Auchy-au-Bois: Place Sigéric, Saint-Gilles and walking routes

Auchy-au-Bois is connected to stages of the Via Francigena and offers various starting points for a stay on foot. Place Sigéric is in the town centre; Saint-Gilles Church is a landmark along the stages. The slag heap offers views of the surrounding area, while La Coqueline and La Méroise differ in route length and difficulty rating.

Place Sigéric and Saint-Gilles

Place Sigéric is a public square in the town centre, intended for pedestrians. It has a rest area and a small market square. The square serves as a meeting place for residents and hikers; the walking trail that runs through it is used by pedestrians. The square thus combines a place to rest with a connection to walking in the town centre.

Place Sigéric was named in June 2023 in honour of an archbishop associated with the earliest description of a route along the Via Francigena. The stage points are also precisely located: FR07 ends on Rue de Pernes opposite Saint-Gilles Church; FR08 also begins on Rue de Pernes opposite the church. Check the stage information again before setting out.

Saint-Gilles contains the gravestone of the parish priest Charles-François Anselin and the statue Vierge à l’Enfant. Both objects were listed for protection on 29 September 1982. The church thus connects the Via Francigena stages with two distinct historical objects.

The slag heap and walking routes

The Auchy-au-Bois slag heap offers views of the surrounding area, is a prominent local landmark, and is designated as a site of the Chaîne des Parcs. It is accessible to pedestrians only. Maintenance covers the areas along the paths, benches, picnic tables, a viewing platform with railings, and a structure made of wood and ropes. If you are counting on using the benches or viewing platform, check the condition of these facilities before your visit.

The walking routes have different distances: the La Coqueline loop from Amettes is 10 kilometres long and rated easy; La Méroise is longer at 16.4 kilometres and rated moderate. The difference between the stated distances is 6.4 kilometres. La Méroise is also listed as taking four hours. The La Coqueline route is marked in yellow and heads towards Auchy-au-Bois, crossing a footbridge and following the Coqueline stream. A variant of La Méroise starts at the car park by Auchy-au-Bois town hall. This makes it possible to compare the routes by distance and difficulty rating, while also taking La Méroise’s stated duration into account.

Dining locally

Le Brunehaut restaurant serves traditional cuisine made with local and seasonal products. Check whether the restaurant is open before your trip.

Discover more destinations: Halinghen, Saint-Denœux, Lépine, Ambleteuse, Valhuon, Écurie, Acquin-Westbécourt, Outreau

For the overview of the wider region: Pas-De-Calais.