Saint-Léonard - Hermonville

White and red markings for^GR®®145and^GR®®654

(S) From your bivouac site, return to the towpath of the Marne-Aisne Canal and head north-west, keeping the canal on your right. Continue to the N244 bridge.

(1) Pass under the bridge and continue along the canal, passing Huon Lock No. 12 and continuing to the D951 bridge.

(2) Pass under the bridge and continue along the canal to Fléchambault Lock No. 10.

(3) At the lock, take the path on the left which leads to Rue de la Roseraie, then turn right onto Rue Clovis Chezel. Keep to the right to cross the bridge over the Canal de Marne à l'Aisne. You will arrive at Rue Chanteraine. In the right-hand bend, cross this street carefully to continue on to the Flechambault area. You will arrive in front of the Basilica of Saint-Rémi.

(4) After visiting the Basilica, walk along its left-hand side to reach Rue du Grand Cerf behind it. Continue north-west, passing the Public Finance Centre buildings and, keeping in the same direction, continue along Rue Gambetta until you reach^{the second} set of traffic lights, at the intersection with Rue de Venise. Refreshments are available on the street.

(5) Cross carefully and continue along Rue Gambetta in the wrong direction until you reach the crossroads in front of the Museum of Fine Arts. Turn right and continue to Notre-Dame Cathedral in Reims.

(6) After visiting the cathedral, with your back to the building, turn right towards the Palais de Justice. Pass to the right of the building on Rue du Trésor. Continue to the LCL Bank.

(7) Turn left and continue along Place Myron Herrick towards the south-west. Pass in front of the Opera House and continue along Rue de Vesle, following the tram line. Stay on this street and in this direction until you reach the bridge over the Canal de l'Aisne à la Marne. Be careful to cross the bridge on the left-hand pavement.

(8) Turn right onto the steps leading down to the riverbank, then walk along the Canal de Marne à l'Aisne on your right on Allée des Tilleuls. Continue until you arrive opposite the Reims Convention Centre.

(9) Pass under the Boulevard Louis Roederer bridge and continue to the railway bridge.

(10) Continue along the canal to the D75 bridge.

(11) Continue along the riverbank to the next bridge.

(12) Continue for about 250 metres until you reach the intersection opposite the Arvelor Mital factory.

(13) Leave the canal bank and the^GR®®654to turn left (west) following the^GR®®145, then carefully cross Avenue des Coïdes to continue opposite in an industrial area on Avenue de la Malle. At the right-hand bend, continue straight ahead on the path to the left of the pink fence of the DRAKO Regional Technical Centre. Continue to the crossroads.

White and red markings for^{the GR®®145}

(14) Turn right onto Chemin des Viviers, which runs alongside Bois de la Malle in a north-north-westerly direction. Continue to the fork.

(15) Turn left to the north-west and continue, passing Les Écuries de la Malle, until you reach the water treatment plant.

(16) Turn left and then quickly turn right to the north-west to reach a T-junction under a high-voltage power line.

(17) Turn left (west) and continue to the bridge over the A26 motorway.

(18) Cross this bridge over the motorway and continue west through the fields to the hamlet of Maretz. Continue to the crossroads at the Champagne Maretz winery.

(19) Turn right onto Chemin des Maretz and head uphill towards the north. Ignore any side roads and stay on the tarmac road until you reach the signpost at the base of a stele.

(20) Stay on the tarmac road uphill and continue to the village of Merfy. Continue to the school complex at the intersection with Grande Rue.

(21) Continue straight ahead on Rue de Pouillon, a one-way street, and stay on this street until you reach the last house at the edge of the Bois de le Grue woods.

(22) Leave the tarmac road and turn left into the woods. Keep heading north-west until you reach a fork.

(23) Turn left onto the path heading west. Continue in this direction, ignoring the paths crossing it, then after a right-hand bend, continue north-west until you reach a crossroads.

(24) Turn left and then quickly right at the signpost. Continue north and then north-east until you reach the fork at the edge of the woods. Turn right to enter the woods and continue to the fork at the highest point of the stage.

(25) Turn left (north) to begin a descent, ignoring the crossroads, and descend to the crossroads.

(26) Continue left (north-west) into the Bois de Toussicourt. Continue to the fork at the edge of the woods.

(27) Turn right to follow the edge of the woods on your right and continue to the crossroads.

(28) Turn left, continuing along the edge of the woods towards the west. Enter the woods again, continuing in the same direction, and quickly exit before reaching a crossroads at the edge of the woods.

(29) Follow the edge of the woods on your left to go around the field.

(30) Turn left (north-west) to quickly cross the woods, then continue across the fields towards the north-west. Pass under a power line before reaching the intersection with Chemin Rural Derrière Jardins.

(31) Continue straight ahead to enter the village of Hermonville and continue to the stop sign at the intersection with the D30.

(32) Turn left onto Rue de Reims. Stay on this street until you reach the town hall square. You can stock up on supplies at a Proxi market. Turn right onto the D530, pass in front of the Church of Saint-Sauveur and continue to the fork.

(33) Turn left onto Rue du Temple and continue to Place du Moncet.

(34) Turn right towards the north-west onto Rue de la Bonne Fontaine and turn left in front of the wash house to find a discreet place to camp (E).

Refreshments available in Reims (4) and (8) then in Hermonville (32).
Look for a place to camp on the outskirts of Hermonville near the wash house (E).
Hike completed by the author on 15 May 2024.

The Marne-Aisne Canal with its bridges and locks.
The city of Reims.
(4) Saint-Rémi Basilica.
(6) Notre-Dame Cathedral.