If you want to combine exercise with architecture and scenery, Poix-de-Picardie offers a practical starting point for planning: the Les Hauts de Poix circular hiking trail is 9 kilometres long and can start in Poix-de-Picardie. The route passes through the town centre and lets you discover the Église Saint-Denis and the Viaduc de Poix-de-Picardie. On the return, it follows the river along the Allée du Jeu de Paume. This lets you take in the town centre, river scenery and two notable structures on one hike.

Hiking in Poix-de-Picardie

At nine kilometres, Les Hauts de Poix gives you a specific distance to help you fit the loop into your day. How much time you allow depends on your pace and breaks. Along with the distance, the route through the town and the sights mentioned also shape the outing: the church and viaduct are among the discoveries along the way. On the return, the trail follows the river along the Allée du Jeu de Paume, where there is an outdoor fitness trail. If you are mainly looking for a hike, this clearly described circular route lets you combine local history with a stretch by the water.

River and landscape

Poix-de-Picardie is in the “Haute vallée et cours de la rivière Poix” area, a continental ZNIEFF type 1. The landscape is shaped by a mosaic of different habitats, including woodland, calcareous grassland and bocage landscapes with hedgerows, meadows, orchards and ponds. The Poix reaches Poix-de-Picardie and, despite the weirs that divide its course, has retained its natural character in the valley. This gives you two different scales to consider when planning your trip: the specific nine-kilometre hike and the broader view of the habitats in the Haute vallée et cours de la rivière Poix area. If you want to consider nature as well as the town’s architecture, this offers another perspective on Poix.

Viaduct and church

The Viaduc de Poix-de-Picardie was built of brick in 1866. It enabled the Amiens–Rouen railway line to cross the 33-metre-deep Faÿ valley. The structure was partially destroyed during the First and Second World Wars and subsequently rebuilt true to the original. Its history therefore combines its construction for the railway line with the destruction and reconstruction that took place during both wars.

The Église Saint-Denis showcases the Flamboyant Gothic style of Picardy. Its vault bosses are particularly striking, with some measuring more than 1.20 metres across. The walk brings together two distinct architectural features: the brick railway viaduct and the late Gothic church with its large bosses. The route passes through the town centre, allowing you to discover both structures on the same hike.

Planning your visit

For the Église Saint-Denis, a tourist guide lists free self-guided visits with visitor materials in July and August, on Saturdays and Sundays from 3:00 to 5:30 pm. Check before your visit whether this seasonal arrangement is still in effect. Year-round free access is listed for the Viaduc de Poix-de-Picardie; check before travelling whether this arrangement is still in effect. The Poix-de-Picardie tourist information office is located at Place de la République. As its address should be checked before your trip, it is advisable to confirm it again before you arrive.

Discover more destinations: Abbeville, Lanchéres, Longueau, Belloy-Sur-Somme, Nampont, Péronne, Fossemanant, Villers-Bocage.

See the regional travel overview: Somme.