From Nœux to the Bouvigny antenna

Parking at the entrance to Rue Voltaire in Nœux-les-Mines.

(S/E) Follow Rue Voltaire southwards. Ignore the streets on the left and you will soon find a good path. You will reach a crossroads.

(1) Turn left. After 800 m, take the path on the right and you will reach a small road.

(2) Follow it to the right, running alongside the cemetery. A few metres after the cemetery, turn left onto Petit Chemin de Sains. Pass a few houses, then you will find yourself in the middle of fields. Reach a fork and turn right onto a grassy path. You will soon reach the D188 (traffic lights).

(3) Cross it and take the path opposite. You will reach a fork.

(4) Take the path on the left ( see practical information). Ignore a path on the left, then, at the crossroads, continue straight ahead. You will end up walking alongside a playground (on the right) before reaching Rue Lamendin via a staircase.

(5) Cross it and take the path opposite (gap in the hedge) which crosses the railway tracks and goes up to the road. Follow it to the right. After about 50 metres, turn left onto the dirt track. Stay on this track and join Boulevard de la Fosse 10, just before the bridge over the Rocade.

(6) Turn left, cross the bridge over the ring road and head down towards Cité des Oiseaux. Climb the hill on the left to cross the small park and pass to the left of the HLM. Immediately afterwards, turn right, then at the three-way junction, take Rue des Roitelets on the left (straight towards the woods and the antenna). The street quickly becomes a good path and eventually reaches a crossroads (houses).

(7) Continue straight ahead (with the GR®) on a steeply ascending path (often very slippery!) that leads to the Crête, between the antennas.

(8) Follow the tarmac path on the right to join the D57. Follow it on the right. Ignore the turn-off on the left (towards Verdrel) and arrive at the former Centre Aéré d'Hersin. The D57 turns right and just after, at a car park, you will find a path on the right.

(9) Follow it away from the road until you reach a T-junction. Take the path on the right to begin the descent towards the Étangs des Claires Fontaines. You will arrive in front of some brand new barbed wire (it's crazy how much we love this stuff in our country!). Turn left to reach the entrance to the ponds. Then go around the ponds on the right (it is well signposted) and reach the car park (it seems that passing through the ponds is no longer allowed. Surprising, isn't it?). Reach the park exit.

(10) Then turn left onto Rue de l'Étang and join Rue d'Arras, which you follow on the left to reach the D57. Follow it for about a hundred metres on the left, looking out for a rustic staircase that climbs the embankment on the right.

(11) Take the staircase. At the top, turn left onto a pleasant path that turns right at a right angle and arrives at a T-junction.

(12) Turn right onto a path that descends towards Hersin (February 2026, this path is blocked by a large tree. It is possible to pass by climbing the embankment on the left and walking along the field. Problem reported to Suricate). You will reach a crossroads.

(13) Take the wide path on the left. You will approach the ring road before reaching a small road.

(14) Follow it for a while on the left and reach a house.

(15) Take the grassy path on the right (Chemin des Morts) and follow it (basically, keep going straight) to the hamlet of Bracquencourt.

(16) Follow the small road on the right until you reach a fork. Take the road on the left, which becomes a path. After 100 metres, turn right at a right angle and follow the good (but sometimes slippery) path through the woods. You will arrive near the ring road (very noisy) and follow it to the bridge.

(17) Pass under the bridge. Approach the pillars on the right to find a nice path. You will soon reach Rue d'Houdain. Cross it and continue straight ahead on the path, which is now excellent (ridge path). Follow this ridge path and go around a bend to the right to reach a fork.

(18) Take the path on the left (do not go down) and cross a small bridge. Cross the railway tracks and follow the narrow path that goes around the slag heap and joins a wider path.

(19) Follow it to the left and join the D 188. Cross it (be careful!), then follow it for a moment on the right. Turn left onto the first path (after the house) and reach a T-junction.

(20) Take the track on the left and immediately turn right onto the path to follow the Loisne on the left bank. A very beautiful path (in its first part, but the end is more difficult. In August 2024, we had to walk along the edge of the field because there was so much grass! Fine in December 2024) leads us to the D 179.

(21) Follow it on the right until you reach the traffic lights. Cross over and, at the car park, cross the park diagonally to reach the starting point (S/E).

Usual equipment: walking boots and walking stick(s).

December 2024: at point (4), a tree is blocking the path. Go around the obstacle on the left: a short climb, then immediately descend on the right to find the path and follow it on the left.