Sempy lies on the Bras de Brosne, a tributary of the Canche. There are three practical ways to get your bearings locally: the valley with its meadows and wooded areas, Saint-Firmin Church and its features, and routes on foot and by bike. The routes vary in length, duration and the places they connect—a useful way to choose the focus of your stay.
Valley, Meadows and Watermill
Meadows lie on the northern and southern slopes of the Bras de Brosne valley. Sempy’s wooded areas include the Bois Ducrocq, visible from Rue de Montreuil. There is also an old watermill along the Bras de Brosne. To get a sense of the local landscape, look out for the changing scenery of meadow-covered slopes, woodland and water.
Saint-Firmin Church and Other Traces
Saint-Firmin Church has a sundial. The high altar features a central medallion with a garland and the motif of the Mystic Lamb; a statue of Saint Firmin stands in the niche of the south side altar. The church thus brings together several distinctive features: a timekeeping instrument, an ornamented medallion and a statue in a precisely identified location.
Sempy also has traces of an old castle. There is also an old, abandoned windmill in an elevated position. Together with the church, these provide several historical points of reference: church furnishings, traces of a castle and a windmill.
On Foot and by Bike
The Le Paradis walking trail follows the stream through Sempy and passes small stone bridges. It starts at Place des Maronniers and is classified as an easy walk: the route is 10 km long, with a stated duration of 2 hours and 30 minutes. The starting point, distance and duration help you plan a suitable time slot. Allow extra time for personal breaks.
The cycling routes offer different ways to plan your ride. The Le Bras de Brosne route passes through Sempy and Humbert before reaching Saint-Michel-sous-Bois. A municipal route description from 2011 gives a distance of 35 km and a duration of 2 hours 50 minutes for the Cyclo017 “La Chartreuse” cycling route in the “Canche-Authie” sector. For a rough planning estimate, the comparison with Le Paradis is noteworthy: the cycling route is 25 km longer, while the two stated durations differ by just 20 minutes. These are different modes of travel; moreover, the time given for Cyclo017 may vary depending on the route taken and conditions. Check current signage and route conditions before setting off.
When choosing between the two cycling routes, Le Bras de Brosne offers a guide to the sequence of places along the way, while Cyclo017 is described by its sector, distance and stated duration. Consider whether named places along the route or a quantified route estimate is more useful for your planning.
Discover more destinations: Bruay-La-Buissière, Arras, Carency, La Couture, Gosnay, Carvin, Haucourt, Saint-Georges.
For the broader travel overview: Pas-De-Calais.
