Highlights
- Wisques monasteries
- Artois forests
- Rural Pas-de-Calais
Stage conditions
| Section | France |
|---|---|
| Water on route | Moderate |
| Shade | Full |
Practical notes
Getting there and away
There is no station at either end. Wisques lies about six kilometres south-west of Saint-Omer, whose station has TER Hauts-de-France trains to Lille-Flandres via Hazebrouck (K71), to Calais-Ville, and on the Arras–Hazebrouck–Calais line (P54); the Saint-Omer tourist office quotes about 30 minutes to Calais and 45 to Lille. Getting from Wisques to Saint-Omer means a taxi or a lift arranged with the abbey, so ask when you book. Licques itself has no confirmed bus service, so most pilgrims walk this stage through rather than joining it midway.
What the season does
April to October, with full shade through the Artois woods, so heat is rarely an issue. The +550 m of climbing over wooded hills is easier on dry ground: after wet weeks the forest tracks and field edges are heavy going. Hunting season runs from mid-September to the end of February and the woods of this stage are working forest, so weekdays are quieter in autumn. The abbey guest houses take retreatants as well as pilgrims, and Notre-Dame's sisters keep the monastic timetable year round, so arrive by late afternoon whatever the season.
Safety on this stage
The stage data calls this a long stage with few services, and the LightFoot guide describes it as small country roads and farm tracks over rolling countryside. The one road to respect is the D942 crossed before entering Wisques; the D212 into the village carries local traffic. During the hunting season keep to the waymarked tracks in the woods and wear something visible. There is nothing technical, but with 24 kilometres and 550 m of ascent it is the first day in France that rewards an early start.
Water and food
Water is moderate. Buy food in Licques before leaving; the villages between are farming hamlets and there is no fountain marked. The LightFoot guide notes a boulangerie at the crossroads on the approach to Wisques, worth checking rather than relying on. Wisques itself is a tiny village around its two abbeys, so your evening meal is whatever you have arranged with the sisters or your host. Carry a full day's water from Licques.
Where pilgrims sleep
Wisques has two monastic communities. The Abbaye Notre-Dame, a Benedictine community of about twenty sisters, is a listed Via Francigena halt and welcomes pilgrims and retreatants; contact the abbey's accueil in advance. The FFVF's list of spiritual halts adds the Abbaye Saint-Paul, for men only. Our directory also has the Chambre d'Hôtes Le Moulin de Pidou and the hotel La Sapinière. Remember the Confraternity's advice for France: ring ahead rather than email, carry a stamped credential, and arrive in the afternoon.
Sources: Wikipédia — Gare de Saint-Omer · Wikipedia — Wisques · Abbaye Notre-Dame de Wisques — Accueil · La Via Francigena en France (FFVF) — Haltes Spiritualitas in Francigenam · LightFoot Guide to the Via Francigena, Canterbury to Besançon (PDF, 2014 edition) · Le Montagnard — Calendrier chasse France 2025-2026 · Confraternity of Pilgrims to Rome — Walking the Via Francigena
Common questions
How long is the Licques to Wisques stage?
It is 24.0 km (14.9 mi) and takes about 6.5 hours of walking, from Licques to Wisques.
How hard is Licques to Wisques?
It is rated easy with 280 m of ascent and 250 m of descent over forest terrain.
Is there water on the Licques to Wisques stage?
There is a moderate amount of water along this stage — carry enough between resupply points.
How do I get to Licques and away from Wisques?
There is no station at either end. Wisques lies about six kilometres south-west of Saint-Omer, whose station has TER Hauts-de-France trains to Lille-Flandres via Hazebrouck (K71), to Calais-Ville, and on the Arras–Hazebrouck–Calais line (P54); the Saint-Omer tourist office quotes about 30 minutes to Calais and 45 to Lille. Getting from Wisques to Saint-Omer means a taxi or a lift arranged with the abbey, so ask when you book.
Where do pilgrims sleep in Wisques?
Wisques has two monastic communities. The Abbaye Notre-Dame, a Benedictine community of about twenty sisters, is a listed Via Francigena halt and welcomes pilgrims and retreatants; contact the abbey's accueil in advance. The FFVF's list of spiritual halts adds the Abbaye Saint-Paul, for men only.
Walk this stage
Open the full stage list to plan the legs either side, browse heritage along the route, or get the free Via Francigena Walk app for offline maps and GPS on the trail.