Le Quesnoy Ramparts Route

Car park: Place du Général Leclerc.

(S/E) Leave the square heading towards the church, go through the garden on its left and pass under the belfry. Turn right onto Rue du Maréchal Joffre and head towards the Tourist Office.

(1) Take the path on the right, between the Tourist Office and the Porte Fauroeulx. Then climb up to the left and follow the edge of the Bastion Vert to the right: take care. If you are prone to vertigo, stick to the lower path.
Head to Place Tournefort behind the bandstand.

(2) Walk past the bandstand and descend inside the ramparts to the foot of the castle’s demi-bastion. Continue to a brick-vaulted passage.

(3) Take the vaulted passage to discover the New Zealand Forces Memorial. Retrace your steps, go back through the passage and continue to the right along the path. On the counter-guard, walk between two ponds. Cross the road (Avenue de la Libération) at Porte Saint-Martin and continue straight ahead on the counter-guard, in front of the bastion of the same name. Climb the steps and continue straight on until you reach the half-moon of the Porte de Valenciennes.

(4) Cross the road. On the other side, go down the stone steps and pass in front of the metal structure at the foot of the war memorial. Walk along the moat, skirting the half-bastion of Château César, then the imposing Royal Bastion until you reach Rue Victor Hugo.

(5) Continue straight on along the ramparts and the pond, at the foot of the Bastion Impérial. After a bend to the right, at the dead end, take the passageway on the left. At the end, exit and climb the stairs carefully, then follow the path on the right until you reach a street. Before the street, turn right onto the path. At the Stop sign, turn right again. Between the Stop sign and the Porte Fauroeulx, go round the square Daniel Vincent on the right, then head back to the Tourist Office.

(1) Continue straight ahead, then turn left at the town hall to reach Place du Général Leclerc (S/E).

In wet weather, waterproof footwear is essential.

Car park: Place du Général Leclerc.

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

Follow the yellow markings.

Alternatives: “Discovering the trees of the ramparts” routes.

1/ 2 km route. Green markings. Same description as for the main route up to and including the point (1), then take the “passage” on the right and you will arrive at the New Zealand Forces Memorial site. Facing the New Zealand monument, turn right. Pass under the arch of the New Zealanders’ Porte d’Honneur, follow the path to the gate of Marguerite de Bourgogne’s castle and you will arrive at Place du Général Leclerc.

2/ 2 km route. Green markings. Same description for the start.
Please note: do not follow the directions from point (1).
Take the path on the left before the Porte Fauroeulx. Follow this to the wall with the arches, then take the steps. Walk along the top of the ramparts and then head back down.
Turn right into Rue de la Gare and take the first path on the right. Then follow the route description for the main route from point (5).

Le Quesnoy