Discover Banteux: Trails, the Escaut and the Canal de Saint-Quentin

Two waterways help you find your bearings in Banteux: the Escaut is the main river flowing through the municipality, and the Canal de Saint-Quentin also runs through Banteux. Hiking trails take in this landscape in different ways—with views over the Escaut valley, a towpath along the canal, or a route leading to the grounds of Vaucelles. River tourism and fishing are also highlighted as features of the area.

Hiking the Circuit de Vaucelles

The Circuit de Vaucelles is 12.6 kilometres long, and the estimated walking time is around four hours. The starting point is the Église de Banteux. From there, the trail follows a green towpath along the canal to the Vaucelles lock. After crossing the canal, the route returns to the church. This means the start and finish are at the same named location, while the lock is a notable point along the way. The approximate walking time and route length give you two specific points of reference when planning this hike as part of your day.

The trail signs advise caution when crossing the RD 103 and the RN 44. The Circuit also lets you explore the Vaucelles site, which lies outside Banteux. The largest Cistercian church in Europe was built there. The Abbaye de Vaucelles is classified as a historic monument. It adds a cultural and historical destination outside the municipality to your outing, while Banteux and Vaucelles remain distinct places.

Areas open to visitors at the abbey include the 12th-century cloister building, rooms for workshops, the park and the gardens. The visitor regulations apply to individuals and groups. As access conditions may change, check the latest information from the Abbaye de Vaucelles before your visit. This lets you treat the hiking trail and time spent on the grounds as two connected parts of your trip while also taking the applicable visitor conditions into account.

Waterways, towpaths and views

A section of the trail A detour through Honnecourt overlooks the Escaut valley and offers panoramic views of the villages of Banteux and Bantouzelle. The focus here is on the landscape: the view takes in the valley and two named villages. This differs from the Circuit de Vaucelles, whose description gives a specific route length, walking time and return to the Église de Banteux.

The route On the trail of the Way of Saint James and the Escaut links waterways with the course of the trail in a different way. After crossing the Escaut and the Canal de Saint-Quentin, it follows the canal towpath through the countryside. The river and canal are therefore not just geographical features of Banteux; they also serve as landmarks in the route description. The three trail themes are easy to distinguish: a hike with a stated length and walking time, a section with valley panoramas, and a route along the canal after crossing both waterways.

If you are looking for a hotel for a trip to Banteux, the planned focus of your outings can help you choose where to stay. For a longer hike, the Circuit provides specific information about the time and distance; if you are mainly interested in landscape views, the viewpoint at Honnecourt is a distinct point of reference. The river and canal connections add another perspective on Banteux to these options.

Discover more destinations: Orchies, Anstaing, Lambersart, Cousolre, Marchiennes, Hordain, Villeneuve-D'ascq, Sains-Du-Nord.

See the broader travel guide: Nord.