The Sainte-Marie slag heap and the wolf tradition offer two distinct ways to explore Auberchicourt: one turns the focus to landscape and movement, the other to local names, characters and festival culture. When planning your trip, it is worth choosing between these highlights based on your interests.

The Sainte-Marie slag heap and the Chemin des Galibots

The Sainte-Marie slag heap covers 70 hectares. Woodlands, trails and viewpoints shape the site, where you can go for walks and bike rides. The landscape offers more than just opportunities for activity: trails provide a setting for getting outdoors, while woodlands and viewpoints help define the character of the site.

The Chemin des Galibots is a hiking and cycling loop on the Sainte-Marie slag heap. It runs mostly along former mining railway lines. This named route is therefore distinct from the general option of walking or cycling around the site. The former use of the lines is also part of the route’s context: here, a present-day activity meets a historical connection to mining infrastructure.

The wolf tradition in Auberchicourt

The people of Auberchicourt are known as “leus”, a name associated with wolves. This connection is also reflected in the Chemin des loups and in a local giant figure in the shape of a wolf. The name for the locals, the trail name and the character can be read as different expressions of the same local identity. Those interested in a town’s culture can explore it through names and motifs rather than a single historical date.

Chaufour and the wolf festival

The wooded area of Chaufour is a destination for an outing in Auberchicourt. The Fête médiévale du loup, or Medieval Wolf Festival, is held there every year. The event’s name draws on the wolf motif, which also appears in the local name “leus”, in the Chemin des loups and in the giant figure. Chaufour connects the festival to a specific wooded location. If you are planning your trip around the festival, check the date of that year’s edition.

The church and historical references to the town

A report dated 22 February 2019 describes the Church of Notre-Dame de la Visitation as having more than 70 stained-glass windows. According to the report, Raphaël Lardeur restored the windows after the destruction of the First World War. The historical context therefore includes both the war damage and the subsequent restoration of the windows.

Gallo-Roman remains were discovered in Auberchicourt during construction work in the early 2000s. A local road is still known as the Voie romaine (Roman Road). Together with the history of the church windows, these details offer different perspectives on the town’s past: from Gallo-Roman finds to restoration after the First World War.

Plan your stay

To decide what to focus on, compare activities with events: you can walk or cycle on the Sainte-Marie slag heap, while the wolf festival takes place every year at Chaufour. If you mainly want to spend time outdoors, you can plan around the specific Galibots loop or the general opportunities across the site. If the festival is the reason for your trip, check the date of that year’s edition in advance.

For the wider travel overview: North.