Forest-Montiers combines a long history of abbey heritage with specific trail information for the Forêt de Crécy. This gives you two questions to consider when planning your trip: What historical traces define the area, and what distance and walking time fit into your day? Its cultural history offers a focus of its own, while the route information provides a tangible choice for spending time in the forest.

Abbey Heritage and Historical Traces

In the 7th century, Saint Riquier chose Forest-Montiers as the site for a hermitage. The ferme abbatiale is the last surviving remnant of the monastic complex at Forest-Montiers. The abbey heritage is thus reflected in two distinct ways: in the early religious choice of location and in a surviving testament to the complex. Anyone interested in the area’s history can see these as separate chapters in its monastic past.

Another historical trace is the statue of Saint Hubert. Madame du Broutel commissioned it in 1816 in fulfillment of a vow; the sculpture is in the troubadour style. The reason for its commissioning and its style offer different ways to approach this object: one tells the story of its religious dedication, while the other describes its artistic classification. The statue thus complements the history of the abbey with a distinct, clearly defined point of interest. The dates refer to different events: the 7th century marks the choice of the site for the hermitage, while 1816 is the year the statue was commissioned.

Forêt de Crécy and Circular Trails

The Forêt de Crécy is a 4,360-hectare state forest that spans seven municipalities and is connected to Forest-Montiers by a 3.2-kilometer route. The Boucle des galandeaux in the Forêt de Crécy also has a 3.2-kilometer connection to Forest-Montiers. The area and number of municipalities describe the scale of the entire forest; the connection lengths, by contrast, specify particular links to the village and the loop. These different measures help distinguish the large forest area from the individual route.

The Forêt de Crécy trail network includes four yellow-marked PR circular trails. They range from 6 to 8 kilometers in length, with listed walking times of 2 to 3 hours. Both distance and walking time are therefore available to help you choose. You can compare both when planning your day, rather than judging a route solely by its distance; the listed walking time can be factored in as a separate block of time.

The Circuit du Geai passes through forests and marshland. Two loops are listed: a 21-kilometer route with a duration of 2 hours, and a 17-kilometer route with a duration of 1 hour and 30 minutes. The shorter loop is therefore also associated with the shorter time estimate. Specifically, the two options differ by 4 kilometers and half an hour. This comparison makes it easier to choose based on your preferred distance and available time, while the landscape description adds to the character of the Circuit du Geai.

As trail conditions can change seasonally, check current access and forestry notices before your visit.

Discover more destinations: Nesle, Ault, Longpré-Les-Corps-Saints, Roye, Vadencourt, Drucat, Mareuil Caubert, Woignarue

For the broader travel guide: Somme.