Houtain-Saint-Siméon and the Geer Valley

Start from Saint-Siméon Church, Rue Saint-Siméon in Houtain-Saint-Siméon.

(S/E) From the church, walk down the street and turn left, then right into Rue des Saules. At the end of the street, continue straight on along the country lane leading through the meadows and then into the fields. Ignore the path on the left, then the track on the right leading diagonally, to reach a crossroads in the fields.

(1) Take the dirt track on the left and follow it to the end. Facing the meadow, take the sharp right-hand bend towards the fields. Keep to the right at the fork and gradually descend along the path, which is soon lined with trees and then crosses a small wood.

(2) Once you reach the concrete surface at the bottom of the path and before the railway bridge, turn right onto the road that climbs. This road forms a hairpin bend and then emerges back into the fields. You will arrive at the Croix Colas in Le Chenay.

(3) Continue to the next junction.

(4) At the junction (tree and bench), turn left onto the concrete path. After 100 m, continue straight ahead along the tree-lined sunken lane. Follow it to the end. As you enter the woods, the path becomes a steep, rutted track leading down to the village of Roclenge (Thier au Péquet). At the end of the street (chapel), turn right then immediately left onto the main road.

(5) Before the railway bridge, take the road on the right for about 50 metres, then go up the road on the left. This road heads into the woods, makes a hairpin bend and emerges shortly afterwards into the fields (ignore the various paths that lead onto the road).

(6) At the end of the tarmac, which turns into a dirt track, rejoin the tarmac that descends to the right in the opposite direction. After following it for about a hundred metres, take the path on the left that runs parallel to the contour lines. After a kilometre, this widens, then reaches the entrance to the village of Houtain.

(7) Take the first street on the left into the housing estate (Rue Cornu Champs), then at the end, turn right to join the main road. Follow it to the right for 75 m, then turn left twice to reach Rue de la Station, which runs alongside a grassy square.

(8) At the end of the street and the square, first turn left then right to join a tarmac footpath lined with trees, leading through orchards and then fields.

(9) At the first junction (locations known as La Tombe and Aux Buissons, picnic table), take the path on the right which continues along Rue du Rouwâ back into the village. At the cross, turn into the second street on the right (Voie du Puits) which runs diagonally to join the village’s main street (Rue de Slins).

(10) Turn right onto this street and, after about sixty metres, turn left onto Rue Saint-Siméon, which leads back to the church (S/E).

(3) Croix Colas au Chenay
(4) Patrotê Tree: bench in the shade
(9) Picnic table