Around Fretin and Avelin

A walk that can be enjoyed in wet weather, with little mud and very quiet roads.
As you leave Pont Thibault, you'll come to the cobblestones of the same name. They are used by the Paris-Roubaix cyclists in early April.

Details

896579
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  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 11.97 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 3h 25 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 10 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 10 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 41 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 29 m
  • ⚐ Country: France
  • ⚐ City: Fretin (59273)
  • ⚑
    Start/End: N 50.556457° / E 3.124666°
  • ❏
    IGN map(s): Ref. 2505E
  • Hour-by-hour weather

Description of the walk

The car park is located in Fretin, Rue Gambetta, opposite n°52 (between n°31 and n°33).

(S/E) With your back to the parking lot, turn left (towards n°33). Turn into the first street on the right, Chemin de l'Épinette, passing under the D54 and the TGV line.

(1) Take the first track on the left along the TGV line and follow it to the next village entrance, Grand Ennetières. Cross the road and turn right, continuing along the TGV line. The path goes right. After 150m, turn left into the first track. At its end, turn right into the cul de sac of the Has hamlet.

(2) Take the first road on the left, Rue du Pavé Bleu, then at its end turn left again to cross the TGV bridge, continue straight on, Rue de la Monnette, to the traffic circle.

(3) Go around the traffic circle on the right, then take the first road on the left, Allée des Platanes, and continue straight on to the next traffic circle. Go around the roundabout and follow the opposite road to a bend.

(4) Go straight ahead along a grassy lane lined with a few trees, then a grassy path for just over 1km to the entrance to the hamlet of Pont Thibault.

(5) When you reach the D917, go left for 50m, then take the first road on the right, Rue du Pont Thibault. This road becomes a paved road which bends to the left.

(6) Take the first dirt track on the left to then follow along a small wood on the right, before carefully crossing the D128 road and entering the La Broye hamlet.

(7) At the end of the road, turn left into Rue d'Ennetière for about 500m.

(8) At the former farmhouse, now a brewery, turn right into Rue du Maresquel, and continue to the end of the road.

(9) Turn left for 200m, the road has become a dirt track. Follow the first tree-lined path on the right for 500m.

(10) Take the first track on the left, at its end follow the road to the right, Rue du Marais du Leu, for 100m.

(11) When the road bends to the right, take the small path opposite, which leads back to the road we took on the outward journey. Turn right to reach the car park (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 31 m - Rue Gambetta car park opposite no. 52
  2. 1 : km 0.63 - alt. 35 m - Carrefour de la boucle
  3. 2 : km 4.36 - alt. 38 m - Entrance to the hamlet of Has
  4. 3 : km 5.32 - alt. 35 m - Roundabout
  5. 4 : km 5.79 - alt. 33 m - Grassy path
  6. 5 : km 7.26 - alt. 31 m - Entrance to Pont Thibault
  7. 6 : km 8.04 - alt. 31 m - Left-hand dirt track
  8. 7 : km 9.45 - alt. 34 m - Anienne route d'Ennetière
  9. 8 : km 9.88 - alt. 31 m - Brewery
  10. 9 : km 10.56 - alt. 30 m - Entering a wood
  11. 10 : km 11.17 - alt. 29 m - Between the pastures
  12. 11 : km 11.4 - alt. 30 m - Small path
  13. S/E : km 11.97 - alt. 31 m - Rue Gambetta car park opposite no. 52

Notes

As you leave Pont Thibault, you'll come across the cobblestones of the same name, used by the Paris-Roubaix cyclists in early April.

Reviews and comments

4.3 / 5
Based on 22 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.6 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.6 / 5
Route interest
3.7 / 5
Chris593012
Chris593012

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Feb 15, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

An easy route.
Good for winter as it is passable.
The second part is very pleasant from the Avelin exit onwards.
For those in the know, the route takes in a section of the cobbled Paris-Roubaix route at Pont-Thibaut.
Highly recommended.

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Pierre59110
Pierre59110

Overall rating : 3.5 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 19, 2023
Reliability of the description : Not used / Not applicable
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★☆☆☆ Disappointing
Very busy route : No

Easy circuit. Long straight along the TGV line.

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coldugalibier
coldugalibier

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 10, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

bonjour La 2eme partie est agreable ( a partir d'Avelin ) le long des serres et sur les pavés Toutefois ; nous avons augmenté la distance au départ (passant par "l'arbre de Fourmestraux ) car il ne fait que 11km !

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pierduq
pierduq

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Nov 07, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average
Very busy route : No

the second part is more pleasant than the first, which runs alongside the tgv To do

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freddaille
freddaille
• Edited:

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 11, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

No particular problems finding your way.
The start of the hike is "ordinary" in terms of scenery, then there's a nice variety for the last 2 thirds.
All in all, it's quite pleasant and easy to do.
Highly recommendable.

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MagDalie
MagDalie

Overall rating : 4.5 / 5

Date of your route : Nov 28, 2020
Reliability of the description : Not used / Not applicable
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

I did this walk in superb weather, which was enhanced by the blue sky...
The start of the walk is of no interest apart from its tranquillity, as it follows a railway line on a long straight stretch, but then the rest of the walk is full of charm and nature, a real pleasure...
Thanks for sharing!

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adubreux
adubreux

Overall rating : 4.5 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 15, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : Not used / Not applicable
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A pleasant walk whose main interest lies in discovering the unspoilt / hidden spots around Fretin. From small tree-lined paths to the cobbles of Paris Roubaix, there are plenty of nods to our local landscape. Apart from that, there are no particular sights worth seeing.
This is an easy walk, as there is no change in altitude, but beware of exposure to wind or sun.
Note that in Avelin, at the level of the plane tree avenue, you cross an area where wearing a mask is compulsory.

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francky0962
francky0962

Overall rating : 4.5 / 5

Date of your route : Feb 09, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : Not used / Not applicable
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good

A pleasant, quiet walk

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lorette lucantis
lorette lucantis

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 16, 2019
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good

Pleasantly surprised: a very quiet walk despite the nearby railway line and airport. The paths are relatively varied and there are even benches for a break! Lorette

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JMJournet
JMJournet

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 24, 2019
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average

The first part is a bit boring.

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cookie59
cookie59

Overall rating : 3 / 5

Date of your route : May 21, 2019
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★☆☆☆ Disappointing

Hello
We're used to finding places of interest on the route and nothing else.
Apart from fields as far as the eye can see and a good part of the walk along the TGV, with trains passing by very regularly, so it's very noisy.
We won't be keeping it on our bookshelves
We did it in the spring, and fortunately there are no trees to provide shade in the summer.

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henri57
henri57 ★

Hello,

Did the description and layout cause any problems? If so, what can be done about it? Can you make any suggestions?

A+

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Lad59
Lad59

Overall rating : 3.3 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 28, 2019
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good

Hello, it's a clean itinerary because we were well sprayed. Train enthusiasts will be delighted: we saw a dozen TGVs go by just a few metres away and it was impressive.
I think the end of the route could do with a little more precision, we got lost but perhaps through lack of attention, we enjoyed the cobbled sections, a wink and a thought to the Paris-Roubaix riders.
An interesting route, though, with some great encounters.
Thank you for your work

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dancamphin
dancamphin

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jan 01, 2019
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good

interesting circuit on a route with almost no traffic

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fxsauvage
fxsauvage

Not yet completed, but perhaps in the near future?

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