Val de Clarence and Bois de Roquelaure

Start from Lapugnoy, small car park on Rue Jean Jaurès.

(S/E) Cross the Clarence and then the large green space next to the Résidence du Parc. At the end, climb the embankment to reach the old footbridge. Follow it to the right to reach a junction near the La Motte bus stop. Head straight ahead to enter the Parc de Loisirs. The easiest option is then to continue straight on, following the railway line to reach Rue de la République. Alternative route: see Practical Information 1.

(1) Turn left, cross the railway line and head right. At the fork, continue straight on (Rue Basly) until you reach the D188. Cross it and take Rue des Résistants opposite; you’ll soon come to a fork.

(2) Turn right onto Chemin de Pernes. This path is very pleasant in winter but often difficult in summer (it is very clean in March 2026) and joins a small road. Follow it for a few metres to the left, then take the path branching off to the right (gate: a very beautiful path in May 2024). After 250 m, turn left onto an uphill path leading to a T-junction on the ridge, facing Bruay.

(3) Head right “along the ridge” and reach a small road. Follow it straight ahead and, after about a hundred metres, take the street on the right. At the end, continue along the narrow path, running alongside the field, which extends from it. After about a hundred metres, look out for a track on the left.

(4) Follow the path, which turns sharply to the right. About 300 m further on, turn left and you’ll soon reach a fork.

(5) Head straight ahead and reach a small road. Cross it to take the path opposite. At the T-junction, turn right and reach another T-junction.

(6) Turn left onto a good, ascending path. At the fork, keep left and reach a T-junction.

(7) Turn right and head towards Avenue du Carreau. Follow it to the left for about 300 m until you reach the Stop sign.

(8) Take the sharp right-hand bend into Rue Latérale and, a few metres further on, take the road on the left which leads to the railway line. Cross the tracks (barriers, take care) then ignore the path on the left that runs alongside the railway line. A few metres further on, at the fork, take the path on the left, then keep left to follow the Clarence upstream (barely visible from this side but you can hear it) until you reach a footbridge.

(9) Cross the river and turn right along its bank (sometimes a bit spongy!). Follow the river to reach Étang de Quenehem. Keep to the right of the lake and reach Rue du Mont Saint-Éloi.

(10) Follow it for a few metres to the right, cross the Clarence then turn left onto the path. Reach Rue de la Fosse, follow it to the left, cross the Clarence again and, just after, turn right to enter the park. Follow the tarmac path towards Marles Church, reach it and go round it on the right (there are plenty of other ways to reach the church; in dry weather, you can even stay by the water’s edge). You’ll come to a crossroads at the end of Rue du Marais.

(11) Then turn right, with your back to the church. Ignore the road going uphill to the left and head towards a stretch of water (often noisy ducks!). Shortly afterwards, you’ll find a path leading to the supermarket car park (a good landmark).

(12) Cross the car park, then go round the petrol station on the right to reach Rue Pasteur. Cross it and take Allée des Citronniers opposite. At^{the first} junction, turn right onto Rue des Orangers. Just before reaching Rue de la Vallée Carreau, take the footbridge on the left. At the road, keep going in the same direction, cross the grassy square until you reach another road. Cross this to enter the woodland (gate). Just before reaching the travellers’ site, turn left onto Rue de la Vallée Carreau. Alternative route: see Practical Information 2.

(13) Turn right to walk alongside the site. Reach the junction and turn right for a few metres, then cross the road to reach the green space.

(14) Take the wide, flat path opposite. Just under a kilometre further on, you’ll find an uphill path on the right.

(15) Follow it and, at the top, turn right onto a narrow path running along the edge of the field (on the right, view of Auchel and its slag heap). Just before reaching the small road, turn left along the edge of the field (the path isn’t great, but it’s very short), then immediately right along the edge of the field to go round the care home on the left. A lovely path soon appears (or stay in the grass, if you prefer) which runs alongside a housing estate before reaching a small road opposite the Cité Sainte-Barbe.

(16) Turn left, then leave the road to enter the sports ground. Keeping well to the left, reach a wide path and follow it to the right. Just after a right-hand bend at a right angle, take the small path on the left. 200 m further on, turn right into Rue d’Évin and head down to the D188.

(17) Turn left, then immediately right into Rue de la Fontaine. The tarmac gives way to a dirt track. When the path turns left, head right onto a narrow track and join a wide path. Turn left and continue to the T-junction. Then turn right and follow the path to the military cemetery.

(18) Turn left and reach a road. Cross it to take a path opposite. When you reach a small road, follow it to the left and, just after a sharp bend to the right, leave it to join a track. Walk alongside the woods until you reach a small road. Follow it to the left until it ends.

(19) Turn left onto a path (rustic steps) which climbs up to the wayside shrine. Stay on the path, which veers slightly to the left before running alongside a property and reaching the entrance to the Bois de Roquelaure (gate). Continue along the main avenue heading north. About 600 m further on, you’ll reach a crossroads.

(20) Turn left (Yellow Cross and Red Cross on a tree + orienteering marker). The path descends, turns right, then right again (beautifully landscaped in 2024) and, after a short climb, joins a wider path. Follow it to the left until you reach the northern edge of the woodland (a few ponds and heathland on the right).

(21) Then take a sharp right-hand bend and stay on the lovely path as it descends. Ignore the main track on the right and, just before reaching the edge of the woodland, look out for a narrow path on the right.

(22) Take this and reach a T-junction. Turn left, then come to a fork.

(23) Turn left again. Reach a T-junction and turn left. About a hundred metres further on, the path slopes to the left then takes a sharp right-hand bend. 300 m further on, at a picnic area, turn left downhill to reach the edge of the woods. Go through the gate and head left.

(24) About 200 m further on, don’t miss the narrow path branching off to the right. Go through the two gates (remembering to close them properly) and reach Rue Jean Jaurès. Follow it to the right, then cross it to enter the small park. Walk through the park to reach the car park (S/E).

As always, good walking shoes are essential.

1- Alternative route: after entering the park, rather than continuing straight on, it is more pleasant to go round the ponds on the right.

2- Alternative route: More pleasant but a little more difficult: you can continue straight ahead to reach the visitor centre. Walk along the fence for a few metres and take a steep path on the right. At the top, turn left and follow a narrow track that runs alongside the visitor centre, overlooking it. After a stretch through the undergrowth, you’ll come to a slope. Head down (not too difficult; there are trees on the left) and join the access road to the visitor centre. Follow it to the right and, at the end, turn right to rejoin the route and reach the green space. Correct as of March 2026.

When crossing the parks, I’ve provided some guidance, but there are other ways to do it (easy with the map, even easier with the app).

Numerous traces of mining heritage.