Discovering Patois Road - El Route du pato

Depart from the town of Houdain, latitude 50.4518500 (N 50° 27’ 7”), longitude 2.5365700 (E 2° 32’ 12”)

• Step 1: Houdain

• Located at the confluence of the Blanche and the Brette, it presents two aspects: the upper part of Houdain with its alignment of corons testifies to its close mining past while the bottom of the village opens on the green artesian countryside. For the record, the inhabitants liked to make jokes between them. It was not uncommon to find on shop windows jokes in patois, the style "come and do your photos of communion, you will have them for your wedding!" at the photographer's; "here, we go from father to son!" at the butcher's ; elsewhere "here, we speak patois, French is tolerated". And it is natural that the sayings patoisants found their place on the walls.
• Here begins the Route du Patois "

• Step 2: Hermin

• It is a small rural village in the hills of Artois which has one of the oldest churches in the region. The building retains an old part dated 1343. In the time of the mines, it was customary to nickname the inhabitants "the Ballots" - sobriquet meaning smoke clouds coming out of the chimneys - the miners getting up early ignited their fire and smoke rose above the bowl of Hermin. This expression gave rise to a village proverb.

• Step 3: Caucourt

• Caucourt is a small village bathed by the Brette. Time seems suspended on the inert hand of the sundial of the bell tower of the Saint-Pierre church, an imposing tower that served as a place of refuge for inhabitants in times of trouble. For centuries, it gives the solar time and indicates the same time.
• A tip to enjoy the walk! Leave your car behind the church and take the quiet rue du moulin, "the little tourist road as it's called", which runs along the river and leads you to the ford.

• Step 4: Gauchin-le-Gal

• It is a small village-street, located in the valley of the Brette, which marks the transition between the plateau and the hills of Artois. It is built along the Chaussée Brunehaut, an old Roman road that connected Nemetacum (Arras) to Tervanna (Thérouanne). The village takes its name from a mysterious block of sandstone, the Gal, chained in the shade of a lime tree on the square, whose history is to sleep! Why tie it with a chain to a stone?

• Etap5: Estrée-Cauchy

• This is a street village that has also developed along the Chaussée Brunehaut. Here, toponymy reveals its existence, Estrée from Latin "strata" and Cauchy from Latin "calceata" mean "paved road". She is known by this name because it is Brunehaut, Queen of Austrasia, who made restore this way of communication to facilitate the movement of its armies. The main street is bordered on either side by closed-courtyard farms that open onto porches and gabled houses. Playground on the village square.

• Stage 6: Fresnicourt-le-Dolmen

• In the Gallo-Roman period, this country was the site of a curious worship of the "sacred tree". The ash tree would be the origin of the name of the town, Fresnicourt comes from the Latin "Friscini Curtis" (pen where there are ash trees). Much later, the presence of a dolmen will give him his final name. It is a small village with harmonious architecture dominated in the north on the heights by the forest of Olhain. The town is composed of two hamlets: Verdrel and Olhain which contains a treasure of medieval architecture: the castle of Olhain.

• Step 7: Rebreuve-Ranchicourt

• Rebreuve-Ranchicourt is a small village located on the Chaussée Brunehaut which is named after the merger in 1971 of two municipalities: Rebreuve-sous-les-Monts and Ranchicourt. Part of the name comes from an illustrious family "Ranchicourt" to whom we owe the sumptuous castle roadside that catches the eye. The Brette crosses the village to finish her race at Houdain where she throws herself into the Lawe.

• Stage 8: Maisnil-les-Ruitz, Departmental Park of Nature and Leisure of Olhain

• 5 good reasons to set up an outing at Olhain Park "We're going strong!
• Have fun, let off steam: mini-golf, tennis, swimming pool, kindergarten, tree climbing, "activities for all tastes;
• Relax and laze: lazing in the playground, self-service or on the terrace, picnic on the plain;
• Rejuvenate: wooded and hilly golf course (9 holes), hiking and mountain biking, nature outings and forest walks "for your greater good;
• Prepare physically: sports courses (accommodation, high-level sports facilities) for a good conditioning;
• To motivate oneself professionally: organization of seminars or trainings with adapted equipment (meeting rooms, multimedia space).
• Parc Départemental d'Olhain +33 3 21 27 91 79 www.parcdolhain.fr
• Olhain adventure trail +33 3 21 25 15 53 www.passiondaventure.com