Mont de la Comté

Park in Rue du 14 Juillet, not far from the junction with Rue du Château, which leads to the Town Hall, a large building in the traditional white stone of the Artois hills.

(S/E) Cross at the pedestrian crossing, then walk up Rue du 14 Juillet, heading north.

(1) Turn right onto Rue de la Rochelle and, at the bend, carry on straight ahead towards the transmission mast and the Bois d’Harmonval.

(2) Turning right, you’ll reach one of the most beautiful views of the walk – and perhaps even of the whole region. Carry on straight ahead, with the Mont de la Comté on your left. You’ll come to a four-way junction in the Plaine du Ransart.

(3) Take the small country road on the right.

(4) Turn slightly right towards Mont de la Comté and, if you’re lucky, you’ll be able to watch some paragliders in flight.

(5) Turn back.

(4) Turn right and head into the woodland: this stretch is quite a change of scenery and feels a bit like entering a green tunnel.

(6) If you turn round, you can admire the famous Mont de La Comté and its paragliding launch site. Take a moment to admire the rolling countryside all around you.
Carry on straight ahead and you’ll come out onto Rue du 8 Mai. Turn right to reach the car park (S/E).

- Good walking shoes, of course.
- Binoculars – you can sometimes spot storks and herons in the pastures.

- A pizzeria along the route.
- Olhain Park (all-season tobogganing, an open-air swimming pool in the woods, an excellent café, etc.).
- The Art Deco swimming pool in Bruay-la-Buissière (the only one of its kind in France) and the Lodge du Stade Parc.
- The Cité des Électriciens with its little restaurant. This is where the film ‘Bienvenue chez les Ch’tis’ was filmed.
- Béthune and its restaurants, notably Le Vezuvio and Le Sojun (Thai/Vietnamese cuisine with a modern twist).
- The Saint-Pol-sur-Thernoise motor racing route.