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-hand end of the Prévôté wall. Then turn right towards the church to find a pretty arched passageway leading to a square. Cross the square to the right, then turn left onto a sloping path, the Sentier de l’Église. At the bottom, turn left and cross the railway line. Immediately afterwards, turn left and follow the footbridge. When you see two blocks of flats (on the right), look out for a flight of steps on the right.

(1) Go down the steps and continue along the footbridge until you reach a gate. Then turn right to cross the lawn and reach the Clarence. Cross it and turn right into the small park. Leave the park immediately on the left (via the steps) to join the main street of Lapugnoy. Follow it to the right for about a hundred metres. Just past an electricity pole, marked with a yellow hiking arrow (PR®: Sentier d’Ecques), take the small path on the left. You will then need to go through two gates (ignore the ‘private property’ sign andmake sure you close them properly). Walk uphill until you reach a T-junction.

(2) Head left and, about 200 metres further on, turn right to enter the Bois de Roquelaure, passing through the gate. Walk uphill a little until you come to a hiking marker post: from here, broadly follow the red route to cross this first wood. At the marker post, turn right. Take a hairpin bend to the left and reach a Fork in the road. Take the right-hand fork and arrive at a^{second Fork} in the road. Turn right again. Shortly after the junction with a path coming from the left, turn sharply right at a right angle; there is a signpost: follow the Red route. Cross the valleys along this rather wild path. Reach a T-junction with a wide path.

(3) Follow it to the left (temporarily ignore the red markings which head off to the right and follow the yellow markings). After about 200 m uphill, you’ll reach a Fork in the road. Continue straight on and rejoin the red markings here. You’ll then reach the northern edge of the Bois de Roquelaure, with heathland to your left. Take a hairpin bend to the left and, after about 300 m, you’ll reach a Fork in the road. Turn right, still following the red markings, onto a descending path featuring steps and a footbridge (December 2024: the damp section before the footbridge has just been superbly improved). After crossing the footbridge, turn left. A little further on, turn left again to head uphill and reach a junction.

(4) Head straight ahead and reach a Fork in the road.

(5) Turn right down the slope (blue markings) and reach a T-junction.

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

(7) Turn left and leave the woods (gate). Follow the path leading to the Calvary at La Motte. Just past the Calvary, take the path on the right to descend via a rustic staircase and reach the first houses in Lapugnoy.

(8) Turn right and you’ll immediately come to a Fork in the road. Leave the tarmac road and take the path on the right which runs alongside the woods. Join a small road and follow it to the right, still skirting the edge of the woods. At the very end, take the path on the right which leads to Rue Barbusse. Head straight on to reach the military cemetery.

(9) At the cemetery, take the grassy path on the left which leads down towards Lapugnoy.

(10) Just before reaching the D70, take the path on the left which leads to a housing estate. Continue straight ahead along Rue des Bleuets, and turn right – before the end of the street – onto a narrow lane which joins Rue Gambetta. Follow it to the left, then, at a bus stop, turn right onto the Sentier de la Clarence. Cross the Clarence and reach a junction. Head straight on towards the pond and walk as close as possible around it, but stay on the higher ground on the lawn.

Cross a footbridge, walk alongside the pond, and reach the park entrance (children’s playground) either by crossing a^{second footbridge} or by crossing the cyclo-cross track. Reach Rue Bouchart and turn right. Cross the railway line and, at the junction, continue straight on uphill towards the Bois des Dames.

(11) At the edge of the woods (car park and houses on the right), head straight on towards the information board (a lovely wooden stag in July 2025). Enter the woods and you’ll immediately find a path on the right.

(12) Follow this uphill path (an arrow on a tree at the start and ‘Salamandre Orange’ markings). After a few short steep sections, you’ll reach a Fork in the road at the top of the hill (hunting information sign in July 2025).

(13) Turn right and, after a left-hand bend, you’ll come to another hunting information sign.

(14) Turn right onto a path that is sometimes a little overgrown (July 2025). Keep heading south-west until you reach the vicinity of the D188 (you can hear it). The path then curves to the left, running alongside the D188 at a distance. You’ll reach a junction with a large tree in the middle.

(15) Turn left and, a little further on, turn right. Continue heading east (July 2025, the fallen trees have been cleared) until you reach a junction (the ‘Taille de Bruay’ shelter on the left).

(16) Turn right and, a few metres further on, turn left (mountain bike signposting). You’ll reach a Fork in the road.

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

(18) Turn right and, 100 metres further on, you’ll find a narrow path on the left.

(19) Take this very wild path. 300 metres further on, at the Fork in the road, head left uphill. At the next junction, carry on straight ahead (north-west) until you reach a junction.

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

(21) Take this to the left to reach a rustic flight of steps. Climb these and turn right (where there are tall trees) to join a wide track near a forest lodge. Follow this track to the right. Ignore the first turn-off to the left.

(22) A little further on, turn sharply left onto a narrow track. You’ll reach a junction. Continue straight ahead to reach the spoil tip. Head onto the slag heap and follow the faintly marked path on the left (gate). The easiest way is then to go round the slag heap, keeping well on the black earth overlooking the woodland. Caution: craters on the right. Reach the end of the slag heap.

(23) Ignore the barrier and carry on straight ahead along a wide path for about a hundred metres, until you come to a track branching off to the left.

(24) Follow this fairly distinct track until you reach a T-junction.

(25) Turn left and walk past a pond (you can leave the path for a moment to get a closer look: it’s quite pleasant, despite the frequent litter). You’ll reach a Fork in the road.

(26) Take the narrow path on the right and you’ll soon reach a wider track. Follow it to the right. It curves to the left and reaches a junction (a tree with a slightly faded green ‘31’ mark).

(27) Turn right and you’ll reach a Fork in the road (red metal post).

(28) Turn right and, keeping close to the embankment on the left, head downhill to a small road opposite Emmaüs. Follow it to the right, skirting the hideous wall surrounding Emmaüs. At the end of the wall, you’ll find a path leading off to the left.

(29) Take this path, which is signposted but rarely maintained, and you’ll reach a vast grassy plain. Cross it, keeping as close to Emmaüs as possible, until you reach a Fork in the road.

(30) Turn left onto the GRP® to walk alongside the factory (this section can be very, very muddy: an alternative route is given in the Practical Information section). You’ll reach a junction (marked with an arrowed post). Leave the GRP® here and take the path through the woodland opposite. A little further on, rejoin the GRP® and follow it to the right. You’ll come out opposite the Chartreuse (it’s on the left).

(31) Turn left and walk along the right-hand side of the Chartreuse to reach the road. Turn left, then immediately right (at the barrier) towards the entrance to the Sablière. Just before the gate, find a path on the right.

(32) Follow this unmarked path to reach a cluster of houses on the hills above Labeuvrière.

(33) Turn right to enter the Bois des Sablières. 150 m further on, look for a path on the left.

(34) Follow this path as it approaches the A26, then runs alongside it. It eventually turns left towards some houses. Take the narrow track that runs between the houses to reach a small road.

(35) (alternative route – see practical information) Turn right and, at the junction, carry on straight ahead to enter Labeuvrière (Rue Roger Salengro). After a left-right bend, you’ll come to a small lane on the left.

(36) Follow this narrow lane. Then take the^{second alleyway} on the right to arrive in front of the school. Go round it on the left to reach the car park (S/E).

Longer version of an existing walk: From woodland to woodland, starting from Labeuvrière via slag heap no. 12

Plenty of paths through the woodland. The Bois de Roquelaure is quite pleasant, but to cross the Bois des Dames you absolutely must have good walking shoes. A walking stick is also very useful, if only to fend off a few brambles or stinging nettles.

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

Alternative route to (35): From September to May, turn left. 50 metres further on, take the main path on the right and follow it to the large blue bin (feeding trough). Then turn right (with the ditch on your right) between the fields (it was clear in September 2026, but there is sometimes a lot of vegetation). At the end, turn left then right to walk alongside the cemetery. At the corner of the cemetery, turn right until you reach the gate. Go through the gate and turn left towards Place de Labeuvrière.