De Ellezelles à Lessines

On the Pays des Collines RAVeL (Line 87)

Family

13 km

The RAVeL along the old railway line No 87 crosses the Pays des Collines nature reserve. Keep your eyes wide open. Buzzards, hawks, falcons and kestrels fly overhead in search of small rodents for their daily meal.

If you are lucky, you may meet an owl known as the ‘white lady’ as you cross Ellezelles. You can imagine this, too, as you savour a Quintine beer in the Légendes brewery just a stone’s throw from your route. You cross the commune of Flobecq, which invites you to stop at its medicinal plants centre. The Line 87 RAVeL then leads you through fields as far as the eye can see towards the Dendre RAVeL and the Notre-Dame à la Rose hospital in Lessines.

Details

The route:
The RAVeL remains on its own safe path along the entire route except for a short connecting stretch through Flobecq, when the way runs along a quiet road.

Surface:
Smooth asphalt except as you leave Flobecq, where a 450-metre farm path still has to be concreted.

Height difference:
Imperceptible incline or flat.

Signs:
Directional signs usually found on the RAVeL.

Safety, precautions:
Take care when crossing roads.

Connections:
Section of the RAVeL part of EuroVelo 5.

Warnings

Useful info

Start:
Crossroads with rue Mont, near the old Ellezelles railway station.

Coordinates Lambert 72 : X : 101002 m - Y : 159613 m

GPS coordinates: Latitude: 50°44'41.95" N - Longitude: 3°40'28.21".

Access by train: Renaix (Ronse) Belgian railway station, nodal point (NP) No 34 of the East Flanders cycling network. Follow NP No 29, 92, 41, 91, 90, 79 and 82 to join the Line 87 RAVeL.

Parking: a few parking spaces are available near the start.

Finish:
Crossroads with the chaussée de Grammont (N42), to the north of Lessines.

Coordonnées Lambert 72 : X : 112348 m - Y : 157472 m

Coordonnées GPS : Latitude : 50°43'35.66" N - Longitude : 3°50'07.72"

Return by train: Lessines railway station. Follow NP 30, 45, 34 of Wallonie picarde (Western Hainaut) by bike.

Parking: a few parking spaces are available nearby.

Rest areas:
Several rest areas have been set up along the Line 87 RAVeL.

Guides/maps:

RAVeL map of the Province of Hainaut published by the SPW. This map, called ‘More RAVeL, more pleasure’ can be ordered free of charge by clicking here.
Map of East Wallonie picarde (Western Hainaut) by bike.

Around the route by bike: