The Fretin and Bonnance marshes

Hike between footpaths, marshes and woods, from Fretin to the Bonnance Marshes via the Warlet Marsh.
This hike is best enjoyed with a pair of binoculars. You will find several birdwatching huts along the way.

Details

6042718
Creation:
Last update:
Last review:
  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 10.22 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 2h 55 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 10 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 10 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 36 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 26 m
  • ⚐ Country: France
  • ⚐ District: Fretin (59273)
  • ⚑
    Start/End: N 50.558487° / E 3.132457°
  • ❏
    IGN map(s): Ref. 2505E
  • Hour-by-hour weather

Description of the walk

Park in the Stade Louis Nivesse car park behind the church.

(S/E) Take the path opposite along the edge of the fields and continue until you reach Rue des Martyrs. Turn left onto this street, then continue left onto Rue Léon Gambetta. Turn right shortly after to walk alongside the fields. You will then reach Chemin des Bannis. Turn left onto this road and you will find a new crossroads near the castle.

(1) Turn right and walk along the buildings. You will reach Chemin de Lannoy. Turn left onto this road and after a few metres you will see the red and white markings forthe GR®121B. After a 90° left turn, you will reach a crossroads before Rue du Maréchal Foch.

(2) Continue until you reach this street, then turn right and follow it for a few metres. Pass under the power line and you will soon come to a crossroads.

(3) Continue straight ahead on theGR® trail, then turn left to walk along the Marque and then the Marais du Warlet. At the end, you will reach a footbridge.

(4) Take it to the left and join the railway bridge. Pass underneath and keep to the right onthe GR®, reaching the crossroads with Rue Pierre Sémard.

(5) Take it on the right, at the next crossroads with the D19 continue to the right. Reach the Marque.

(6) Leave theGR® here to cross La Marque and continue on the D19. A few metres further on, turn left onto the path that winds through the forest. Walk along a pond to reach the Marais de Bonance.

(7) Walk along it to quickly rejoin theGR®121B. Turn left onto it to return along the Marque to the crossroads you passed earlier.

(6) Follow the same route back to reach the crossroads at Rue Pierre Sémard.

(5) Turn right and walk along the fields to reach a group of houses on the left. Turn left here onto the path running alongside the field. Continue until you reach Rue Georges Clémenceau. Turn left, cross the railway line and you will reach the car park at Fretin station.

(8) Turn left, cross the car park and continue along the path that follows the car park. Then turn right onto Rue Max Dormoy to reach a car park on the edge of the Marais de Warlet.

(9) Walk along the marsh on the right, cross it via the footbridge, continue through the woods and return to theGR® crossroads you passed on the way there.

(3) Turn right and follow the same route as on the way there until you reach the junction with Rue Maréchal Foch.

(2) Turn right and follow the almost straight path along the edge of fields and woods until you reach a crossroads with perpendicular paths. Turn right then left onto Rue du Petit Marais. You will then arrive at a three-way crossroads.

(10) Turn right onto Rue de l'Abbé Bonpain and continue until you reach the Stade Louis Nivesse car park (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 36 m - Stade Louis Nivesse car park
  2. 1 : km 0.93 - alt. 32 m - Crossroads - Château de Fretin
  3. 2 : km 2.22 - alt. 28 m - Rue du Maréchal Foch
  4. 3 : km 2.5 - alt. 28 m - Crossroads of the large circular. Towards - Marque (rivière)-à finaliser
  5. 4 : km 3.52 - alt. 27 m - Wooden footbridge - Marais du Warlet
  6. 5 : km 4.14 - alt. 29 m - Rue Pierre Sémard
  7. 6 : km 4.52 - alt. 28 m - Crossroads of the small circular
  8. 7 : km 5.4 - alt. 26 m - Étang de Bonnance
  9. 8 : km 7.4 - alt. 34 m - Gare de Fretin (Nord)
  10. 9 : km 7.88 - alt. 28 m - Car park - Marais du Warlet
  11. 10 : km 9.74 - alt. 29 m - Rue de l'Abbé Bonpain
  12. S/E : km 10.22 - alt. 36 m - Stade Louis Nivesse car park

Notes

Worth a visit

Between (3) and (4), take the footbridge on the left to access the observatory.
(7) Bonnance Pond Observatory.

Always be cautious and plan ahead when you're outdoors. Visorando and the author of this route cannot be held responsible for any accidents occurring on this route.

The GR® and PR® markings are the intellectual property of the Fédération Française de Randonnée Pédestre.

Reviews and comments

4.5 / 5
Based on 13 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.7 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.5 / 5
Route interest
4.5 / 5
Abrys
Abrys
• Edited:

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Feb 26, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A superb and truly enjoyable route! I loved exploring all these little paths and lanes. It's a real find, and the guidance via the app is exemplary in its accuracy.

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millepattes2
millepattes2

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 22, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Very interesting if you are interested in birds

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User 6805202

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 09, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A very pleasant hike through fields, woods and marshes, in a peaceful setting and very well signposted using the app.

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F Varlet
F Varlet

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 15, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A beautiful route surrounded by nature, a wonderful discovery! I highly recommend it.

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Frapar
Frapar

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 07, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A pleasant hike, without any particular difficulties.

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Par Monts et par Vaux
Par Monts et par Vaux

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 08, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A pleasant walk between villages, fields, woods and ponds. One of the paths was flooded in one section, but I took a detour through a field and rejoined it further on.

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Lad59
Lad59

Overall rating : 3.3 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 04, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

This hike must be done with a GPS because the description from point 6 to 7 is too brief and we couldn't find the right path. Very nice hike, mostly in the shade, which is appreciated in hot, sunny weather. We'll try to do it again sometime, without any mistakes this time.

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Philippe Tr
Philippe Tr

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 21, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

SUPER

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Marido
Marido

Overall rating : 3.3 / 5

Date of your route : May 23, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★☆☆☆ Disappointing
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

We only had the description in PDF format, which we couldn't really follow. Fortunately, the route stayed around Fretin!
This may explain the difference in rating compared to previous hikers.

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danicau
danicau

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 14, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

https://danicaurandonneur.blogspot.com/2...

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Pi0512
Pi0512

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 18, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes

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immercurien
immercurien

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 15, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Route completed in dry, sunny weather.
The kind of route I like, peaceful, alternating between woods and fields with a little bit of town.
In my opinion, there were few particular difficulties, and it was relatively quiet on this Friday morning.
Luckily, I have the app to help me find my way.
Thank you for sharing.

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geraldao59
geraldao59

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 10, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes

Quite a nice route, with little paths in the surrounding area to explore in addition to another walk.
Thank you

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