Arc International Cristallerie Four Verre Usine (27)

Top 5 companies and industrial sites to visit

The Pays de Saint-Omer is home to a wealth of unique skills that are a treasure trove of human imagination. Over time, all this applied genius has developed into real skills. Whether they are craftsmen, workers or producers, they have all, in their own way, become experts in their field. Come and discover some astonishing inventions, most of them unsuspected.

ARC INTERNATIONAL

glass art

Of course, it was hard not to include the leader in tableware in this ranking. Formerly Crystallerie d’Arques, this huge company offers tours to discover one of the jewels in France’s industrial heritage. Discover a story that began in 1825 with a small glassworks and grew into an international group. And yet there’s a wealth of extraordinary expertise in this gigantic glass, crystal and other factory.

Arc International Cristallerie Four Verre Usine (34)

BRASSERIE DU FUNQUET

a passionate beer

Aurélie Fontaine is a true enthusiast. Owner of the Brasserie du Funquet, she tells you all about her attachment to the pretty little village of Escoeuilles and its beer: her Funquet is a particularly tasty craft beer that has already won several awards. The brewery is on the site of the village’s former brewery. The tradition continues…

LE COMPTOIR DU LYS

a family business

Franck Boitez is the 3rd generation to run this establishment, which has become a fixture on the Aix-en-Provence landscape. Originally a grocery store, Le Comptoir du Lys soon specialized in coffee and coffee roasting. Le café du ch’ti is a product that will take you on a journey from South America to the Pas-de-Calais and Aire-sur-la-Lys, through a visit from its origins to its conception.

PERSYN DISTILLERY

the world champions

When you think of products from the North of France, after French fries and beer you quickly think of genever and its distilleries. The Persyn distillery is now renowned throughout the region, and even worldwide for its Houlle genever, a digestif that has won several World’s Best Genever Awards. The visit is as convivial as ever, with the hilarious Jean-Noël or the facetious Lionel, who will fill you in with anecdotes and know-how.

GOUDALE

the giant brewery

A hike through the Audomarois marshes is always a magical experience. All the more so as this trail is ideal for observing ornithological species in particular, as it is located in the Réserve Naturelle et Nationale des Étangs de Romelaëre, a reserve created in 2008 and a veritable haven of peace for all species of birds, mammals and even plants. You may be lucky enough to spot the kingfisher, the bittern or the rare little bittern.