Woods, footpaths and mining heritage around Lapugnoy

Lapugnoy, car park near Rue Cyr Bouchart

(S/E) Head to Rue Cyr Bouchart and follow it a few metres to the right. Just before crossing the Clarence, turn left and head to a car park. At the end, turn right (cross the Clarence without seeing it), then immediately left to walk along the Résidence du Parc. Reach a small road and follow it on the right before turning left to cross the Clarence again (now visible). Turn right into the small park. Exit quickly (stairs) to reach the main street of Lapugnoy. Follow it to the right for about 100 metres. Just after an electricity pole with a yellow hiking arrow, take the small road on the left. There are two barriers to cross (be careful to close them properly). Climb until you reach a T-junction.

(1) Turn left and, about 200 metres further on, turn right to enter the Bois de Roquelaure, passing through the barrier. Climb a little and you will find a hiking post (see practical information). Take the right path on the left, staying close to the edge. Ignore a path on the right and reach a fork.

(2) Take the left path and climb up to a T-junction. Take the wide lane on the left and exit the woods (barrier). Follow the path that leads to the Calvary of La Motte. Just after the Calvary, take the path on the right to descend a rustic staircase and reach the first houses of Lapugnoy.

(3) Turn right and you will immediately reach a fork. Leave the tarmac road and take the path on the right that runs alongside the woods. Join a small road and follow it to the right, still on the edge of the woods. At the end, take the path on the right that leads to Rue Barbusse. Take the road opposite to reach the military cemetery.

(4) Take the wide farm track (GRP®) on the right. After 1 km, turn left. Pass an isolated house and you will reach a block of houses. Continue straight ahead for about 100 metres and you will find a path on the right (end of the GRP®).

(5) Take it between the hedges and you will reach a crossroads.

(6) Opposite, take the path between the hedge and the field. Follow this somewhat difficult path until you reach a road (Rue Louis Dagneaux). Follow it straight ahead for about ten metres and you will find a small lane on the right.

(7) Follow it (Sentier d'Allouagne). At the crossroads, continue straight ahead until you reach a T-junction. Turn left onto Rue de la Longue Raie and, 50 metres further on, turn right onto Rue du Trou à la Marne. Follow it until you reach the first pedestrian crossing.

(8) Turn left onto Voyette des Amoureux. At the end, turn right and continue until you reach a crossroads. Go straight ahead towards the church. At the fork, take the right-hand path to Rue de la Riviérette. Follow it to the right. At^{the first roundabout} , go straight ahead, and at^{the second roundabout, turn left} towards the cemetery. After the cemetery, continue straight ahead for about 50 metres until you see the entrance to Ruelle des Jardins on your left.

(9) Follow this winding (and sometimes wet) lane until you reach a small street. Follow it to the right and you will arrive at a square. Go up the small staircase on the right and cross the square diagonally to reach Rue Salengro. Follow it to^{the first crossroads} .

(10) Take Ruelle du Touquet on the left. At the end, turn left, then right.

(11) Cross the Busnettes and join the D183 opposite the café. Cross carefully and follow the street opposite to the roundabout.

(12) Continue straight ahead on Rue des Champs d'Arras. Take the^{first path} on the left through the fields and you will come to a T-junction. Turn left onto the path (which can sometimes be wet) and follow it as it zigzags until you reach another T-junction.

(13) Turn onto a path on the left, and just before the antenna, turn right to enter the Parc de la Mairie. Pass behind the town hall, then walk along a large residential building. Go down the small staircase on the left to find a small path that joins the D183. Follow it on the right until you reach the pedestrian crossing. Cross the road and take the small street opposite. At the T-junction, turn right to reach another T-junction opposite the sports hall. Turn left and walk for about 100 metres until you find a grassy path on the right (opposite Rue du Docteur Delahousse).

(14) Follow this poorly maintained path until you reach a farm. Facing the wall, continue along the edge of the field on the right. The path then turns left and becomes easier to walk on before joining the D188. Follow it to the right until you reach the roundabout. Turn left onto Rue de Pernes and follow it until you find a path leading off to the left.

(15) Follow this path for 300 metres, then turn right onto a grassy path leading uphill. At the top, take the path on the left to arrive opposite the EHPAD la Manaie nursing home.

(16) Turn left, then left again at the^{second street} (Rue du Mont Cenis) to reach the D183. Follow it to the left for about 50 metres to reach the entrance to the Vallée Carreau site.

(17) Enter the site on the right and follow the small path to reach a crossroads.

(18) Take the path on the left and continue straight ahead (nice view of the Auchel slag heaps) to arrive near the Bon Air nursing home.

(19) Just before the tarmac, turn left at the edge of the field. A little further on, turn right, cross a wasteland and go behind the nursing home. Continue straight ahead (either in the grass or by joining the path on the right) to reach Cité Sainte-Barbe.

(20) Turn right, then take the^{second street} on the left (Rue de Bruxelles) to reach the D188. Cross (protected crossing slightly to the right) and take Rue du Mont Éventé opposite towards the school. At the fork, take the right-hand lane. Pass the equestrian centre and descend towards Lapugnoy. You will reach a green space and find a beautiful grassy path on the right.

(21) Follow it until you reach a street. Follow it uphill to the right. At the end of the bend, follow a wide grassy path downhill to the left to reach the D70. Follow it to the right, staying on the grassy part, until you reach a pedestrian crossing.

(22) Cross the D70 and take the wide path opposite. Cross the Clarence and arrive opposite the Morieux warehouse. Turn right, cross the railway line and head left: there is traffic, so walk safely on the grass on the left (it would be easy to improve this...). after 300 metres, you will reach a green gate on the right.

(23) Go through the gate (on the right) to arrive opposite the slag heap. Head towards the marker post opposite, either by crossing the ditch or going around it on the left.

(24) After the marker (Randonnée du Ravisoir), begin the ascent of the slag heap. You will soon reach another marker. Do not follow the signs, but turn right and head downhill (there is a small stream in the hollow). You will reach a T-junction (not shown on maps).

(25) Turn left. Stay on the fairly well-marked path. Ignore two successive turnings on the right (between the two, there is a fairly wet area where you often have to walk around the side). You will then reach a field. Walk along it to reach the entrance to the Bois des Dames.

(26) Turn left onto the road and continue to the D181. Cross it, pass the railway line and arrive at the entrance to Parc de la Clarence.

(27) From there, return directly to the car park by continuing straight ahead or (choice of route): enter the park. Cross the playground, then the cyclo-cross track to reach a footbridge on the right. Cross it and turn left into the grass, following the lake. You will arrive near a small footbridge.

(28) Turn right and you will come to a wide path. Cross the footbridge and immediately turn right to follow the river and return to the car park (S/E).

Be sure to wear good walking shoes.

There is probably a water source in the Allouagne cemetery.

At the entrance to the Bois de Roquelaure, you can turn right for a stroll through the woods. See description in the hike "From wood to wood starting from Labeuvrière" (between points (2) and (6)). However, this adds more than 3 km to the distance.