Route of wildflowers in Salesches

ROUTE TEMPORARILY CLOSED DUE TO FALLEN TREES

The route follows ‘caches’ – hedgerow paths linking the villages and surrounding pastures – as well as
farm tracks and quiet roads.

Details

1565007
Creation:
Last update:
Last review:
  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 8.13 mi
  • ◔
    Average duration: 3h 55 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 164 ft
  • ↘
    Descent: - 164 ft

  • ▲
    Highest point: 463 ft
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 312 ft

Photos

Description of the walk

Start at Place Roger Salengro in Salesches.

(S/E) With your back to the church, leave the square and follow Ruelle Saint-Aubert. At the end, take the path on the right. At the end of this, turn left onto Rue Georges Caffiaux.

(1) At the next junction, head down Rue du Viterland (dead end) to the right. At the next crossroads, turn left down the lane towards the Chapelle des Prés (do not cross the stream).

(2) Leave the chapel on your right and go under an old railway line. Continue straight ahead (south-east). The path becomes Rue Notre-Dame: go straight on until you reach the stadium.

(3) After the stadium, turn left onto Rue de Keighley. At the crossroads, take Rue Henri Roland opposite and, when it bends to the right, continue straight on along a footpath. Further on, cross Rue du Quesnoy and continue straight ahead on the footpath to come out onto Rue des Warennes.

(4) Follow it to the right downhill. Take thesecond left, Rue du Coucou. Ignore a turn-off to the left and then one to the right. After walking alongside a stream on the left-hand side, turn right onto a path. Pass through several turnstiles.

(5) Cross Rue de la Cavée du Drain and continue straight ahead. When you reach Rue du Calvaire, take the first turn left then right onto Rue des Arts. Take thefirst right onto Place Talma.

(6) At the end, turn left onto Rue Talma. Take thefirst right and, immediately after, thefirst left onto Rue du Percepteur. At the junction, continue straight ahead onto Ruelle du Percepteur.

(7) At the end, turn right. At the next junction, turn left onto the dirt track, Williot Res des Prés. This track runs straight for 1 km.

(8) Here, two contrasting landscapes meet: to the right and straight ahead, the bocage countryside dominates; to the left, fields of grain: turn right here. About 750 m further on, at a Fork in the road, veer left. Then ignore a path on the left. At the crossroads (calvary), first turn right then left to continue straight ahead.

(9) Immediately turn left into the lane just behind the cemetery. Cross the road and continue along Rue Prince. Take thefirst lane on the left. When you reach Rue Saint-Humbert, make the first turn left then right and follow Rue du Château.

(10) Take thesecond on the right. Cross a lane and note the Château de Vendegies-au-Bois on the left (private property). Continue straight ahead, leaving Rue Saint-Humbert on your right and going straight on into Rue Basse. Turn right onto Rue Prince. After about 50 metres, turn left into a narrow lane and walk past a tennis court. You’ll come out onto Rue de l’Église; follow it to the right. Then turn left and walk past the church.

(11) Cross Rue d'Ovillers (D286) and continue straight ahead along Rue de l'Enfer. At the junction, turn right onto Rue Rés Humbert. At the end, turn left onto Grand Rue (D86). After about 200 m, turn right into a new lane and go straight on between the fields.

(12) At the end, turn right onto the D86. Immediately turn left with the road. At the junction, go straight on into Rue Luthon. Pass a path on the left and go past the water tower. Cross Rue Lacomblez then, at a Fork in the road, continue straight on.

(13) Take thefirst alley on the right to go round the fortified church of Sainte-Elisabeth (16th century). You’ll come out onto a street; follow it to the left. Immediately, at the T-junction, turn right onto Rue du Maréchal Foch. About 150 m further on, turn left onto the ‘cache’ leading to the Saint-Georges stream. Cross the stream via a small bridge. Walk up Rue du Moulin opposite and, at the end, turn left.

(14) At the junction, turn left onto Rue Roger Salengro, then continue straight on into Grand Rue. Pass the school on your right and then take a small alleyway on the right; at the end of the alleyway, go round the church on the right. This will take you back to Place Salengro (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : mi 0 - alt. 374 ft - Place Roger Salengro
  2. 1 : mi 0.36 - alt. 348 ft - Rue du Viterland
  3. 2 : mi 0.7 - alt. 351 ft - Chapelle des Prés
  4. 3 : mi 1.3 - alt. 390 ft - Rue de Keighley
  5. 4 : mi 1.99 - alt. 417 ft - Rue du Coucou.
  6. 5 : mi 2.43 - alt. 404 ft - Rue de la Cavée du Drain
  7. 6 : mi 2.78 - alt. 374 ft - Rue Talma
  8. 7 : mi 3.01 - alt. 420 ft - Rue Eugénie Lefebvre
  9. 8 : mi 3.69 - alt. 440 ft - The bocage
  10. 9 : mi 4.59 - alt. 443 ft - Cemetery
  11. 10 : mi 5.09 - alt. 420 ft - Vendegies-au-Bois Castle
  12. 11 : mi 5.55 - alt. 413 ft - Church of Vendegies-au-Bois
  13. 12 : mi 6.45 - alt. 417 ft - D86 road
  14. 13 : mi 6.98 - alt. 371 ft - Start from the alleyway
  15. 14 : mi 7.59 - alt. 364 ft - Junction
  16. S/E : mi 8.13 - alt. 374 ft - Place Roger Salengro

Notes

In wet weather, wear suitable footwear.

Route included in the PDIPR (Departmental Plan for Walking and Hiking Routes)

Follow the yellow markings.

Short 5 km alternative:

Follow the start of the main route description up to (1).
Cross the Saint-Georges stream to the right via the footbridge ( take care in wet or icy conditions) and follow the farm track to a wayside cross.
Head up the road to the left and, before the old railway line, turn right onto the grassy path. At the end of the path, cross the road and turn left to follow the verge.
You will arrive on Rue Luthon, not far from the (13). Turn right and head towards the fortified church of Neuville-en-Avesnois. From the church, the route is the same as the main route.

Worth a visit

(2) Chapelle des Prés. The origins of this chapel seem to date back quite a long way. Added to the mystery of its origins is that of a legend: “Whilst mowing in the meadows along the Saint-Georges stream, peasants found a statue of the Virgin Mary near the fountain. This statue, which had been taken to the church, was reportedly found the next day in the same spot. The miracle is said to have occurred three times, which led to the decision to build a chapel on this site”.

Reviews and comments

4.8 / 5
Based on 10 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.8 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.9 / 5
Route interest
4.7 / 5
candy59
candy59

Overall rating : 4.5 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 13, 2025
Reliability of the description : Not used / Not applicable
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Having done this hike in May 2020 and a few days ago, I strongly recommend doing it on a fine day when spring is well underway.

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Fab et Mary
Fab et Mary

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 27, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

Very beautiful hike
Problem at the end of the hike: the small path was impassable due to vegetation

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Mitch59
Mitch59

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 29, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A very beautiful hike in a bucolic setting.
It should be noted that the section leaving Vendegies au Bois was completely impassable on the day of the hike
as it was overgrown with brambles and nettles.

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meats
meats

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 10, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A beautiful hike that alternates between countryside and
beautiful villages
It's a shame that the last section hadn't been cleared.

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Fiddler Fab
Fiddler Fab

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jan 15, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Muddy passages in winter, please report; shoes with good grip are required.

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OlivierH59
OlivierH59

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 13, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A beautiful hike, often along shaded paths, passing through three villages for added enjoyment.
Pretty chapel and beautiful castle along the route.
The route is very well marked, so it's impossible to get lost, and the paths are well maintained.

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bibmich59
bibmich59

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Feb 18, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

A very beautiful route.
Personally, I do this one on Saturday afternoons so I can stop off at La DREUM brasserie in Neuville en Avesnois. This place is really worth a visit at the end of the route.
Enjoy your walk!

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Francis Duflos
Francis Duflos

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Nov 29, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

At some point, this route was privatised, which is completely abnormal given the paths in use. When will collective rights be respected in this country? Should hunters and landowners be allowed to lay down the law, to the detriment of the collective?
Thank you and best regards,
Francis;

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PATRICK NOTTE
PATRICK NOTTE

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 02, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A beautiful route, but brambles in some places may close off the hedgerow paths.
Some sections along the winding little river are magnificent.
The villages you pass through add to the enjoyment of the hike.

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gerendo
gerendo

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Jan 19, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A very beautiful route through the countryside, not very busy, but the season is not particularly conducive to walking along country lanes.
Come back in spring to take some lovely photos.

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