Circular route between Fouquereuil and Bruay

Start from Fouquereuil, at the car park at the end of Rue des Poteries.

(S/E) Take the footbridge heading south (GRP®). Go under the motorway and carry on straight ahead until you reach an embankment.

(1) At the fork in the road, take the right-hand track and, once at the bottom, follow the wide path continuing southwards. 200 m further on, you’ll come to another fork in the road.

(2) Leave the GRP® and take the path through the woodland to the left (marked mountain bike trail). At the next fork in the road, take a path on the left to reach a well-surfaced track. Follow it to the left. After it curves to the right, you’ll come to a fork in the road. Take the track on the right (a bit muddy at the start) and follow it to rejoin the GRP® at Emmaüs. Follow the GRP® to the left across the grassy plain to reach a small road (you can also head towards the river on the left and follow it).

(3) Cross it to take the path opposite (end of the GRP®) along the river. Follow the course of the Lawe as closely as possible until you reach a footbridge.

(4) Cross the footbridge and head left between the river and the gardens. Continue to the very end to reach Rue des Peupliers. Follow this road to the left. At the T-junction, take the road on the left and you’ll immediately come to an uphill path on the right.

(5) Take this path and, just before reaching a housing estate, take the path on the right. A lovely walk through the woodland leads to the foot of the Donjon de Labuissière.

(6) Take the street on the left and, at the junction, take Allée Marguerite Yourcenar on the right. At the very end, turn right, still through the woodland, keeping as close as possible to the street on your left, and look for a flight of steps leading to Rue Wallard. Cross the road (take care) and take Rue Florent Évrard opposite to reach the entrance to the Florent Évrard car park.

(7) Take the street on the right towards the car park and look for a paved path leading to the bus lane. Follow it to the left. A little further on, cross the road and continue along this lane. Just before reaching a bus stop, look for an opening in the hedge on the right. Do not take this one, but take the second one, which is much more passable.

(8) A short descent leads to Square Fernand Capet. Cross it on the right to find a flight of steps leading to Rue Bouillez. Follow it to the right until you reach the roundabout; take the second exit on the left, then turn right onto Rue Cail.

(9) Just before the bridge over the Lawe, take the cul-de-sac on the right. After about a hundred metres, take a path on the left to cross the Lawe (footbridge). After a short flight of steps, the path turns left to join Rue Cail (opposite you can see the Lambres Tower). Cross the street and continue straight ahead. At the fork in the road, keep to the left. At the T-junction, take the path on the left, then immediately the one on the right to follow the Lawe at a distance. 150 metres further on, take a sharp left-hand bend to cross the Lawe again (footbridge).

(10) Head off to the right and follow the river, staying on the same bank throughout (yellow PR® markings). Reach the outskirts of Bruay at Rue d’Hulluch (D302) and cross it.

(11) Take the path leading uphill opposite to reach the Parc de la Lawe. You’ll arrive facing a lake.

(12) Take the path on the right. Continue along the path between the river and the lake.

(13) At the end of the pond, turn sharply right to reach the riverbank. Turn left and continue along the Lawe until you reach a footbridge. Cross it and turn immediately right to follow the river again in the opposite direction.

(14) You’ll reach a section where the path zigzags uphill; carry on straight ahead, still following the river. You’ll eventually reach Avenue Paul Plouviez. Cross it with great care! Then follow the yellow PR® markings opposite. After a few metres, you’ll find a path branching off to the left.

(15) Follow this and, at the Fork in the road, take the right-hand path to reach the banks of the Biette. Walk alongside the river until you reach a T-junction. Turn right and continue to a Fork in the road. Take the right-hand path, which climbs steeply; at the top, carry on straight ahead.

(16) You’ll soon spot a path branching off to the left. Follow the path through the woodland, which eventually leads to the Miner’s Monument. From there, head towards the main road.

(17) Cross the road and head across a grassy area. Reach and cross Rue Gaston Blot; you’ll find a flight of steps. Continue along the old footbridge until you reach an impressive flight of steps. Go down these to reach Rue Bonnet. Follow it to the left and ignore the first street on the right.

(18) Take the second street on the right (Rue de l’Esplanade – marked in yellow). Take the first street on the left (Rue de Brest) and carry on straight ahead until you reach Rue de Nantes. Follow it to the left and take the first street on the right (Rue de Cannes) to reach Boulevard Émile Basly. Before reaching the end of the street, veer to the right to walk alongside the building and reach Rue Desseilligny.

(19) Follow it to the right along the bus lane. Further on, just after the bus stop, cross Rue de la Cavée and, a few metres further on, you’ll find a good path on the left (marked in yellow).

(20) Take this path, which, a little further on, turns left before reaching the vicinity of Rue de Philippeville.

(21) Just before the street, take the path on the right through the woodland which leads to the D188.

(22) Cross the road with great care! There are no safety barriers. Follow the road for a few metres to the right. Turn left onto Chemin des Berceaux. 200 metres further on, at the junction, take the path on the left.

(23) Head uphill to reach the Bois des Dames. Reach the edge of the woodland and continue straight on, following the yellow markings. Ignore the paths branching off to the left. You’ll come to a Fork in the road.

(24) Leave the GRP® and take a path on the right (Yellow Cross).

(25) At the first junction, take another path on the left to reach a T-junction. Carry on to the right.

(26) About 250 m further on, look out for and take an unmarked path climbing up to the left. You’ll reach a T-junction. Follow the path to the right and arrive at a crossroads. Turn right to pass in front of the forester’s house.

(27) A little further on, take the^{third path} on the left and continue straight on until you come face to face with the spoil tip. Turn left and pass to the left of the gate to begin the ascent. Once you’ve almost reached the summit, veer to the right to reach the edge of the amphitheatre. Continue along the edge until you reach the exit gate.

(28) Go through the gate and take a hairpin bend to the left (large sandstone at the start). At the first Fork in the road, turn right

(29) At the second Fork in the road, turn left. Continue along the correct path (which is damp in places) until you reach a junction.

(30) Take the path on the right. A little further on, you’ll find a new track on the right (marked by a red post at the start). Follow this path, keeping to the edge of the woodland, and finish with a descent towards Emmaüs.

(31) Follow the small road on the left (a rather unpleasant stretch, but there’s little traffic) until you reach a crossroads (with the old Chartreuse on the right).

(32) Take the road on the left (barrier) towards the entrance to La Sablière. Just before the barrier, you’ll come across a path on the right leading to a few houses on the hills above Labeuvrière.

(33) Take the path on the right which crosses the Bois de la Sablière (often in very poor condition but passable). Pass close to the British military cemetery and arrive near the motorway. Then head left, go under the motorway and return to the starting car park (S/E).

Wear sturdy footwear, as there may be muddy sections.

Tough route: use of the app is highly recommended!

At point 2: it is possible to continue on the GRP®, but you may encounter a nasty cesspool at the end of Emmaüs.

At point 8: if the slope seems too steep, continue to the bus shelter and turn right to reach Rue Bouillez.