Véloroute des Marais 7 km
GUINES
About
The Véloroute des Marais route
Places of interest :
The canal – A strategic waterway: the presence of water was initially used for military purposes. It’s easy to imagine Sifrid the Dane’s drakkar venturing into the riverbed in 928, in the middle of the water-covered lowlands. He would reach and appropriate Guînes, the region’s first dominant settlement. In 1540, the English used water transport to bring in the materials needed to reinforce Guînes castle.
Later, the Protestants of Calais used the coches d’eau (large boats used to carry travelers), regularly attending services at the Guînes Temple.
The river Guînes soon became a major route for transporting materials and goods, due to Calais’ relative isolation.
On the site of the former Calais-Anvin railroad line, you can take a safe stroll between Guînes and Coulogne and discover the inhabitants of the marshes.