Bois de la Provision from Lombise

Park at the car park on Place de Lombise.

(S/E) Head towards Lombise Castle and follow Avenue de l’Yser, which climbs gently and runs alongside the castle park wall. Reach a crossroads with a chapel and turn left onto Rue des Frères, which joins Rue Flotte in Parois.

(1) Follow the street to the left, enjoying lovely views on your left of the castle grounds and its ancient trees, until you reach another street. Follow this to the right. The concrete surface gives way to a stony path.

(2) The path climbs gently and, at the top, offers a sweeping panorama to the left. You’ll reach a three-way junction and head left.

(3) The small tarmac road descends towards a remarkable weeping willow, near a renovated farmhouse and benches made from pallets. Pass a street on your left and continue to the right.
Cross a small copse bathed by the Rieu des Viviers, reach Rue Haute, and follow it to the right as far as No. 8.

(4) Turn onto the path to the right which descends and crosses the Rieu des Viviers via a small concrete bridge, joining Rue des Viviers.
Follow it to the left until you reach a junction formed by three streets and a dirt track which, between two houses, heads off to the right. Follow this grassy track which climbs gently and joins a T-junction.

(5) Turn left. The path joins a quiet road. Follow it to the right and keep to the left-hand side. The road descends and reaches a sharp left-hand bend, level with a car park covered in solar panels, the car park for Pairi Daiza Wildlife Park.

(6) Cross the road very carefully and follow the dirt track to the right; you are now on the Chemin Royal. This wide dirt track leads towards the Bois de la Provision. Reach the edge of the woods and continue straight ahead. The track gives way to a path which widens a little further on. Reach a junction of forest tracks.

(7) Take the wide path straight ahead, which curves slightly to the right and, at a hunting lodge, reaches a road; cross this carefully, then continue straight ahead.
The path passes a chapel dedicated to Notre-Dame de Hal, dating from 1861, and several houses.
Reach a track suitable for vehicles that branches off to the left.

(8) Join Rue des Panottes. You are now in the municipality of Thoricourt. Follow it to the right towards Lombise to rejoin Rue Flotte à Parois and reach a concrete path between houses nos. 24 and 22.

(9) Follow the path, cross a road carefully and continue straight ahead along the tarmac path until you reach the gable end of a house.

(10) Take the small grassy path that heads to the right and leads to a small covered passageway that opens onto Place de Lombise (S/E).

An easy walk that passes a few beautiful restored farmhouses: perfect for a family outing.
No facilities for refreshments or water points.
Bench before Cambron Saint-Vincent at the foot of a remarkable willow tree.

At (2) Option to shorten the walk: take the path which, to the right, leads towards No. 10 Rue Tambour. Stay on the main path and rejoin the route at (7)

At (8) you can combine this walk with “The pretty rolling countryside of Thoricourt” (no. 12420652 – 7.25 km), which I have published. This (8) corresponds to (7) on that other walk.

Visit to Pairi Daisa.