The Unicorn Trail in Gommegnies

This peaceful walk through the Avesnes countryside offers lovely views of the wooded
and rolling countryside. Rural and agricultural life unfolds as you pass through the typical hamlets. It is a lovely, peaceful outing, and depending on the season, it is adorned with the colours of autumn or spring wildflowers.

Details

1546741
Creation:
Last update:
Last review:
  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 9.63 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 2h 50 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Easy

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 42 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 43 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 145 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 117 m

Photos

Description of the walk

Start from the square in front of Gommegnies church.

(S/E) From the church square, head towards the war memorial and take the path between the hedges behind the church. At the end of this ‘cache’, turn right onto the road and then left onto Rue Potier. Then turn right onto the path lined with hedges and pollarded trees.

(1) Turn left onto Rue Mandenne and follow it north-eastwards until you reach the first road on the right.

(2) Turn right and follow this road due south to the water tower.

(3) At the water tower junction, take Rue Cache d'Erpion opposite, cross the stream and, at the three-way junction, turn right into Rue du Grand Sart.

(4) At the next junction, turn left into Rue de Sarloton, which merges into Rue de Foudriniers.

(5) Turn right into Rue Albert Fenez. You will pass through a charming hamlet, with its flower-bedecked houses and its wayside shrine.

(6) Just after a house with a crucifix built into the wall, turn left down a small alleyway, “le sentier de la Rue Haute”, which, after the stream, leads to a school and a road (Rue Célestin Hennion) which you take to the left. Walk past Carnoy Castle. When you reach the Eurofours company, turn right onto Rue de la Fourcière, which leads to a crossroads further on.

(7) Cross the D87 with care and continue to the hamlet of Tout Vent.

(8) At the junction, turn right onto the small winding road that passes in front of the renovated Saint-Antoine Chapel.

(9) At the top of this road, turn left onto Rue de la Gare. Pass the stadium and the cemetery and, at the bend, turn left onto a stony path which then runs alongside a stream. At the end of the path, turn right, then first turn left then right onto the “Jean Reine” path and return to the car park where you started (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 124 m - Place de Gommegnies
  2. 1 : km 0.82 - alt. 136 m - Rue Mandenne on the left
  3. 2 : km 1.87 - alt. 134 m - Road to the right
  4. 3 : km 2.78 - alt. 143 m - Water tower
  5. 4 : km 3.7 - alt. 137 m - Rue de Sarloton on the left
  6. 5 : km 5.02 - alt. 141 m - On the right, Rue Albert Fenez
  7. 6 : km 5.57 - alt. 138 m - Rue Haute Trail
  8. 7 : km 6.78 - alt. 141 m - Crossing the D87
  9. 8 : km 7.41 - alt. 136 m - Tout Vent
  10. 9 : km 8.19 - alt. 134 m - Rue de la Gare, on the left
  11. S/E : km 9.63 - alt. 124 m - Place de Gommegnies, After the - Aunelle (rivière) - Affluent de l'Hogneau

Reviews and comments

4.3 / 5
Based on 6 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.5 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.5 / 5
Route interest
4 / 5
randodom(
randodom(

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 11, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Nice hike, alternating between hedges and paths, but a bit too much asphalt
beautiful houses in the Avesnois region, meadows, apple trees, and the very pretty Château de Carnoy

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Ferot
Ferot

Overall rating : 3.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 29, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average
Very busy route : No

The description sounds appealing but isn’t realistic.
Unfortunately, Gommegnies isn’t particularly interesting.
The walk involves a lot of tarmac.
Out of 10, I’d give it a 7

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randodom(
randodom(

Given the time, I shortened the route to 9.5 km
A route through plains and farmland; the caches were really nice, but there were a lot of tarmac paths; very well signposted

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PNR de l'Avesnois
PNR de l'Avesnois

The Unicorn Trail, as originally designated, was over a kilometre long, but its route had to be revised and shortened.

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mojimijo
mojimijo

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 19, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A pleasant route, but it involves a lot of streets and small gravel roads.
The distance given by Visorando, which appears to be accurate, is not the one indicated at the start of the route (13 km).

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N Duhaubois
N Duhaubois

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 08, 2019
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

A walk through the village where my husband spent his entire youth – so yes, it was brilliant and quite moving. The signposting was brilliant

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mamandine
mamandine

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : May 13, 2019
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good

A lovely route that can only be done in one direction, as the signposts are only on one side. It’s a shame, as it’s sometimes nice to do it the other way round; the view is often quite different. The route is not difficult and can be completed in under two hours at a moderate pace. Suitable for pushchairs.

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Jose Germain
Jose Germain

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Nov 09, 2018
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good

Originally, this walk was 3–4 km longer; the section that’s been cut out follows country lanes… In fact, having walked the whole route a fortnight ago, I noticed that the original yellow markings had been painted over in grey… Why? Who’s responsible for shortening the route???

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