St-Omer lies along the Aa River and is 22 miles SW of the Belgian border. The town developed around the monastery and chapel founded in the 7th century by St. Omer. The basilica of Notre-Dame (8 rue Henri Dupuis), formerly a cathedral, contains numerous works of art and includes an astrological clock made in 1558 that continues to work with its original mechanism. The Musee de l'Hotel Sandelin (14 rue Carnot) houses a collection of ceramics and Flemish paintings and includes ornamental gardens in the French style. The well-preserved old sections of St-Omer feature 17th-century mansions in rue Gambetta and the Musee Henri-Dupois has natural history displays. The Bibliotheque Municipale (40 rue Gambetta) contains rare manuscripts and early books from the Abbaye St-Bertin, a ruined 15th-century abbey east of St-Omer.
Tourist Office Place Foch Phone: +33 (0)3 21 98 08 51 Fax: +33 (0)3 21 98 22 82 or +33 (0)3 21 98 08 07 E-mail: officetourisme.stomer@wanadoo.fr
