La Scarpe is the river that runs through Northern France (Hauts de France). It has a beautiful trail winding along its banks, perfect for walking and biking. In some places it is wide and paved, while in others it is a narrow dirt path. With a variety of wildlife and lush greenery lining its banks, the trail is a great way to escape the city for a refreshing dose of nature.

A River Runs Through It

La Scarpe is about 100km long, a tributary of the Sheldt river that flows in through Belgium and northern France. 1613 was the first time a boat made it all the way in to Arras, which at the time was an important hub for trade and commerce. The length of the river I’ve seen so far varies in both width and depth, and reminds me a bit of the Saint John River that flows in front of the homestead in Florenceville.

Somehow (and somewhat ironically), living near water makes me feel a bit more grounded. I know Ocel is missing the ocean, which becomes a part of you after living on a small island for your entire life. Luckily we have La Scarpe just a few steps from our front door, and we can reach the Atlantic Ocean in less than two hours by car or train.

Along the banks of La Scarpe

Arras is the end point for La Scarpe, which is rather fascinating to me. How and why does a river just stop? A google for another time, but for now I will just appreciate the fountain feature close to the river’s end, sandwiched between the banks of Arras’s outer-downtown area. We are fortunate to have a few excellent places to enjoy nature without having to leave the city, like this river trail, and the area around the Citadel that I wrote about here.

The trailway is called “Chemin de Halage,” which basically means a tow path. It would have been used for towing boats and barges as needed, and is now used for maintenance access and, of course, walking or biking. Much of the trail is lined with lush foliage on both sides.  Alongside the area between Saint Laurent-Blangy and Athies, there is a network of paths for horseback riding (pictured below) and a pasture with lots of cows and horsies. (I can’t be the only one who still says ‘horsies’ anytime I pass by them.) I caught a quick glimpse of a bunny, too, but he was too fast for my camera skills.

Fampoux

Without any particular destination in mind, I just followed the trail until I came to Fampoux, a charming little town nestled into the sloping bank, topped of course with a church. There was a picturesque scene of a small manicured public garden leading to a waterfall, with a homey French chalet across the river. I realized the ‘waterfall’ was really just the gush of the river passing through a large pipe beneath the main roadway, but I enjoyed it just the same.

Fampoux is situated on quite a hill, and I forced my slow old legs to power up the steep slope to the big red church perched at its top. Thank goodness for low gears and no traffic behind me. It was worth the effort though, and while I caught my breath I enjoyed the view of the church, the statue of Fampoux, and the Mairie (town hall, which houses the office of the Mayor, or Maire in French). Scroll through the photos below to see more.

Level Crossing Cemetery

To say Northern France was heavily impacted by the Wars is an understatement. So many towns and cities were completely destroyed and have since been rebuilt. Military cemeteries and monuments dot the landscape with frequent reminders of how many lives were sacrificed. I followed the signs to Level Crossing Cemetery to pay respects to the small plot of 405 graves, mostly representing solidiers from the 9th and 15th Scottish Divisions, and the 51st Highlander Division who fought in WWI.

Until next time, my lovely readers. I’m off to Paris for the Fête du Canada at the Canadian Embassy and Cultural Centre. HOW COOL IS THAT!