The starting point is the large car park next to the cemetery on Chemin Barisseuse in Saint-Vaast-lès-Mello.
(S/E) When leaving the car park, turn right to pass in front of the cemetery and follow the road, which becomes a dirt track.
(1) At the multiple crossroads, turn left and follow the signs for Barisseuse. At the first intersection, continue straight ahead.
(2) At the next intersection, turn right onto the small path going up into the woods (signposted Barisseuse and marked with yellow markings). At the edge of the woods, turn right onto the wide dirt track.
(3) When you reach a large farm, continue straight ahead on the tarmac road and cross the pretty hamlet of Barisseuse.
(4) Pass in front of the Saint-Nicolas Chapel. It's worth stopping here to admire this 18th-century chapel overlooking Clos Barisseuse. At the end of the hamlet, continue along the tarmac road, leaving the yellow markings behind.
(5) At the next crossroads, near the business buildings, turn left onto a tarmac road and, a little further on, turn right under the wooded area (yellow markings).
(6) When you reach a three-way junction, continue straight ahead, passing between large rocks. A little further on, you can turn left (signposted) to enjoy a beautiful view of the quarries (500 m round trip).
Otherwise, continue to the houses after passing other large rocks.
(7) At a residential car park, turn left twice and go down Rue Henri Carballet (yellow markings). At the bottom, turn right, cross Rue de la Commune de Paris, continue straight ahead and turn right at the first street, Rue de Crécy. At the end of the street, turn left onto the cul-de-sac that leads to the ponds, a small tarmac road that continues as a dirt track under the woods.
(8) At the end of the path, turn left onto the Faune et Flore trail to begin the tour of the pond. At the other end of the pond, turn right and pass between the two ponds. At the next intersection, leave the Faune et Flore trail on your right and continue straight ahead.
(9) At the end of the path, cross the departmental road (take care), go up Rue des Fontaines (yellow markings) and discover the first wash house on the left. A little further on, there is a second wash house with a beautiful basin. Continue uphill, turn right onto Rue Ernest Bianchi and left onto Sente de Feu. Continue uphill, leaving the yellow markings behind.
At the end of the path, turn right onto Chemin Vieux, take the second left onto Rue de la Paix and continue straight on towards the cemetery car park (S/E).
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Be careful around the pond not to leave the "fauna and flora" path too quickly and make sure you pass between the two ponds (we turned a little too early and ended up on the D12. When we reached the road we had to cross, the absence of a path opposite and the railway line on the left quickly made us realise our mistake. A minor detour with no consequences
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