Monday, April 20, 2026
End: Saint-Quentin
Kilometers: 17.3
Total: 17.3
The dreaded 4:30 AM alarm sounded, signaling our hiking adventure had begun. We got up, got dressed, and walked to the train station. The trip to Paris Gare du Nord went off without a hitch, and we met up with our friends Isabelle, Guy, Timothy, Andrew, and Coleen.
Arriving at Saint-Quentin, I had reserved a small bus for a maximum of 6 people to get to Fonsomme, but we had 9 people in our group. Guy, Timothy and I set out on foot. It was a long walk, and the others passed us in their vehicle on the way. We finally made it to the park which has the Source de la Somme. I’m glad that the kids didn’t have to walk that distance.
We took a rest at the park, and I appreciated the source. I might be alone in my appreciation for the source of the river, but I find it very cool to traverse a river from its source all the way to the point where it empties into the sea.
We then started on our hike, and I carried one of the inflatable boats that we brought along. It added weight, but I hoped it would prove useful later on.
We got to walk along the Somme for a moment, then we left it and entered the countryside. It was a bit weird to be walking back to Saint-Quentin, where we had got off the train, but I was happy to have started the hike at its official starting point at the source.
The hike in the countryside was long, with not much to see besides farm fields. The fields made for an interesting contrast, some being colza fields with their bright yellow tops, and others being in the dirt phase of their growing season.
With not much to do but chat as we walked, I took the opportunity to check-in with everyone and see how we were feeling. It was my first time hiking with Guy, and it was great to get to know him. This was his first hike, but when he told me he had recently done a marathon, I knew he would have no issues.
Soon I took over the role of hiking with Daniel. I had bought him a new backpack just like Miriam’s, and it was bigger. With more weight, I knew I would need to keep him motivated. While doing that, I missed a turn, and we had to reverse some distance to correct our mistake.
It took hours, but we finally made it back to the Canal de Saint-Quentin. Here, I had marked the spot as a good time to put the boats in the water. We got them out and inflated them. I handed the life vests to Timothy and Andrew, and they got in the water. I didn’t say it, but I was nervous.
I had constructed these boats myself and never tested them. Timothy and Andrew did great, paddling down the Canal and enjoying themselves immensely. The only real issue was that they went quite slowly, much slower than walking speed. After a couple kilometers we packed up the boats while Alex and Guy went to the supermarket for food.
By now it was getting late. We blazed on into downtown Saint-Quentin, glancing at the Basilique and taking a few quick photos. Soon we were on our way out of town.
Thankfully, as soon as we left town, we found a decent spot to set up our tents down by the canal. It was perfect timing, as we ate dinner as the sun went down. What a day it had been.
