The best road cycling routes around Villers-Bocage

The Étang Saint-Ladre Nature Reserve in Boves is located at the gates of Amiens, in the Avre Valley, a tributary of the Somme. In 1979, it became the first site in Picardy to be classified as a State Nature Reserve. The extraction of peat for heating, during the 18th and 19th centuries, created, in place of meadows, the ponds that today make up the reserve. Other activities such as cattle grazing, bleaching of woven textiles in the surrounding area on the meadows, and mowing of helophytes have also shaped the marsh and its ecological characteristics. The ecological management implemented since the 1990s has enabled the development of a complex mosaic of habitats, among the most representative of alkaline peat systems, allowing the expression of a characteristic, often heritage-worthy, flora and fauna. From the car park, the path enters the reserve and runs along the Avre. On the right, the first ponds and the reed bed appear. You will discover pollarded willows and expanses of wet meadows. These environments were shaped by human activity until the abandonment of these ancestral practices. Each year, the Conservatoire d’espaces naturels carries out work to preserve this endangered heritage. The large, now reopened areas are grazed by Nantais cows to maintain them. Observe the comings and goings of birds and dragonflies during the fine season… Listen to the song of passerines or amphibians. After the meadows, come the large bodies of water with their water lilies, moorhens, and grebes. The path makes a loop on a path along a new series of ponds until returning to the starting point. https://www.cen-hautsdefrance.org/site/rnn-letang-saint-ladre/

Stunning trompe-l'œil murals offer a subtle tribute to the Polish airmen who fell in the area during World War II. Near the church, you'll find a collection of old photographs and information about Naours as it once was. Don't forget to look at the street signs, some of which also include the name in Picard dialect – a rare find!

Site managed by the Conservatoire d'Espaces Naturels des Hauts de France (Hauts-de-France Regional Nature Reserve). A wide, stabilized gravel path, open to the public, is maintained and marked with signposts. Since 2012, an audio guide has allowed you to explore the nature reserve with a "virtual guide." QR codes placed along the path allow you to play the audio clips using your smartphone. This audio guide is available in three languages (French, English, and Dutch). https://www.cen-hautsdefrance.org/rnn-l-etang-saint-ladre

The Etang Saint-Ladre Nature Reserve in Boves is located at the gates of Amiens, in the L’Avre Valley, a tributary of the Somme. In 1979, it became the first site in Picardy to be classified as a State Nature Reserve. The ecological management implemented since the 1990s has made it possible to develop a complex mosaic of habitats among the most representative of alkaline peat systems, allowing the expression of characteristic, often heritage, flora and fauna. Find all the information concerning this site here: https://www.cen-hautsdefrance.org/site/rnn-letang-saint-ladre/

A beautiful place for a walk in nature. The bike path is perfect.

Smooth green corridor

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Good Gravel spot, even better out of season