A hike from Quesnoy to Potelle, green bocage and soft pastures

In Quesnoy, everything starts from the ramparts. It hisses and chatters at all costs in the parking lot of the Pont-Rouge pond, in front of the restaurant La Carpe d’or. It waddles on the road in single file. Motorists seem used to it and no casualties are to be deplored among the group of palmipeds.

The ramparts path is therefore the starting point. We screw up a bit because we followed the path of the small ramparts hike. But you get to avenue de la Gare fairly quickly, which you take to the right in the direction of … the station. In front of it, on the left, then at the roundabout, first on the right (direction Bavay). We take the bridge over the railway (1).

At the intersection, follow the rue du 11-Novembre to the left, then take the first right. This is the road to Lorgnies which connects Le Quesnoy to Villereau via the charming hamlet of Lorgnies.

Where is Snow White?

The suburbs of the city barely left, a rustic picture is offered to the curious: a superb red squirrel comes out of a tree and crosses the road to reach a field where two ponies graze peacefully. As if to greet us, they raise the neckline as we pass. Impossible not to stop for a little caress. All that’s missing are the tits and Snow White to add to our happiness.

After the fountain nicely rehabilitated in 2015, we take a right. Further on, we carefully cross the RD942 and continue as close as possible to the water (2).

You can’t go wrong, a rock announces the start of the adventure: next to the yellow beacon are painted the red and white lines of the GR122 which comes from Condé-sur-l’Escaut. We share it for a while.

On the banks of the Rhonelle, we forget all our worries, absorbed by the landscape. One of the most beautiful moments of the hike.

We arrive at Villereau where we pass in front of the Saint-Géry church. At the top of the road, you come across the RD951 that you cross to take the path of the Alouette at the entrance of which stands the Notre-Dame du Bon-Secours chapel. (3).

The Potelle castle seen from the outside

Turning right, you walk along the top of the Rhonelle plateau. Begin the agricultural part, a little more monotonous, through fields, with its share of more or less muddy paths depending on the weather of the previous days … (4)

Turn left and after the bridge over an old railway line, turn right to descend the Chemin du Marais. We pass over the Rhonelle then, on the right, comes the Chemin du Château which passes under the old railway bridge.

We finally discover the Château de Potelle, old fortified castle built in 1290 by Willes de Mortagne, Lord of Potelles. It’s a bit of the icing on the cake … even if it is forbidden to enter the courtyard because it is a private domain! (5)

In the crossroads, on the left, we pass over the railway line to close the 10 km loop. We find the city, rue Léon-Blum, which brings us back to the center (6). We can see the ramparts of Quesnoy. A chip shop is placed on the last hundred meters. It is open. As if by chance …