The Bois de Noulette

Park at the side of the D937, at the entrance to Aix-Noulette on the Sains-en-Gohelle side (you can also park in the large car park before the church).

(S/E) Head towards the centre along the D937.

(1) Just before the church, turn right onto Rue des Marronniers. After about a hundred metres, turn left.

(2) After about fifty metres, turn right into Impasse Piltepois. After a few bends, you’ll reach a grassy square. Carry on along the narrow lane that branches off to the right and eventually joins Rue Froide.
Follow it to the left until you reach a T-junction. Turn left, then immediately turn right onto Rue René Lantoine and follow it for about sixty metres.

(3) Turn right into Grande Ruelle and you’ll reach a junction by the school.

(4) Then turn left onto a well-maintained path (gate). Continue straight on, skirting the sports ground. At the end, turn right, then immediately left to cross the woodland. On leaving the woodland, turn left onto Allée des Jonquilles and continue to a T-junction.

(5) Turn right onto Rue de la Chapelle. Follow this street, which passes a goat farm, a honey farm and the chapel (of course), until you reach the edge of a small wood.

(6) Carry on straight ahead through this small woodland until you reach a T-junction.

(7) Turn right and, about 200 metres further on, turn right again at the edge of the woods. You are now on the cycle route, where tarmac has replaced the dirt track: it’s hard to call this a ‘greenway’ then!
Ignore a path on the right and continue to the junction with Rue du Marois.

(8) Turn left. If you take the street opposite and turn left at the very end, you can visit the castle: a short detour of about 300 m. The cycle route runs alongside the woods.

(9) After about 500 m, turn right towards the military cemetery. You can, of course, make a round trip to the cemetery for another short detour. The path turns right at a 90° angle to come out opposite a lane leading into the woods.

(10) Do not take this path, but head left instead. About 150 metres further on, take the path on the right to cross the Bois de Noulette. Leave the woods (gate) and continue straight on along Rue du Bois. Ignore the street on the left.

(11) About 200 metres further on, take the small lane branching off to the left. At the very end, turn right onto Rue René Delsaut. At the T-junction, turn left to reach a crossroads.

(12) Carry on straight ahead along Rue de Boyeffles, walk past the malt house, and leave the street to take the path on the right. Ignore the alleyway branching off to the left and continue along the path which, after a few bends, eventually leads to a small street (Chemin de Sains). Turn right to join the D343 and return to the starting point (S/E).

Apart from in the woods, the paths are in good condition.
Do make sure you wear sturdy footwear, especially in wet weather.