Attractions and Places To See around Marenla - Top 20

nice place to visit

nice place to visit

Montreuil on the sea

Montreuil on the sea

The origins of Montreuil, whose name derives from the Latin 'monasteriolum' (small monastery), are closely linked to its religious history. The abbey church of Saint-Saulve in Montreuil-sur-Mer was built in the 12th century and is located on the site of an older monastery dedicated to Saint Walloy, founded in the 10th century. In 926, the monks of Landévennec (Finistère) fled the Norman invasions and found refuge in Montreuil, where they founded the abbey of Saint-Walloy (local deformation of the name Saint Guénolé). In 1111, this abbey changed its name when the remains of Saint-Saulve were brought there. In its original design, the building had a layout typical of pilgrimage churches with an ambulatory and radiating chapels. In the Middle Ages, the numerous relics attracted pilgrims to Montreuil and gave the town a character of holiness. It was then nicknamed 'The Necropolis of Ponthieu'. The reconstruction after the earthquake of 1467 caused the collapse of at least six religious buildings, including the Hôtel-Dieu and the Saint-Saulve church, which was completely rebuilt at the beginning of the 16th century.

The Abbey of Sainte-Austreberthe is one of two large monasteries in Montreuil-sur-Mer, originally founded in the 10th century. The protection offered by the ramparts in the context of Viking raids gave the Norman nuns of Pavilly the certainty of preserving the relics of their patron saint: Austreberthe. She is a Merovingian aristocrat from Marconnes near Hesdin. The current buildings were built in 1736 and 1750. They still include the cloister and the chapel. During the French Revolution, the nuns temporarily left France for England, taking with them the treasure trove of sacred art and the relics it contained. With the dissolution of the community at the beginning of the 19th century, works of art and precious reliquaries, including the crosier of Saint Austreberthe, were deposited in the abbey church of Sainte-Saulve, where they are still located.

Montreuil is a royal citadel built in the 16th century on the foundations of an ancient castle. You can explore the citadel and its fortifications, admire the architecture and views of the Canche valley, and discover the history of the site. You can also visit the museum located inside the citadel, which features exhibits on the military and natural heritage of the region.

The Moulin de Maintenay is a beautiful 12th century water mill located on the banks of the Authie1. It is located in a magical place, full of charm, nestled in a valley of the Seven Valleys, just on the border between Picardy and Nord – Pas de Calais. The mill was given to the Cistercian monks of Valloires Abbey in 1197 and the monks worked there until the 18th century. After the Second World War, the flour mill ceased its activity and was transformed into a sawmill. This activity stopped in the 1970s. Today, the Moulin de Maintenay is a tourist place where you can discover the history of the mill on a self-guided or guided tour. It also has a tea room where you can enjoy homemade pancakes and pancakes on the banks of the Authie. Additionally, there is a bakery where you can buy sourdough breads, brioches, tarts, etc.