Genech combines hiking trails with the history of the Church of Notre-Dame de la Visitation and a garden with its own natural theme. The municipality offers three hiking trails; the Promenade autour de Genech and the Circuit de la Commanderie can be compared using their specific distance and duration details. Les Hydrangea offers a different perspective on the landscape, while the church provides its own historical perspective.
Hiking Trails and the Pévèle Landscape
The Promenade autour de Genech is a circular trail of 7 to 10 kilometres. It is listed as taking 1 hour 30 minutes to 2 hours 30 minutes. The Circuit de la Commanderie covers 10 or 15 kilometres and is listed as taking 3 or 4 hours. The distance ranges overlap at 10 kilometres. As for duration, even the shorter estimate for the Circuit is longer than the longest time listed for the Promenade. This comparison can help you plan a shorter or longer block of time for your hike.
The Promenade passes through the rural landscape typical of the Pévèle, with farmland, rows of trees and small woods. It also brings key elements of the Pévèle’s agricultural heritage to life. On this route, landscape and heritage go hand in hand: it combines a tangible picture of the countryside with a historical perspective on the region’s agricultural past.
The Circuit de la Commanderie refers to a Templar commandery that existed between 1226 and 1770. This time span describes the route’s historical connection. A variant of the Circuit offers a detour to Genech and its wooded landscape. If you specifically want to include this detour, the variant is the right choice.
The Church of Notre-Dame de la Visitation
The Church of Notre-Dame de la Visitation in Genech is first mentioned in 1164. The choir was built between 1526 and 1565 by the Abbot of Cysoing. These are two different dates: 1164 marks the first mention, while the later period refers to the construction of the choir. The dates therefore do not describe a single phase in the church’s construction. The historical connection of a hiking route and the construction history of a specific part of the church offer two different ways to explore the area’s heritage.
Les Hydrangea: Garden and Pond
Les Hydrangea is a wooded garden in the English style, set on gently sloping terrain. It also features a pond that provides a habitat for frogs, toads, dragonflies and newts. This brings together the garden’s style and terrain with a specific natural feature: the pond and the animal groups it supports. Jean Duby shows the garden to interested visitors. If you would like to visit, check in advance whether a visit is possible at your preferred time. The design and terrain, on the one hand, and the pond habitat, on the other, give the garden distinct points of interest.
Discover more destinations: Bousies, Louvignies-Quesnoy, Roncq, West-Cappel, Ferrière-La-Petite, Vicq, Caudry, Dourlers
For the broader travel overview: Nord.
