Attractions and Places To See around Avesnes-Le-Sec - Top 20

easy and pleasant walk

Avesnes-le-Sec is a commune in the French Northern Department, in the Hauts-de-France region. It has an area of 10.4 km² and has 1,445 inhabitants (2020). It is part of the arrondissement of Valenciennes and the canton of Denain. Avesnes-le-Sec has a number of sites and heritage that testify to its history and culture. Some examples are: Avesnes-le-Sec Communal Cemetery Extension, a war cemetery from the First World War, where 65 British soldiers are buried. The ruins of the Moulin de Pierre, a tower mill from the 18th century, built with white limestone from the region. The mill was destroyed by a German shell in 1918. The Saint Aubertus Church, a Gothic church from the 12th century, dedicated to the patron saint of the municipality. The church has a remarkable portal with sculptures and an organ from the 19th century. Avesnes-le-Sec is also a pleasant place for walking or cycling, thanks to its green surroundings and its proximity to the River Somme. There are several routes and paths that run along the water or through the countryside. One of the most beautiful routes is the Voie verte du cavalier d'Agincourt, which connects Aniche to Escaudain over a distance of 12 km.

The Thun Leveque lock is a double lock located on the Scheldt canal, between the municipalities of Thun-l'Évêque and Iwuy, in the Nord department. It allows boats to overcome a difference in height of 2.5 meters between the two reaches of the canal. It is part of a series of five double locks which were built between 1825 and 1830 to improve navigation on the canalized Scheldt1. The Thun Leveque lock has been classified as a historic monument since 19922. It is surrounded by a landscaped park which dates from the 19th century and which belongs to the domain of the Château de Hamel, an 18th century residence which is also protected as architectural heritage3. The Thun Leveque lock is a place of passage and discovery for boaters, cyclists and hikers who use the Scheldt canal or the greenway which runs along it.

The Canal de la Sensée is a canal in northern France. The project was developed under Napoleon. In March 1806, the Imperial government ordered the construction of a canal connecting the Scarpe and the Scheldt. Work began under the direction of Augustin Honnorez in June 1819 and the Canal de la Sensée was opened to navigation in November 1820. Back then, the boats were pulled by men or horses who worked for ship owners. Shortly after World War I 1914-1918, horses were replaced by tractors. The Canal de la Sensée is part of the Dunkirk - Scheldt Canal.

We drove this road on August 19, '23 and I did not find anything wrong with this road. If there is a bad piece in it, it is barely 100m long. The prohibition signs do not apply to cyclists, but to car traffic...

The castle was built in the 17th century and was completed in the 19th century. Originally owned by the Abbaye Saint-Aubert de Cambrai, the castle was built on land owned by the abbey. The plans are said to have belonged to Ange-Jacques Gabriel or Alexandre-Théodore Brongniart. The castle was sold as national property during the Revolution. With the help of a stooge, Count François Marie Joseph de Frahan became the owner. It was sold by his descendants to Pierre Joseph Danjou in 1853 and then to Nicolas Meriaux in 1884. In 1887, Marie-Adélaide Verkinder, wife of deputy Ernest Déjardin, acquired the château. It passed to her daughter and son-in-law, Ambassador Pierre Lefèvre-Pontalis. During the First World War, the castle became the headquarters of Jagdgeschwader and Baron Manfred von Richthofen lived there. The castle, its moats and bridges have been classified as a historical monument since September 21, 1983, while the outbuildings, the old building on the edge of road number 4, the facades and roofs of the pigeon tower and the pavilion in the park and the perimeter wall with its gates since the same date have been registered as a historical monument.

Google recommended this path to me! It was the shortest way to a public campsite. It leads over gravel of medium and very poor quality and is no longer recommended for touring bikes. I certainly don't speak good French. Nevertheless, I recognized the prohibition signs as prohibitions. How can you send people along here?!? The route via the Rue d'Aubencheul to the south would have been only 300 meters longer and clearly easier to drive on!