At first glance, Ellezelles looks like a peaceful Belgian village nestled in the rolling landscapes of Hainaut. And then a witch appears behind the town hall. A little further on, a tree stares at you with wide eyes. A few kilometers later, you find yourself face-to-face with a werewolf. Welcome to the Path of the Strange, where your Sunday stroll takes on a slightly more… enchanted turn.
A 5.7 km hike like no other
The trail starts from Ellezelles' main square, about an hour from Lille, before gradually leaving the village and venturing into the countryside of the Land of Hills. Ahead of you: a 5.7 km loop, completely free and accessible year-round, that winds through sunken paths, meadows, hamlets, and small woods. But here, it's best to keep your eyes wide open.
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Throughout the Path of the Strange, dozens of sculptures, bas-reliefs, and installations emerge from the landscape. Witches, elves, devils, cyclopes, goats, werewolves, and even seven-headed beasts: some works are perfectly visible, while others blend so well into the vegetation that they go completely unnoticed.
Witches hidden in the woods since the 1980s
This delightful walk was born in the 1980s in the imagination of Jacques Vandewattyne, known as Watkyne, an emblematic artist of Ellezelles and a figure in the local folk art scene. His idea? To transform the village's landscapes into a vast open-air museum, populated with fantastic characters and legends passed down through local oral tradition. Starting in 1984, he began installing works along the path, then continued enriching it over the years. Concrete, bronze, cast iron, polyester, and even old farming equipment: just about anything can become a strange creature. Even the trees, called here the «&nbchokes » in Picard, sometimes find themselves adorned with large eyes that discreetly observe passersby.
In Ellezelles, witches are a very serious matter
If so many creatures populate the paths, it's not entirely by chance. Ellezelles has cultivated particularly rich folklore around witches and the fantastical for decades. Local legend tells of a witches' sabbath that took place in the village in the 17th century. This story notably inspired the famous Sabbat of the Witches of Ellezelles, a folk gathering organized since 1972 and has become inseparable from the village's identity. The Path of the Strange extends this imaginary world in its own way. From the very beginning of the walk, you encounter Quintine, an essential figure in local folklore. Tradition even invites you to pass your hand over her head while pronouncing a formula meant to protect you from bad luck.
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Werewolves, devils and seven-headed beasts among the hills
Once you leave the village behind, things gradually become stranger. A huge blue witch points the way before the path crosses through a first wooded area. Further on, the famous Grimpettes path leads to a devil whose legend says he plays the violin on full moon nights to lure lost souls into his dance. The hike then continues towards the Bruyère hamlet and Wodecq's Paradise. At the edge of a forest, you'll encounter in turn a ginger cat, a werewolf, Leonard presiding over the sabbath, and strange silhouettes gazing at the Ellezelles landscape. Then come a goblin, a cyclops, a green goat, a totem, and this famous seven-headed beast. So many creatures directly inspired by the stories once told by local residents.
A stroll through the heart of the Pays des Collines
The scenery plays a big part in the charm of the route. Ellezelles is located in the heart of the Pays des Collines Natural Park
href="https://www.lebonbon.fr/lille/loisirs/on-a-trouve-telesiege-qui-survole-vignes-a-moins-40-minutes-lille/">Hills, created in 1995 and known for its particularly rolling landscapes. Between two supernatural encounters, the Path of the Strange winds through fields, meadows, small woods and hamlets with red-tiled roofs. Several chapels also dot the route, bearing witness to the strong religious tradition that still marked the local countryside in the 19th century. On clear days, you can even glimpse the Wild Cat Mill in the distance, another emblematic silhouette of Ellezelles. And at this early autumn (well, almost), when the paths begin to slowly change color and morning mist settles into the hills, we have to say the scenery really works particularly well.Even Hercule Poirot slipped into the story
There's one last rather delightful local oddity. As you explore Ellezelles, you might come across a reference to Hercule Poirot, the famous detective imagined by Agatha Christie. The village has been having fun for several years now claiming his birth on April 1st850 in Ellezelles. Obviously, Poirot is a fictional character and this date is entirely a matter of local folklore. But in a village where witches organize their sabbats and where the trees watch you pass by, we were frankly well past worrying about such things.
The perfect getaway to ease gently into autumn
Just an hour from Lille, the Path of the Strange ultimately has everything we love for a little September escape: an accessible hike, beautiful landscapes, a good dose of folklore and enough oddities to make you want to look behind every tree. Plan a few hours to leisurely cover the 5.7 km, take time to hunt for hidden artworks and enjoy the scenery of the Land of Hills. One important recommendation: after several days of rain, forget about your pretty white sneakers. The paths can become muddy and boots are even officially advised. Witches are one thing. Soggy socks for 5 kilometers is quite another.
Address: Rue d'Audenarde 2, 7890 Ellezelles, Belgium