Let’s go for a walk in the Maisnil-lès-Ruitz woods

Parking at the Grand’ Place car park in Maisnil-lès-Ruitz

(S/E) With your back to the car park and the Town Hall, set off to the left. Ignore the road on the right, and at the Fork in the road (with the school on the right), turn right onto Rue d’Olhain. Stay on this road until you reach the bridge over the Rocade.
Carry on straight ahead, heading due south, until you reach a car park on the edge of the woods.

(1) Head across the grass towards a post with hiking arrows and go round the car park on your right. Then follow the yellow markings (PR® Sentier du Parc). The path is flat at first, then climbs after a left-hand fork. At the top of the hill, you’ll reach a T-junction. Turn left, then immediately right (still on the PR® and well signposted!). You’ll reach a tarmac road near the campsite.

(2) Take the path opposite (still the PR®) and follow the fence. When the descent becomes steeper, turn left onto level ground. Follow the markings carefully until you reach a wide limestone path.

(3) Take this path, which is very slippery in wet weather (in which case it’s safer to go through the clearing on the right, where you can see orchids). Still following the PR®, turn left uphill, then right to reach the great plain of Olhain.

(4) Cross it diagonally to the right until you reach a picnic table. There’s a lovely view of Olhain Castle.
Head back to the edge of the woodland. Enter the woodland and follow the path along the edge on the right. Make sure you stay at the edge (there are a few yellow and yellow-and-red markings). The path eventually descends to a junction with a signpost.

(5) Turn left and follow the GR®127 (and the GRP®). A little further on, turn right (Via Francigena markings) and walk as close as possible to the golf course. Continue until you reach the D57E3 (it’s well signposted, but if in doubt, stick to the edge of the golf course). This is a very challenging section (steep climbs, steep descents and rutted tracks), especially in wet weather.

(6) Cross over to take the path opposite (slightly to the right) at the edge of the woodland. Staying on the GR®, follow the edge of the woodland. Ignore the tracks on the left and continue to a junction.

(7) Continue straight on along the GR® until you reach a Fork in the road with a field on the right. Turn left and stay on the GR® to join the D57 near Verdrel. Then leave the GR® and follow the road to the right until you reach an isolated house at the top of the Fresnicourt hill (access to the dolmen is possible on the left).

(8) Leave the tarmac road and, opposite the house, take a lovely path (sometimes difficult) on the right which descends towards Fresnicourt. Reach a small road and follow it to the right as far as the church.

(9) Take the steps on the right to cross the old cemetery. Climb up to the gate and take the path leading uphill (very overgrown in mid-July 2024, but I’ve cleared it well). At the Fork in the road, turn right uphill (a very steep section – quite ‘fun’ in wet weather). At the top, you’ll reach a T-junction; turn left to return to the first junction.

(7) Walk a few metres to the left, then turn right towards the north-east to enter the woods. You’ll arrive near the Cité de Verdrel on the right. Then take the path on the left (very poor in wet weather: see practical information). About 250 m further on, you’ll reach a forest keeper’s cottage. Take the lovely lane opposite and join the D57 (barrier).

(10) Follow the road to the left. Look out for the path which, about 50 m further on, veers sharply to the right into the woods. Walk alongside the rubbish tip (sorry about that!) whilst always sticking to the paths under the trees. It can be a bit noisy at times, but the path is pleasant. Make sure you stay at the edge of the woodland, preferably inside it. After a good kilometre, you’ll see a post with a Red Arrow.

(11) Turn left (follow the arrow) onto the well-marked path to reach the D57E (the barrier is often open). Cross it ( with great care) and follow it for a few metres to the left.

(12) You’ll immediately come to an entrance to the woods. Take the path on the left heading south-west. A lovely, uphill path that joins a small tarmac road. Follow it to the right for 50 m and you’ll come to a ‘first-aid post’ signpost.

(13) Leave the tarmac and take the path on the left (plot marker 12 on a tree). Reach a wide lane, cross it and take the path opposite for about a hundred metres.

(14) Turn right onto the first path. Stay on this path and continue until you reach the “first-aid post 17 63” signpost.

(15) Turn right to rejoin the main path.

(16) Follow it to the left until you reach a T-junction.

(17) Take the track on the right to reach the old car park. Cross it to join the small road just before a left-hand bend.

(18) Leave the tarmac and head straight ahead along the edge of the woods. Follow the GRP® markings (yellow-red). Turn right and head uphill to reach the small road.

(19) Before reaching the tarmac, turn left downhill onto the GRP® path. Continue downhill. Towards the bottom, veer slightly to the right (very well signposted) and reach a roundabout.
Turn left, cross the road (at the pedestrian crossing) and go under the bridge. Immediately afterwards, turn right onto Rue du Vieil Houdain. Ignore the road on the left and, about 300 m further on, look out for the path on the left opposite No. 40.

(20) Follow this path until you reach a large junction. Cross at the pedestrian crossing and turn right. After a few metres, you’ll find a flight of steps on the left leading up to the footbridge. Reach the D179E1, cross it at the pedestrian crossing and continue straight ahead along the path. Ignore a path on the left and a street on the right until you reach a Fork in the road. Take the right-hand fork and you’ll arrive at a crossroads. See practical information.

(21) Head off to the right, following the yellow PR® signposting. A few metres further on, turn left onto a grassy path. Follow the signposting leading to Rue d’Houdain. Follow this road to the right. At the Fork in the road, turn left (still following the PR® signposting) onto Rue des Carrières. At the end of the street, you’ll reach a path that crosses the fields to a T-junction.
Turn left. Just before you reach the houses, take the lovely grassy path leading uphill on the left. You’ll come to a small road, Rue du Bois.

(22) Follow it to the right. Ignore the first street on the left and you’ll reach a small car park.
Then turn left. You’ll immediately come across a lovely little lane which, after crossing two streets, joins Rue des Meunières. Follow it, then, shortly after Rue Nouvelle (which comes from the left), look out for the path that branches off to the right opposite No. 20.

(23) Follow this path. Turn right, then left, and you’ll reach the D72. Follow it to the left. Take the first street on the left before the crucifix to cross the Cité des Bosquets.
Carry on straight ahead to reach the Grand’ Place (S/E).

Now more than ever, good walking shoes and one or two walking poles are essential.

In wet weather, after passing (7) for the second time (near the Cité), it is best to continue straight on until you reach a wide path. Follow it to the left. At the first junction (first aid post 17 73), turn right and rejoin the normal route.
At the (21), you can turn left to walk around the beautiful Maisnil pond: this adds about 800 m to the route.

There is a lovely view of Olhain Castle.