Two woods, a slag heap and a charterhouse to digest it all

Park in the car park opposite the school on Rue Jules Guesde in Labeuvrière.

(S/E) Cross the grassy plain diagonally to reach the left end of the Prévôté wall. Then turn right towards the church to find a pretty vaulted passageway that leads to a square. Cross it to the right and then turn left into a small downhill lane, Sentier de l'Église. At the bottom, turn left and cross the railway line. Immediately after, turn left and follow the signpost. When you see two blocks of flats (on the right), look for a staircase on the right.

(1) Go down and continue along the bridge until you reach a gate. Then turn right to cross the lawn and join the Clarence. Cross it and turn right into the small park. Exit quickly to the left (stairs) to reach the main street of Lapugnoy. Follow it to the right for about 100 metres. Just after an electricity pole with a yellow hiking arrow, take the small road on the left. There are then two gates to go through (be careful to close them properly). Go up until you reach a T-junction.

(2) Turn left and, about 200 m further on, turn right to enter the Bois de Roquelaure, passing through the barrier. Go up a little and you will find a hiking signpost: from here, follow the red route to cross this first wood. At the signpost, turn right. Take a hairpin bend to the left and you will reach a fork. Take the right and you will come to a^{second fork} . Turn right again. Shortly after the junction with a path coming from the left, turn right at a right angle, hiking post: follow the red trail. Cross the valleys along this fairly wild path. You will reach a T-junction with a wide path.

(3) Follow it to the left (temporarily abandon the red markings that go to the right and follow the yellow ones). After about 200 m uphill, you will reach a fork. Continue straight ahead and you will find the red markings again. Then reach the northern edge of the Bois de Roquelaure, a moorland on the left. Take a hairpin bend to the left and, after about 300 m, you will reach a fork. Take the right, still following the red markings, on a path leading downhill with steps and a footbridge (December 2024: the wet section before the footbridge has just been beautifully renovated). After crossing the footbridge, turn left. A little further on, turn left again to go uphill and reach a crossroads.

(4) Go straight ahead and reach a fork.

(5) Turn right downhill (blue markings) and reach a T-junction.

(6) Turn right uphill to reach a wide path.

(7) Turn left and leave the woods (barrier). Follow the path that leads to the Calvaire de la Motte. Just after the Calvaire, take the path on the right to descend a rustic staircase and reach the first houses of Lapugnoy.

(8) Turn right and you will soon reach a fork. Leave the tarmac road and take the path on the right that runs alongside the woods. Join a small road and follow it to the right, still on the edge of the woods. At the end, take the path on the right that joins Rue Barbusse. Continue straight ahead to reach the military cemetery.

(9) At the cemetery, take the grassy path on the left that descends towards Lapugnoy.

(10) Just before reaching the D70, take the path on the left that leads to a housing estate. Continue straight ahead on Rue des Bleuets, and turn right before the end of the street into a small lane that joins Rue Gambetta. Follow it to the left and, at the bus stop, turn right onto Sentier de la Clarence. Cross the Clarence and continue to a crossroads. Opposite, head towards the lake and walk around it as closely as possible, but stay high up on the lawn.

Cross a footbridge, follow the pond and reach the park entrance (children's playground) either by crossing a^{second footbridge} or by crossing the motocross track. Reach Rue Bouchart and turn right. Cross the railway line and, at the crossroads, continue straight ahead uphill towards the Bois des Dames.

(11) At the edge of the woods (car park and houses on the right), head straight towards the information board (attractive wooden deer in July 2025). Enter the woods and you will immediately see a path on the right.

(12) Follow this uphill path (arrow on a tree at the start and orange Salamander markings). After a few short steep sections, you will reach a fork at the top of the hill (hunting information sign in July 2025).

(13) Turn right and, after a left turn, you will see another hunting sign.

(14) Turn right onto a path that is sometimes a little cluttered (July 2025). Keep heading south-west to arrive near the D188 (you can hear it). The path then slopes to the left, running alongside the D188 in the distance. Reach a crossroads with a large tree in the middle.

(15) Turn left and, a little further on, turn right. Continue eastwards (July 2025, fallen trees have been removed) to reach a crossroads (shelter "Taille de Bruay" on the left).

(16) Turn right and, a few metres further on, turn left (mountain bike sign). You will reach a fork.

(17) Take the path on the right (Red Cross on a tree). The path slopes to the left and reaches a T-junction.

(18) Turn right and, 100 m further on, you will find a narrow path on the left.

(19) Take this very rough trail. After 300 m, at the fork, go left uphill. At the next intersection, continue straight ahead (north-west) and reach a crossroads.

(20) Turn right and follow the path closely. Ignore a path on the left and continue until you reach a wider track.

(21) Take it on the left to reach a rustic staircase. Climb it and turn right (there are large trees) to reach a wide path near a forest house. Follow this path on the right. Ignore the first path on the left.

(22) A little further on, turn left at an acute angle onto a narrow path. You will reach a crossroads. Continue straight ahead to reach the slag heap. Go onto the slag heap and follow the vague path on the left (barrier). The easiest way is to go around the slag heap, staying on the black earth overlooking the woods. Be careful: there are craters on the right. Go to the end of the slag heap.

(23) Ignore the barrier and continue straight ahead on a wide path for about 100 metres until you find a path that branches off to the left.

(24) Follow this fairly clear path until you reach a T-junction.

(25) Turn left and pass in front of a pond (you can leave the path for a moment to get closer: it's quite nice, despite the frequent rubbish). Reach a fork.

(26) Take the narrow path on the right and you will soon reach a wider path. Follow it to the right. It slopes to the left and reaches a crossroads (tree with a slightly faded green number 31).

(27) Turn right and reach a fork (red metal stake).

(28) Turn right and, keeping close to the embankment on your left, descend to join a small road opposite Emmaüs. Follow it to the right, skirting the ugly wall surrounding Emmaüs. At the end of the wall, find a path that branches off to the left.

(29) Take this path, which is marked but rarely maintained, and reach a vast grassy plain. Cross it, staying as close as possible to Emmaüs, and reach a fork.

(30) Turn left onto the GRP® to follow the company (this section can be very muddy: see the Practical Information section for an alternative route). You will reach a crossroads (marked with a signpost). Leave the GRP® and take the path opposite through the woods. A little further on, rejoin the GRP® and follow it to the right. You will arrive opposite the Chartreuse (on your left).

(31) Turn left and follow the Chartreuse on the right to reach the road. Turn left, then immediately right (barrier) towards the entrance to the Sablière. Just before the gate, find a path on the right.

(32) Follow this rough path to reach a block of houses on the heights of Labeuvrière.

(33) Turn right to enter the Bois des Sablières. After 150 m, find a path on the left.

(34) Follow this path, which approaches the A26 motorway and then runs alongside it. It eventually turns left and reaches some houses. Take the lane between the houses and continue to a small road.

(35) Turn right and, at the crossroads, continue straight ahead to enter Labeuvrière (Rue Roger Salengro). After a left-right bend, find a small lane on the left.

(36) Follow this small road. Then take the^{second alley} on the right to arrive in front of the school. Go around it on the left to reach the car park (S/E).

Longer version of an existing hike: From forest to forest, starting from Labeuvrière and passing by slag heap no. 12

There are many paths in the undergrowth. The Bois de Roquelaure is quite nice, but you will definitely need good shoes to cross the Bois des Dames. A walking stick is also very useful, if only to knock back a few brambles or nettles.

Variation at (30): turn right and follow the good path recently covered with gravel until you reach a T-junction facing an old slag heap. Turn left and rejoin the GRP® opposite Emmaüs. Follow it to the right towards (31).