet hiking route starts in Gouy-Saint-André. This offers a specific starting point for anyone planning to make hiking a focus of their trip. Downloadable route materials can help you prepare and guide your planning.

The Atelier de Sculpture Animalière is also a geographical point of reference thanks to its location: it lies on the slopes of the Authie in Gouy-Saint-André, between the former abbeys of Saint-André-aux-Bois, Dommartin and Valloires. These local landmarks complement the church history with a landscape connected to three former abbeys.

Seasonal offerings and dates

L'Encas et L'Échoppe offers a garden, tours, a tea room and snacks. These offerings combine opportunities to visit and take a break, but availability may vary by season. If you are planning a visit specifically for these offerings, check current availability beforehand.

The wider program includes themed picnics, events by reservation, plant fairs and flea markets. The event program may change. If you have a particular date in mind, it is therefore advisable to check the latest schedule; for events requiring reservations, plan to book ahead.

Discover more destinations: Souastre, Clairmarais, Aubrometz, Mazingarbe, Liévin, Ardres, Le Quesnoy-En-Artois, Dainville

Go to the regional travel overview: Pas-De-Calais.