Merville (Nord) walks

Here is a short walk that will take you along the River Lys and then through the flower-filled Les Prés de la Ville park.

Route designed by the USEP Neuf-Berquin association for the ‘Septembre d’Or’ event. An easy walk that alternates between roads and paths through woodland and grassy areas. This route can be completed on foot, by running, with a pushchair or by bike, with a minor adjustment to avoid the walk’s only flight of stairs.

This route will allow you to explore the countryside north of Béthune and enjoy the canals via the towpaths.

Set off to explore the public gardens and the River Lys.

Walk starting from the Jean-Paul II Parish, around Les Magots.

Discover the paths and small country roads starting from the hamlet of La Fosse. You will follow and cross the Lawe several times. You can admire magnificent willow trees, gigantic in the middle of their pastures. Several information panels on the history of the area line the route: Pont Riqueult, cemetery, park, village centre, along the Lawe, Pont de la Fosse. Take the time to read them.

Short walk in the Flamingue woods and along the Canal de la Nieppe.

This tour will introduce you to three different settings: the Domaniale de Nieppe forest, the wooded countryside and the Lys river.

The forest edge, the canal banks and the agricultural plain give the trail its contrasting moods. Keep your eyes peeled for birds in the undergrowth, insects on leaves and trees, and the mushrooms that grow here in late spring.

A short, peaceful stroll along a grassy path beside the Canal d'Aire à la Bassée, taking you past the observation hut at the Mont-Bernanchon bird sanctuary. Stables and a short stretch through the forest. This walk is marked in yellow from start to finish.

A walk that allows you to enjoy the village’s green surroundings. Walkers will discover a variety of paths during their stroll, including the Busnes stream and a wealth of diverse landscapes, rich in flora and fauna. This walk can be found on Randofiche 48, published by the FFRP and the CABBALR.

This walk will introduce you to the countryside around Sailly and the tranquility of the river Lys.

A short, unpretentious route with no significant elevation gain in the Béthune countryside. A mix of footpaths, farm tracks and small roads to keep you going for a good half-day.

Venez découvrir Béthune avec ses anciens canaux, au départ, puis son port de plaisance, sans oublier le centre ville avec son beffroi.

A long route around Bailleul, the only real challenge of which (especially in dry weather) is its length.After reaching Saint-Jans-Cappel via a farm track, you tackle Mont Noir (and it puts up a good fight!). You then set off along a route running along the border to reach the vicinity of Dranouter.A lovely descent through the fields, followed by a succession of paths and small roads, brings you to the Botanical Conservatory. All that remains is to make your way back to Bailleul, alternating between very narrow roads with badly damaged surfaces and footpaths. A lovely green space (the Bellekindt) allows you to bypass the cemetery, and the walk ends in the centre of Bailleul with its monuments. It’s best to choose a dry spell, otherwise you may encounter some muddy sections. This was the case this morning (5 March 2025: difficult sections at point (5), between (9) and (10), between (11) and (12), and after (23). Avoid the first weekend in August: the festival takes up part of the trails.

A beautiful walk along the banks of the Canal d'Aire in La Bassée. An invitation to stroll through remarkable landscapes such as the Marais de l'Avoué and the Prévôté de Gorre. The British military cemetery in Gorre is a reminder of the Great War.

This walk starting from Annezin will let you discover the charms of an urban walk, sometimes on good paths, sometimes on tarmac. You’ll follow in the footsteps of the old canal, which no longer exists today.

A walk through ponds, canals and marshes, where you'll be surrounded by water in the commune of Beuvry.

This walk, starting from Beuvry, will take you along the canals and then into the Bellenville Marshes. It passes through Petit Sailly before reaching Bas de Beuvry and Préolan. On the way back, you’ll walk alongside the canal, not forgetting to visit the observatory in the marshes where, with a bit of luck, you might spot some migratory birds.

Discover Beuvry’s hidden gems, from canals to parks and green spaces.

The two rivers trail from Fouquières-lès-Béthune to Fouquereuil takes you along the Blanche to the Annezin marsh, then along the Lawe before walking above the water under a railway line! This route will take you to the Fouquereuil storage slag heap (the Terril de la Cuisse Maraune) where you can enjoy a superb 360° panorama from the top. The return journey is through the fields.

A walk along the banks of the Beuvry Canal. Surrounded by towpaths on either side, the 3-km-long Beuvry Canal is a remnant of a former industrial waterway. Many people enjoy the peace and quiet and the scenery along its banks.

Belle randonnée sans difficulté. Elle vous fait découvrir des chartreuses dans la campagne et les bois environnants.

Route in an urban area, mainly on paths. It allows you to discover and cross the Domaine de Bellenville, the Terril and the Labourse ponds, as well as the impressive Moulin du Ballon (or Moulin Buret).

This hike crosses Flanders on both sides of the French-Belgian border via tiny paths. And, to gain a little more height, you can try out an unusual means of transport that has been connecting Mont Noir and Mont Rouge since 1958!This hike is accessible to everyone, young and old alike, with a slight incline to warm up your calves!

A bucolic tour through the wild hyacinths and wild garlic blooming in late April and early May. Discover the Mont Noir and Flanders (Saint-Jans-Cappel, view of Mont des Cats and Bailleul) through undergrowth, forest paths and small roads.

Long route through the urban area. Follow the Lawe and then the Brette to reach the Miner's Monument in Bruay. To return, head to Cité 4 in Bruay before reaching the Bois des Dames by following the PR® du Bois des Dames. Crossing the woods takes you to the slag heap before leading you to Emmaüs. From there, the return journey is via the Bois de la Sablière. There are many paths and "bus lanes" for a route that is passable even in wet weather.

Up to the entrance to the Bois des Dames, the route is much the same as this walk (there aren’t many options in the Bois de Roquelaure), but for the section through the Bois des Dames, I took different paths. The final stretch passes behind Emmaüs before reaching the Chartreuse des Dames and joining the Bois des Sablières.It’s a long, winding route, with hardly any tarmac and a significant elevation gain; whilst there are no major hills, there’s a succession of ascents and descents, which makes it more tiring . Very difficult in wet weather.Use ofthe Visorando app is strongly recommended.

The route takes you through the two woods of Lapugnoy: Roquelaure with its easy paths, followed by the Bois des Dames where the trails can be very wet. I’ve tried to take the lesser-known paths, particularly in the Bois des Dames, which makes for a route that’s quite difficult to follow. I recommend using the Visorando app. Note: on OpenStreetMap, the paths are clearly marked. The slag heap is very beautiful in spring when it’s covered in flax.

A walk combining dirt tracks and small tarmac roads, taking in a chapel. Magnificent views of Mont Cassel.

This walk will take you around the Mont des Cats along paths and back roads. It will reveal its viewpoints, its chapels, its heritage and its gentle slopes.

Entre canaux et marais de Cuinchy à Beuvry, on prend le temps de flâner sur le thème de la biodiversité.

Walk around the Mont des Cats monastery. Peaceful, natural surroundings and panoramic views guaranteed.

These three mountains watch over Bailleul, the capital of Flanders between Lille and Dunkirk: Mont des Cats, Mont de Boeschepe and Mont Noir, plus Mont Kokereel. From the top of these small hills (180m), you can enjoy views over the surrounding area. The route offers several points of interest, including Marguerite Yourcenar's house on Mont Noir, the Boschepe mill in the village of the same name, and Mont des Cats and its abbey of Cistercian monks, founded in 1826.

A patchwork of the various marked trails in the area for a long stroll, ending at the Bois de Roquelaure. It is a highly urbanised area, but you still feel as though you are in the countryside.

This route will take you past two slag heaps from the old Noeux mines. These are two very unspoilt slag heaps, hardly developed at all, either for tourism or for industrial purposes. So, let the adventure begin.

Long route through the Bois de Roquelaure, the Poulouches d'Allouagne and the Vallée Carreau d'Auchel. Return via Lozinghem and Mont Éventé before finishing at the Terril de Lapugnoy and a beautiful path on the edge of the Bois des Dames.Relatively little tarmac (but we are still in an urban area), but in wet weather, some paths can become difficult.

The Chemin des Voyettes Poulouches, which you will take, will lead you from one voyette (small lane) to another and allow you to discover or rediscover our village.

A lovely walk that takes you through the Bois des Dames State Forest, with its rich biodiversity and a good climb, returning via Labeuvrière and passing over the slag heap. A bit of mining history: in 1920, many Polish workers arrived in Lapugnoy, where they were forced to build the barracks to house themselves.

Of course, these aren’t the highest slag heaps in the region, but the two slag heaps at Verquin have remained very wild, and on the one at Labourse there’s enough space and paths to vary the route. This figure-of-eight route can easily be split into two circular loops of 6 to 8 km. It’s a fairly complicated route, which I’ve described in as much detail as possible. Nevertheless, I recommend using the app, particularly on the slag heaps: the one at Labourse has a large number of paths and you can easily alter the route.

A short country walk in the middle of the Béthune-Nœux-Bruay conurbation.

This walk starting from Labourse takes you through Parc de la Loisne and past the Beuvry mill, all along good paths and with a touch of town life and a bit of history. In 2008, following archaeological excavations, two sites dating from the Iron Age and the Gallo-Roman period were uncovered.

This beautiful walk, starting from Labourse, takes you through Leo Lagrange Park. Then a short detour through Verquigneul, before reaching Loisne Park and the slag heap, all along good paths and tracks.

Cette randonnée vous fera passer par des étangs, monter sur un terril, passer par le Moulin de Beuvry et la Fosse n°6.

A very long route on and around Mont des Cats, allowing you to explore its southern section. I’ve tried to take as many paths as possible, resulting in a very winding route (hence the name of the walk). Take care on the small roads where visibility isn’t always very good.

A pleasant walk along quiet roads amidst ponds and marshes. Don’t forget your binoculars and camera. In summer, mosquito repellent will come in handy.

Departure and arrival at the car park of the church in Dranouter via Ravensberg in the Bailleul countryside. Pass by the Wijngaard Koudekot vineyard, which produces white, rosé and red wines.

Start and finish at the car park of the church in Dranouter via Monteberg, Lettenberg and Kemmelberg. Pass along the Monteberg vineyard and through the woods of the Kemmelberg provincial estate.

A patchwork of different routes in the area for a long hike that will delight your thighs.As for the mountains, like the Musketeers, there are four (or even five, I forgot the Baneberg near the mill), as you climb Mont Noir twice.In short, a nice climb in the Flat Country on numerous paths and a few small, quiet roads. It's a demanding route, because even between the mountains, there are plenty of small hills. But, as is often the case in Belgium, the trails are well maintained and constantly being improved.

Short route on beautiful, well-maintained Belgian trails with good signage.Simple signposting: there are posts with numbers and an arrow indicating the number you want to go to (not easy to explain but obvious when you're there). In wet weather, some areas may be soggy or even very muddy.

Departure and arrival at the car park of the church in Dranouter via Monteberg, the countryside of Kemmel and Loker. Passing by the vineyards of Monteberg, Kemmel and Loker. Passing by the French ossuary of the 1914-1918 war in Kemmel.

There are very few roads on this fairly standard route, as it follows sections of marked trails. Quite hilly, it crosses the Terril de Burbure, the Bois de Saint-Pierre and follows part of the Scyrendale.

Starting from the typical Auberge du Vermont, a route through the plains of Flanders at the foot of Mont des Cats and its monastery. Pass by the Moulin de l'Ingratitude and the Vierpot estaminet. Pass through the Boeschepe and Kokereel hills. View of Belgium, Bailleul.

This is a long walk in an urban area, but 90% of it is on paths. Start at the old bridge and its steps, then follow the Biette (a beautiful footbridge restored last year) to Ourton. Next, climb back up (unfortunately on the road) before descending to Beugin. Follow another bridge to the Divion Viaduct. There, a slightly tricky descent takes you back to the banks of the Lawe. Follow it first on the left bank, then on the right bank before following the bus route. And to finish in style, the Bois de la Volville, with a nice climb at the end.

This circular hike offers a superb hike that combines mining history, nature and redevelopment. You will take an old mining railway line (a former railway line used to transport coal) that crosses the Bois des Dames to take you to the Chartreuse des Dames in Gosnay.

This is a more family-friendly version of my two other hikes on Mont Rouge. It's short but with a good elevation gain. Half of the route is in the countryside and half in the woods, with a minimum of tarmac. Enough to keep you busy for half a day while getting plenty of fresh air!

A circular walking route starting from Loker Church, passing through the Sulferberg, the Westouter vineyards, Marguerite Yourcenar Park, Mont Noir, the Douve Valley and the Behaegel Estate

A circular walking route starting from Loker Church via Scherpenberg, Sulferberg, the Westouter countryside, Marguerite Yourcenar Park, Mont Noir, the Douve Valley and Mont Rouge.

A circular walking route starting at Loker Church, via Mont Rouge, the Behaegel estate, the Douve Valley, the Entre-deux-Monts vineyards, the Hellegatbos, the Westouter countryside and the Scherpenberg.

A circular walking route starting from Loker Church, passing through Mont Rouge, the Douve Valley, the Behaegel estate, the British Military Cemetery No. 10 at Locre, Dranouter Church and the Monteberg vineyard.

A long stretch along the slopes of Mont Kemmel to discover the Lettenberg, a small hill near Kemmel (perhaps the result of the union between Mont Rouge and Mont Kemmel?). The rest of the route is fairly standard, but passes through areas that are often very damp. And as always in this area, the elevation gain is quite significant. Avoid this walk in early August, during the Dranouter Festival.

A circular walking route starting from the car park at Loker Church, via the Vidaigneberg, the Douve Valley, Mont Noir, the Westouter countryside, the De Broekelzen nature reserve and Mont Rouge.

A circular walking route starting from the car park at Loker Church, via Mont Rouge, the ‘Trou de l’Enfer’ in the Hellegatbos woods, the Sulferberg, and the countryside around Westouter and Reningelst.

Departure and arrival at the car park of Loker church via the Westouter countryside. Crossing the Hellegatbos woods with a passage through the Hell Hole of Mont Rouge. Passing near the Baneberg mill in Westouter. Crossing the Douve valley, which forms the border between France and Belgium. Passing into France through the Mont Noir countryside in Saint Jans Cappel and the vineyards of Dranouter.

Departure and arrival at the car park of Loker Church via the countryside of Saint Jans Cappel and the Marguerite Yourcenar Nature Reserve at Mont Noir. Pass through the Douve Valley, which forms the border with France, and along Mont Rouge.

Return to Mont Rouge, passing through the Bois du Mont Noir. Enjoy a beautiful stroll through the woods, ending with a superb (and challenging) staircase. Be careful, as soon as it gets a little wet, the paths become very difficult and you can sometimes find yourself with mud up to your mid-shoes. This was the case this morning (19 November 2021).

A route through the fields following the course of the Peene’s sources, starting from Sainte-Marie-Cappel, with Mont Cassel and Mont des Récollets as a backdrop. Passing by one of the two documented sources of the Peene or Peene Becque.

Circular starting from Sainte-Marie-Cappel, passing through Cassel and Oxelaëre.

When the weather becomes a little wetter, you can still hike on Mont Rouge. This route alternates between small roads (with little traffic), paths and forest trails, which makes it a little less strenuous. It is a winding route, so the app is very useful. There is quite a bit of elevation gain and, in wet weather, the trails are quite slippery. The walk is therefore quite tiring (equivalent to a 25 km route).

This is a route on which I had fun concentrating as many difficulties as possible (more than 400 m of elevation gain). This gives it a somewhat labyrinthine feel, but it allows you to avoid tarmac as much as possible. So you walk from peak to peak on well-marked, clean paths. The use ofthe Visorando app is highly recommended, even though the numbering system is very practical.

A long, slightly winding route to enjoy the beautiful Belgian trails, which are well maintained and clearly marked. Simple signposting: there are posts with numbers and an arrow indicating the number you want to go to (not easy to explain but obvious when you're there). Difficult route, even very difficult in wet weather.

A pleasant short hike near Loker and Le Mont Rouge, with easy-to-use numbered markings.