Halinghen – Hiking and Heritage

Halinghen is a village in the Haut Boulonnais, beyond the Boulonnais depression. Notable features include the 28-kilometre Haut Pichot hiking trail, a panoramic view, distinctive landscapes and historic buildings. You can get to know Halinghen through its hiking trails, natural surroundings and tangible evidence of its architectural history.

Hiking the Haut Pichot

The Haut Pichot hiking trail is 28 kilometres long and offers a panoramic view. The section in Halinghen leads into the village centre, then follows the D 239 towards Carly for 100 metres before continuing along a path to Haut Pichot and Mont Violette. The total length of 28 kilometres and the 100 metres along the D 239 refer to two different scales: the entire route and one section of road. Both details are useful for planning your trip, but should not be confused. The route sequence describes how the section passes through Halinghen. As trail conditions and wayfinding may change, check the route description before setting out.

Landscape and nature

Mont de Landacques, in the municipality of Halinghen, reaches an elevation of 177 metres. ZNIEFF 310007275 also extends into the municipality. Its landscape comprises a mosaic of grassy steppes and wooded hills with gently undulating terrain. These are two distinct natural features: the elevation refers to the named mountain, while the ZNIEFF describes the vegetation and terrain of its area. A single high point and a landscape mosaic thus offer different perspectives on Halinghen’s natural features.

Architectural history and heritage

The Church of Saint-Sylvestre is in the centre of Halinghen; the Chapel of Halinghen is in the hamlet of Niembourg. The church was rebuilt in 1860/61 and contains a 1st-century altar to Jupiter, evidence of the Roman era. The dates refer to different things: 1860/61 marks the church’s reconstruction, while the 1st century dates the altar. This distinction helps separate the church’s architectural history from the older history of the altar.

The building known as “les 40 000 briques” is a former defensive battery. The site is also described as a hang-gliding launch point. These are two distinct associations: its former defensive role places the building in its historical context, while the description as a launch point links it to hang-gliding.

The stone chapel of Niembourg has a rectangular floor plan and a flat-ended choir. Two pointed-arch windows have retained their stained glass. The floor plan and the choir’s flat ending describe different aspects of the architecture: the overall shape and the end of the choir area. The pointed arch refers to the shape of the windows, while the surviving stained glass is another specific feature of the two windows.

Discover more destinations: Carly, Carency, Ergny, Wanquetin, Lépine, Tilques, Farbus, Grenay

For the broader travel overview: Pas-De-Calais.