Tournai – Wiers

(S) Opposite the youth hostel, turn right, then left to reach the outer boulevards. Follow Boulevard Lalaing to the left until you reach Rue de Barges (small park on the left).

(1) Cross the boulevard and follow Rue de Barges to the right.

(2) At the end, turn left onto Rue du Général Piron, then left again onto Rue des Fougères. Ignore all the streets branching off to the left. At the junction with the N507 (Chaussée de Saint-Amand), follow the road to the right.

(3) Between houses numbered 215 and 219, a track branches off which continues as a footpath after a car park. Take this path. Passing through woodland and then along the edge of fields, it leads to a chapel surrounded by majestic trees at the junction with a farm track (an ancient Roman road leading from Tournai to Cambrai) and the Way of St James (via Scaldea). Continue straight ahead until you reach the entrance to Jollain.

(4) Turn left onto Rue de Jollain, then take the first right onto the street which continues as a farm track. At the next junction, make the first turn right then left to continue straight ahead and rejoin the ancient Roman road. Follow it to the left, crossing Rue des Six Chemins.

(5) To see the Pierre Brunehaut (an impressive menhir), at the next junction, take a short detour to the right (GR® 122), then return to the junction.

(5) Continue along the old Roman road in the same direction. The GR® 122 follows the route until it joins the road and the Via Scaldea. Follow the route to the right. When the road bends to the right, continue straight on along the Ravel until you reach Rue des Déportés on the left.

(6) Follow it straight on, cross the Scheldt, and follow the Chemin du Flux opposite. Take the first street on the right after the bend, Rue de Sin. Ignore all the forks in the road. When you reach a ‘Y’ junction, take the right-hand branch, Rue Gilles-Savoie.

(7) Cross the France–Belgium border and continue straight on along the road, which becomes a farm track. Carry on until you reach Rue de Laplaigne in Roeux. Follow it to the left, ignoring all side tracks, until you reach a ‘T’ junction. Turn right. The track becomes Rue Aristide Barbieux after the small Place de Rœux.

(8) Take the first street on the left, Rue d’Hergnies, then the first road on the right (Rue des Tuilleries), which, further on, turns left and rejoins Rue d’Hergnies. Continue straight on into Flines-lès-Mortagne.

(9) Pass a wayside cross, then take the third street on the left; after that, take Rue de Wiers. At the next junction, continue along the street to the right, until you reach Rouillon.

(10) Ignore all side streets and, as you pass the church, carry on straight ahead, continuing along Rue de Wiers.

(11) Cross the France/Belgium border again and carry on straight ahead to Wiers via Rue Les Quatre Chemins. Continue to the junction with Rue de Gourgues.

(12) Carry on straight ahead along Rue du Champ Delmée (joining the GR®122). When the street splits into two, whilst retaining the same name, take the left-hand branch. Follow the GR®122 to the bend (E).

For the next day’s stage, you’ll need to book accommodation with a local resident: the end point is therefore chosen at random to allow you to continue the next day’s stage.

Pierre Brunehaut