Fields, bocage and an easy walking route define Campagne Lès Boulonnais; at the same time, the village’s history dates back to a wooden castle from the 10th century. Visitors looking to combine outdoor activity with local heritage will find two clear themes here: Le Coq Rouge and buildings that reflect different eras. The route starts in the village; the church, château, fountain and hamlet complete the picture of the commune.

Le Coq Rouge: Route and Landscape

The Le Coq Rouge walking route is nine kilometres long, rated easy and takes an average of two hours and 15 minutes. It starts in Campagne-lès-Boulonnais; the Notre Dame du Mont-Carmel chapel is also part of the route. Distance, stated difficulty and average duration offer different points of reference for planning your time. Check current route conditions before setting out.

The walk offers views of both open plains and bocage landscapes. Hedgerows where numerous birds nest are part of this landscape, as are a rural village and a hamlet. The plateaus of the Haut-Pays d’Opale are home to fields interspersed with bocage landscapes. The result is a combination of open spaces and a more varied landscape, with the hedgerows also providing nesting places for numerous birds.

Church, Château and Local History

The Saint-Omer Church brings together several architectural features. Its 16th-century tower is crowned by an onion dome; the chancel is circular and comprises three interior sections. In 1950, Joseph Philippe, an architect and monk, restored the church. The shape of the tower, the layout of the chancel and the restoration represent different aspects of its architectural history.

A wooden castle from the 10th century once stood on the surviving Triaumont motte. By contrast, the small château of the d’Artois family is an 18th-century building made of white stone. François Alexandre d’Artois, Seigneur de Valvalon, had it built around 1753. The hamlet of Happe preserves rural 19th-century architecture. In chronological order, the buildings span the wooden castle, the château and the hamlet’s architecture.

The breeding of the Boulonnais horse is also part of the area’s rural history. Campagne-lès-Boulonnais was once an important centre for this breed. In the 1970s, there were still more than 50 horses in the village, spread across five farms. These figures give the historic horse-breeding industry a concrete sense of scale.

The Coq Rouge is the symbol of the commune. The municipal Coq Rouge brick fountain, topped by a rooster, stands in the village centre where four roads meet. There is also a covered picnic table at Place du Coq Rouge. If you would like to include it in your plans, check its availability before your trip.

Discover more destinations: Ergny, Beaumont, Busnes, Houlle, Marœuil, Meurchin, Clerques, Calais.

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