Top 5 Natural Monuments around Villers-Au-Tertre

Villers-Au-Tertre is known for its commitment to preserving its rural character and green spaces. You can explore well-maintained communal areas like the Place Verte du Mont Tilleul and the landscaped Parc du Château. The region also features unique historical and natural monuments such as ancient menhirs, dolmens, and a slag heap that has become an ornithological reserve.

Yes, the Terril des Argales is a natural monument with a very nice layout around a pond, which serves as an ornithological reserve. It offers different promontories that provide unobstructed views of the region, making it ideal for birdwatching and scenic appreciation.

The region is rich in historical megaliths. You can visit The Menhir of Lécluse or the Devil's Stone, a 3.20-meter tall menhir classified as a historical monument and surrounded by local legends. Another intriguing site is the stone that grows, a 2.90-meter high Landenian sandstone block with a tradition claiming it continues to grow.

Many of the natural monuments, especially the historical megaliths, are suitable for family visits. Both The Menhir of Lécluse or the Devil's Stone and the stone that grows are categorized as family-friendly, offering a blend of history and nature that can spark children's imaginations with their legends.

The Hamel Dolmen or the Sorcerers' Kitchen (Pierre Chavatte) is a rare covered alley dolmen in the Nord region, dating back to the late Neolithic period (around 2800-2000 BC). It's unique for its historical significance and the local legends associated with it, including the belief that its table's cylindrical cavities were used as a 'Sorcerers' Kitchen'.

The area around Villers-Au-Tertre offers various outdoor activities. You can find numerous routes for road cycling, mountain biking, and gravel biking. For detailed routes and guides, explore the Road Cycling Routes around Villers-Au-Tertre, MTB Trails around Villers-Au-Tertre, and Gravel biking around Villers-Au-Tertre guides.

The Big Rock, a menhir in Oisy-le-Verger, is noted for its challenging access, especially during wet periods due to its marshy terrain. While impressive, visitors should be prepared for potentially swampy conditions, making it more easily accessible in dry weather.

Given the emphasis on green spaces and outdoor activities, spring and summer are generally ideal for visiting, when the weather is pleasant for walks and exploring. However, some sites like The Big Rock are more easily accessible in dry weather, suggesting late spring to early autumn might be best to avoid marshy conditions.

Visitors appreciate the blend of natural beauty and rich history. The megalithic sites offer beautiful walks amidst mysteries and legends, while the Terril des Argales is praised for its well-designed layout and unobstructed views. The commune's dedication to preserving its green setting ensures a serene and well-preserved natural environment for all.

While specific circular walks directly linking all natural monuments aren't detailed, the region's commitment to maintaining its green setting and integrating natural spaces into village life suggests many opportunities for pleasant strolls. The nearby cycling and MTB guides also feature numerous loop routes, such as the 'Marchiennes State Forest – Croix-ou-Pile loop' for road cycling or the 'Oisy-le-Verger Marshes – Single Canal Arleux loop' for MTB, which may pass by or near some of these sites.

Comfortable walking shoes are highly recommended, especially if you plan to explore the menhirs or the slag heap. For sites like The Big Rock, which can be very swampy, waterproof footwear would be beneficial, particularly after rain or during wetter seasons.