A Land of traditions
Set off to discover an authentic heritage through our villages, know-how, and local traditions—living witnesses of a history shaped by people and nature.
The origins of the region
Within just a few kilometers, you pass from the highlands, Artois, to the lowlands, Maritime Flanders. The landscape was constantly threatened by water. It is the result of relentless work over the centuries.
“Oye,” a word of Scandinavian origin meaning “island,” reminds us that in the time of the Morini people, only a few sandy islands emerged from the expanse where seawater and freshwater mingled in countless channels.
In Gallo-Roman times, the coastline ran through Nortkerque, Audruicq, and Ruminghem. The inhabitants lived off fishing and salt. The Aa river formed a border between the Menapii and the Morini.
In the 3rd century, the sea rose again and submerged many islands, making the Aa navigable up to Saint-Omer via the Audomarois marsh, an ancient marine gulf. Little by little, marine sediments were deposited by the tides, raising the level of the sandbanks.
