Around the Bois du Grand Fréchy

Departure: car park at the Chapelle du Planois, Rue du Planois (opposite 44) in 5640 Biesme.
See hunting dates below in the practical information section
NB. Car park not accessible on the last weekend of August (folklore walk). On that weekend, park in the village square of Sart-Eustache and start the walk by heading towards the church.

(S/E) The trail starts right next to the chapel. Head towards the countryside and the white sign with a red stripe for the town of Biesme. At the^first junction with Rue Maistrecocq, turn left and ignore the trail on the right. Head towards the houses.

(1) When you reach the tarmac road, turn right onto Rue Belle Vue towards the woods.

(2) At the crossroads formed by Rue Rosimbois and Rue Insebois, continue straight ahead into the cul-de-sac. At the end of the cul-de-sac, enter the forest and continue along the only clearly visible path.
Continue straight ahead and follow the path downhill along the Ruisseau de l'Étang du Diable stream. Although they are common at the start of our route, be careful not to follow the green discs marked on the trees continuously. Further on, cross a large muddy pool (in summer it is a small permanent puddle), walking if necessary on the trunk placed horizontally to its left. Continue straight ahead until you reach a fork and turn right. Continue until you reach the edge of the forest and several forks.

(3) Turn left to cross the small bridge and head towards the houses and the Étang du Vivier pond below. Walk up the street to the junction with Rue du Vivier. Turn right and walk downhill, then up the "S" bend in the road that goes around a private pond and chalet. Stay on the road and climb up to the fork. There is a small chapel on the right.

(4) Leave the road at the bend and take the path that branches off to the left. Continue straight ahead. The path then becomes a small gully. You will come to a green gate on your left. Continue for a few dozen metres. Ignore the path on the left leading to a closed gate. You will soon come to a crossroads.

(5) At the crossroads, turn left. Head towards the Étang du Diable (Devil's Pond). Walk along it and then around the head of the pond until you reach the^second "private property" sign, which marks the end of the public path. Admire the reflections and then retrace your steps back to the crossroads.

(5) This time, turn left and go up the stony path to the crossroads (small chapel on the right). Turn left towards the Écuries des Ruelles. Pass in front of the riding school and continue along the path that descends towards the Château de Sart-Eustache. One section is always quite muddy. Walk along the castle grounds and continue along the Parcours de la Pichelotte. You will reach Rue de l'Église (16th-century castle on the left, church on the right).

(6) Follow Rue de l'Église to the left and go down the "S" below a pizzeria. At the crossroads, turn left towards the castle. Admire the central driveway without entering the property. There is an information panel a few metres away. Head towards the nearby bridge over the Biesme.

(7) Turn around and go back to the crossroads. Continue straight ahead towards the cemetery, ignoring the descent from the church on your right. At the cemetery crossroads, continue straight ahead. At the next fork, ignore the street on your right and continue straight ahead on Rue de la Ramée, towards the countryside. Just before a slight bend, leave the road and take a path on the right between the fields (long straight line with the woods and wind turbines in sight).

(8) Follow this country lane towards the woods. At the end, turn right. Ignore the small path on the left and continue right on the path between the meadows. You will see a pond on your left. Continue to the junction with the main road, Rue du Sartia (chapel on the right).

(9) Turn left onto Rue du Sartia. At the next crossroads, turn left onto Rue de Fontarciennes. Walk down the street a little. At the houses, just after No. 144, turn right onto the small path and cross the ford (in summer) or the small bridge.

(10) Just after the bridge, take the slightly steep and stony path that climbs up into the forest opposite, ignoring the private path on your right. At the small plateau, the path veers slightly to the right (it is important to spot it in autumn when the leaves completely cover the path or in winter when there is snow). Continue straight ahead. Walk alongside two old clearings that were replanted in autumn 2020 and where the vegetation has already grown back well in 2024. Ignore the paths on the right or left (marked "Private" in orange on the tree trunks). You will reach a fork in the road with four paths.

(11) Take the path opposite, so to speak, and observe a small waterfall on the left. Continue straight ahead, ignoring the private paths on the right or left (orange colour). Reach the stream where the old wooden bridge was washed away by the floods of July 2021. Cross the stream on the large stones, or in 2024 on pallets. Continue on the main path that branches off to the left after the stream. Join the main road to Sartia. The village of Devant-Les-Bois is on your left and Sart-Eustache on your right.

(12) Cross the road and take the path opposite. Continue straight ahead. The path winds its way through the vegetation. You will reach a small road, Rue d'Insebois, at the edge of the forest.

(13) Turn right. Stay on the tarmac road until you reach the junction with Rue Belle Vue.
(2) At the crossroads, turn right and take the same path as on the way there.

(1) Follow the same route as on the way there. Cross the large pond (sometimes) and its fallen tree trunk on the left again. You will reach a wider path and head to the right.
Before reaching the forest exit and its various directions, take a slight trail that climbs to the left (which actually cuts across the "hairpin bend"). Do not head towards the houses as you did on the way there.

(3) The path climbs back up through the forest, running more or less parallel to a wide, fairly deep ditch and an old metal fence. It is easier to walk on the left side of the ditch. Climb straight up. At the flat section, ignore the path on the left (barrier, prohibition sign) and continue straight ahead. In the last part of the forest, keep your eyes on a concrete post and reach the tarmac road (Rue Insebois).

(14) At the road, turn left. At the next crossroads, turn left onto Rue Rosimbois and continue to the riding school.
(15) At the riding school, take the path on the right that runs alongside a row of trees covered in mistletoe. Don't forget to kiss under the mistletoe, especially if you're passing by around New Year's Eve...
At the next fork, at the large oak tree, turn left towards the houses in the Belle Vue neighbourhood. At the end of this street, you will reach the crossroads from the outward journey.

(1) Cross and continue straight ahead into the countryside. Take the^first path on the right which descends towards the chapel where you started (S/E).

Hunting dates in 2025 (also check chasseonweb.be to verify the areas)
27-10; 24-11; 08-12; 29-12-2025

As this hike is close to my home, I do it quite regularly and never tire of it. Last time: 10-05-2025

Sections of the forest that became off-limits to all users, even pedestrians, in October 2021 have forced me to revise my original route to stay within the authorised area. As a result, the section with the 11 stone markers referred to by a hiker in a message is no longer used. This change has forced me to take the same section between (2) and (3) twice. But it's a very beautiful stretch, so it's not really a negative point

NB. Car park not accessible on the last weekend of August (folk walk). On that weekend, park in the village square of Sart-Eustache and start the walk by heading to (6), then (7).

The Devil's Pond, after waypoint (5)

Sart-Eustache Castle. Near the castle, the church of Sart-Eustache (6)
Pizzeria (evenings) just opposite the church of Sart-Eustache.

In the village of Biesme: the castle, Saint-Martin Church, Saint-Roch Chapel (Rrue de la Colonoise), the Moulin Botte ponds (Rue du Moulin Botte) and the mini route along the Biesme from the pond to the old bridge (Rue Agrappe).