Exploring La Calestienne – La Roche du Pas

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If you’re visiting the region for the first time and want to start off gently, we recommend this route, which combines a lovely view, a walk through the forest and an exploration of La Calestienne.

Details

n°575370
Creation:
Last update:
Last review:
  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 2.10 mi
  • ◔
    Average duration: 1h 10 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Easy
  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 240 ft
  • ↘
    Descent: - 240 ft
  • ▲
    Highest point: 699 ft
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 453 ft
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Description of the walk

(S) Starting from the village church, with our backs to it, we head straight ahead and take the first street on our right, Rue Saint-Eloi, towards the village’s main crossroads and the River Viroin. We arrive at the village’s Old Bridge. We cross the river and, once on the other side, we cross (carefully) the N99 main road – also known here as Rue du Vignoble – and head towards the street opposite, Rue Autre Côté de l’Eau, which we follow until we reach the first junction, shortly after passing a farm.

(1) At this first junction, we take the path on our right. This path climbs in a straight line up the hill, towards what the villagers call “La Goulette”. Once at the top of the hill, we come out onto a farmland plateau.

(2) Further on, we come to a copse tucked away amongst the fields. Just behind this copse, we take the path that runs for 100 metres to the woods. We reach the nature reserve path, which we take to the left to make a round trip to La Roche du Pas.

(3) A little further on, we finally reach La Roche du Pas. Shortly afterwards, we set off again towards the crossroads at the edge of the woods, following the path we had taken on the way there.

We take the path on the left and thus arrive at a road called Rue de la Goulette, which leads back down to the N99 main road and the ‘Vieux Pont’ (Old Bridge), which we crossed at the start.

We walk through the village and then head towards our finishing point in front of the village church (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : mi 0 - alt. 459 ft - Village church – Head towards the - Viroin (rivière) - Belgique
  2. 1 : mi 0.62 - alt. 479 ft - Towards La Goulette
  3. 2 : mi 1.23 - alt. 640 ft - Grove by the old barn
  4. 3 : mi 1.4 - alt. 676 ft - Roche du Pas
  5. S/E : mi 2.1 - alt. 459 ft - Village church

Notes

No special equipment is required, but do remember to take something to drink with you along the way.
The starting point for the walk is in the heart of the village, in front of the old church.

Worth a visit

  • Once on the Goulette plateau, we can see, to our right, the house of a former artist and champion of the village, Simone de la Goulette, who was a pioneer in promoting tourism in the village and the region.
  • The small copse tucked away amongst the fields on the Goulette plateau is in fact an old barn that was burnt down and abandoned, where nature has reclaimed its rights.
  • From La Roche du Pas, perched on a rocky outcrop surrounded by magnificent Scots pines that lend the spot a Provençal air, we can gaze out over the village of Olloy.

Reviews and comments

3.7 / 5
Based on 4 reviews
Reliability of the description
3.5 / 5
Ease of following the route
3.8 / 5
Route interest
3.8 / 5
Dazin Béatrice
Dazin Béatrice

Overall rating : 3.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 02, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average
Very busy route : No

We’ve done it twice in a month, but to avoid the tarmac road on the other side of the water and the track suitable for vehicles all the way to ‘La Goulette’, we took a shortcut yesterday along the little GR-marked path at the bottom of the hill – you take it on the right between two houses. It’s a very pleasant path that shortens the walk whilst avoiding that long stretch of tarmac and then concrete! Nothing to say about the rest of the route. A very pleasant forest walk all the way to La Roche du Pas!

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Dumbo
Dumbo

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 14, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A lovely little walk, very easy, with a beautiful view from the Roche du Pas. It would just be helpful to specify the direction each time (’left’ or ’right’) as I was a bit unsure at times, particularly when it mentions a path ’just after the copse’. As there were two copses, I didn’t notice the first one and, when I reached the second, I couldn’t see a path. Otherwise, all good – very well done. Thank you!

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Mirbou
Mirbou

Overall rating : 3.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 03, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

I think it would be useful to suggest Olloy-sur-Viroin as the starting point, rather than Viroinval.
The difficulty of the route would be more ‘moderate’ than ‘easy’.

It’s a little-used route, so the section just after the copse is a bit of a problem. You can’t see the path through the tall grass.

Otherwise, we weren’t disappointed with this walk.

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henri57
henri57 ★

Hello,

Reliability of the description: Average

Did the description cause any problems? If so, how can this be resolved? Could you make some suggestions?

Accuracy of the route on the map: Average

Did the route cause any problems?
Did you follow the route using a GPS device or a GPS app?
Did you deviate from the route of the walk?

See you soon

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pierre. croq
pierre. croq

Overall rating : 3 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 25, 2018
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average

The path beyond the secluded copse, which leads to La Roche du Pas, has disappeared into the tall grass (due to a lack of visitors!!!)

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