From coal to the border

Park in the COSEC Charles de Gaulle car park on Rue des Anciens Combattants.

Signpost no. 1

(S/E) Turn right onto Rue des Anciens Combattants, then immediately left (Rue du Paradis). Follow the Houille river. At the end of the street, take a small path on the right and join Route de Beauraing.

(1) Cross at the pedestrian crossing, then take the signposted path on the left. Cross the metal bridge and continue along the cycle path along the dyke until you reach the Moulin Boreux intersection.

(2) Leave the cycle path, cross the footbridge over the dyke and the Houille river, then follow the path keeping the Houille on your right. You will arrive at a group of houses in the Champ des Linets neighbourhood.

(3) Turn left onto the paved road and follow it to the multi-way intersection. Leave the paved road and take the path on the right. You will arrive at the road at number 5.

(4) Cross the road and turn left. A few steps further on, turn right (Chemin de Normandie) and continue straight ahead until you reach a crossroad (Félix Pré farm).

(5) Turn left and cross the D989 with great caution as this junction is dangerous. Continue straight ahead to reach the edge of the Bois du Pavillon.

(6) Take the path on the edge of the woods on the right, climb up to the plateau and the Ferme du Bois. Be careful, there are dogs here, but they are not vicious.

(7) Walk along the farm and continue straight ahead. Follow the edge of the Bois de la Ferme, enter the woods and a few steps further on you will find a boundary marker marking the border between France and Belgium.

(8) Take the path on the left towards Bois Marot. Enter the woods to reach a pond, but be careful as this is private property. Turn slightly to the left and stay on this path until you reach the crossroads at the old fortified farmhouse of Massembre. Continue to the top of this small hill to reach a viewpoint near the model aircraft field.

(9) Start down the easy descent on the left. At the crossroads, turn right to find a multiple crossroads.

(10) Turn left (Chemin de la Vielle Duve) and continue along this road until you reach the COSEC car park (S/E).

Between (5) and (6) at the junction with the D989, you can stop off at the Olivo restaurant, where Landry and his team will be delighted to welcome you to their brasserie-pizzeria.

Opposite (1), on the other side of the river, are the old ramparts of Givet.

(2) La Roche Hulobiet: don't miss this rock with its visible layers. There was a fort on its summit in 1784. Together with the fort in the commune to the west, it formed an advanced defence for Givet. This rock is a National Nature Reserve.

(5) Ferme Félix Pré: this is the former Félipré Abbey. It was founded in 1230. Unfortunately, it has fallen into disrepair.

(7) Ferme du Bois de l'Abbaye: on the right, you will see the village of Feschaux in Belgium, nestled in the forest on the hill.
In front of the farm, you will be intrigued by a large stone. It is the base of a statue dedicated to Jules Lartigue, former mayor of Givet (1884-1898). It used to stand in the town but was destroyed in the 1960s. It is not known how the base ended up here.

(9) View:
- to the north, Belgium: from left to right, the former castle of Agimont, the Meuse with the piers of the Heer-Agimont bridge, the village of Agimont and the holiday village of Massembre
- to the south, take the time to discover, in a 180° panorama from left to right: the Houille valley, Mont d'Haurs, the Grégoire Tower, Givet Notre-Dame, the Meuse valley, the Victoire Tower, Givet Saint-Hilaire, the blue stone quarries, Charlemont citadel of Givet, Fort Condé, the Maugis Tower and the former manor house of Agimont.
Feel free to walk back up the path on your left for 250 metres and stop just before the hedges to discover the village of Fromelennes. Turn a quarter to the left and you will see the Belgian village of Feschaux in the distance in the forest. Continue turning around and you will also see the holiday village of Massembre.