Circular route starting from Etréaupont

Starting from Saint-Martin Church, park in the car park at the foot of the church.

(S/E) Cross the N2 (Rue du Général de Gaulle) – which links La Capelle to Vervins – with care; take a look at Saint-Martin Church with its twisted bell tower, then head north to join the Axe Vert.
Cross over the River Oise and continue straight on for 150m; the Axe Vert is signposted on both sides of the N2, to the left towards Guise and to the right towards Hirson.

(1) Turn left onto the Axe Vert de la Thiérache towards Guise. You’ll follow the River Oise on your left until you reach Sorbais, another small village.

(2) At the end of the Axe Vert, turn right towards the village, then follow a path to the left. Cross a wooden bridge over the River Lerzy, leave the path at Rue Jean Fecelle (D313), which you should follow carefully to the left.

(3) Cross over the Oise and continue to the junction with the Axe Vert.

(4) Turn right onto the Axe Vert after a cluster of houses. Follow this greenway for about 1 km. Walk alongside the D31 road and take a path on the left up an embankment to rejoin the D31.

(5) Cross carefully and head up the path opposite, which is the^GR®122; the red and white symbol is on a sign to your right.

(6) At the junction with a footpath, continue left up the hill to the village of Solmont.
Leaving the path, follow the^GR® to the right onto the D318, ignore the next street and continue to the crossroads.

(7) At the next junction, turn right onto Rue Ham-Solmont or the D318, and follow this road carefully to the water tower.

(8) Turn sharp left, pass several farms and keep going straight on. Ignore the road on your right and thus the^GR® to head back towards the village of Étréaupont, until you reach the Route Nationale 2.

(9) Take the N2 on the left and drive down carefully to reach the car park at Saint-Martin Church (S/E).

Sturdy shoes and walking poles for the sometimes muddy paths of^{the GR®},

Organic, local and artisan market organised by the Les Fanes de Carottes farmers’ and community cooperative. Usually held on the third Saturday afternoon of each month from 3pm to 7pm in the school playground behind the church.

In Sorbais, starting from the town hall, you can go on a 7.9 km walk called “La Chouette et le Bocage”, lasting 2½ hours. You can download the route description from www.randonner.fr, the hiking portal for the Aisne.

Starting point for a visit to Vervins, 7 km away, and the Thiérache Museum