*Location:

   Beffroi Communal
   (Hôtel de Ville/Stadhuis)
   Rue Lamartine at Rue du Gouvernement
   Bergues (Sint Winoksbergen),
     Nord (Normandy), France
   LL: N 50.96816, E 2.43284

Site locator map
City locator maps and gazetteer page

*Carillonist:

   Jacques Martel
   jacques.martel/@/bbox DOTfr

   1934-99 Adalbert Carriere

*Contact:

   Service d'Information (SI)
   Beffroi

*Schedule:

   Monday 1100-1200; holidays 1700-1800.

*Remarks:

   Automatic chime of 1544, by Jean
   Eenwoudt of Bruges, was recast in 1547
   and destroyed by fire in 1558.  Chime
   of 1660, by Simon Heudebert, Bergues,
   replaced by Jean Blampain of St.Omer.
   Various minor recastings over time.
   Carillon of 1880, mostly by Crouzet-
   Hildebrand of Paris, destroyed 1940.
   Visits possible daily (except Tuesday),
   1 May to 6 September, 10-12, 15-18.
   Bourdon "Den Storm", 9374 livres, cast
   in 1643 by Jean Blampain & son Michel.

*Technical data:

   Traditional carillon of 50 bells
   Pitch of heaviest bell (excluding sub-bourdon) is G  in the middle octave
   Transposition is up  7 semitone(s)
   Keyboard range:     C C 49/ (G)C G   
   There are no missing bass semitones
   The instrument was enlarged in 1974
     with bells made by Paccard     
   Prior history:
     In 1961, the instrument was begun with 38 bells
       by Paccard     
     In 1880, a complete instrument of 35 bells was installed
       by the maker cited in Remarks above
       ( 0 bells remain from that work.)
     In 1628, a complete instrument of 24 bells was installed
       by the maker cited in Remarks above
       ( 0 bells remain from that work.)
     In 1560, a complete instrument of 12 bells was installed
       by the maker cited in Remarks above
       ( 0 bells remain from that work.)
     In 1544, a complete instrument of 10 bells was installed
       by the maker cited in Remarks above
       ( 0 bells remain from that work.)
   No auxiliary mechanisms known
   Tower details not available
   Year of latest technical information source is 2018

Additional information on the technical history of this instrument can be found in a database printout.

The Wikipedia article on the town mentions the carillon and has photos of the restored tower.

The English version of the city Website has a page about the tower, with a link to the French-language page about the carillon, with current and historic photos and three sound clips.  Many links are broken; these have been found:
-   detailed history of the bells of this tower and its predecessors
-   ritournelles - the melodies for automatic play
-   historic roster of carillonneurs of Bergues
-   the bells
-   two former carillons of Bergues

The ARPAC Website presents much more detail than we can here, though it is all in French.

Where the initial phase of this work lies in the sequence of output of miscellaneous bellfoundries, in this region and in the world.
Where the second phase of this work lies in the sequence of output of miscellaneous bellfoundries, in this region and in the world.
Where the third phase of this work lies in the sequence of output of miscellaneous bellfoundries, in this region and in the world.
Where the fourth phase of this work lies in the sequence of output of miscellaneous bellfoundries, in this region and in the world.
Where the fifth phase of this work lies in the sequence of output of the Paccard bellfoundry, in this region and in the world.
Where the final phase of this work lies in the sequence of output of the Paccard bellfoundry, in this region and in the world.

Ranking among all French traditional carillons by pitch (weight).
Ranking among all French traditional carillons by size (number of bells).
Ranking among all French traditional carillons by year of completion.

Index to all traditional carillons in France.

Index to all tower bell instruments in France/Nord.

   This page was built from the database on  5-May-20
   based on textual data last updated on 2020/05/01
   and on technical data last updated on 2018/09/10