Bergues(France) Travel 2026: Cheap Flights, Hotels & Top Attractions

The best area to stay in Bergues is the Old Town (Vieux Bergues), centered around the Notre-Dame Church and the Place de l'Hôtel de Ville. This historic district offers charming cobbled streets, half-timbered houses, and a strong sense of Flemish heritage—a legacy from the town’s position near the French-Belgian border.

Stay at Hôtel de la Paix, a boutique hotel housed in a restored 19th-century building, where guests enjoy authentic Nord-Pas-de-Calais cuisine served in the on-site bistro. The hotel also organizes seasonal events like local craft fairs and traditional folk music evenings.

For a more immersive experience, consider Le Relais du Vigneron, a countryside retreat set in a former vineyard estate. It offers guided tours of regional wine cellars and hosts workshops on traditional Flemish pottery and lace-making, making it ideal for travelers seeking deep cultural engagement.

Yes, Bergues offers several family-friendly accommodations with excellent outdoor access. Le Relais du Vigneron stands out with its large organic garden, picnic zones, and a dedicated children’s nature trail that features interactive wildlife stations.

The hotel also partners with local guides to offer family biking tours along the Lys River cycle path, as well as seasonal treasure hunts through the old town’s hidden alleys. Nearby, the Vesdre River Greenway provides safe, scenic routes perfect for strollers and young cyclists.

Meanwhile, Hôtel de la Paix offers free access to the Bergues Children’s Discovery Garden, where kids can plant herbs, feed ducks, and learn about sustainable farming—ideal for hands-on learning. With low traffic and abundant green spaces, families find both safety and adventure here.

Visitors to Bergues must attend the annual Festival des Flandres, held every July, featuring traditional Flemish costumes, live folk music, and artisan markets showcasing handmade lace and pottery. It’s a vibrant celebration of the town’s cross-border heritage.

A must-visit is the Musée d'histoire de Bergues, which displays artifacts from the town’s medieval past, including ancient maps, religious relics, and rare documents detailing its time under Spanish, Austrian, and French rule. The museum also hosts rotating exhibitions on local dialect preservation—especially the unique Flemish dialect of Nord-Pas-de-Calais.

Don’t miss the guided tour of Église Notre-Dame, where you can admire its 15th-century stained glass and explore the crypt housing medieval stone carvings. On weekends, join a traditional sourdough bread workshop led by local nuns, where you’ll bake the region’s iconic dark rye loaf using age-old techniques. End your day with a cup of hot chocolate at the Place de l’Hôtel de Ville café, listening to live Flemish folk songs under the stars.

The best time to visit Bergues is during spring (April to June) and early autumn (September to October). Temperatures range from 12°C to 20°C, offering pleasant weather ideal for walking, cycling, and exploring the surrounding countryside.

In spring, the Vesdre Valley bursts into bloom with wildflowers, creating stunning photo opportunities along the riverbanks. Autumn brings the Fête de la Vendange, a lively harvest festival with wine tastings, farmers’ markets, and illuminated streets filled with grape-themed decorations.

These seasons also feature fewer crowds and lower accommodation prices compared to summer. A highlight is visiting during the first weekend of May, when a stage of the Tour de France passes through the town—locals line the streets with flags and cheers, turning the event into a festive celebration.

Yes, most hotels in Bergues provide multilingual support. Hôtel de la Paix staff are fluent in French, English, and Dutch, with some speaking basic Flemish dialect, enabling smooth communication with locals.

Le Relais du Vigneron offers English-language travel guides, multilingual welcome cards, and in-room smart assistants that respond to commands in Chinese, English, German, and more—helping guests navigate nearby attractions and transport options.

All hotels list amenities and activity details in multiple languages on their websites and HopeGoo platforms. For deeper cultural immersion, select properties offer bilingual guided tours of the Musée d'histoire de Bergues and Église Notre-Dame, delivered by English-speaking guides who explain the town’s complex history and traditions in accessible terms.

Must-try dishes in Bergues include:

• Gratin de Choucroute: A rich, baked dish made with sauerkraut, smoked sausages, and melted cheese—crispy on top, creamy underneath.

• Pain de Mie aux Noix: A delicate walnut bread, soft yet flaky, traditionally served with apple jam or butter.

• Croustillant de Bergues: A centuries-old thin pastry with a crisp shell and creamy caramelized filling—best enjoyed fresh at one of the town’s historic bakeries.

At Hôtel de la Paix, guests can savor a slow-cooked family-style beef stew based on a 19th-century recipe, paired with locally produced red wine. Meanwhile, Le Relais du Vigneron features an organic farm-to-table menu, with daily ingredients sourced from nearby fields. Their signature long-table dinner invites travelers to dine alongside locals, sharing stories over homemade meals in a warm, communal setting.