Steenbecque Village Charmant

Steenbecque is a Flemish village near Artois, which owes its name to a stream (becque) on a bed of stones (steene). Its inhabitants, the Steenbecquois, have spoken Flemish for a long time. The coat of arms of Steenbecque is that of the seigniorial family of the same name: azure with three silver shells. With a surface area of 12 km², the village is located halfway between Hazebrouck and Aire-sur-la-Lys. In the past, it was very wooded, as shown by its close neighbors: the woods of Huit-Rues, Fanque, Cruysabeele, and the forest of Nieppe. The original village has four main roads that converge on a hallekerke (church-hall). The interior of the church is often considered one of the most beautiful and richest (artistically speaking) in Flanders, and contains some jewels, including five oak altarpieces, a double-staircase pulpit and spectacular organs. The heritage of the square also includes an imposing calvary from 1821, which stands against the church. Elsewhere, a number of chapels and oratories adorn the roads and paths of the town, the most famous of which is certainly the one dedicated to Saint Pharaïlde.