Cramont: Traverse du Ponthieu, Nature and Cultural Heritage

Cramont combines outdoor activities with nature and cultural heritage. The Traverse du Ponthieu passes through the village, following a former railway line that has been converted into a trail for walkers, cyclists and horse riders. Also worth exploring are the Bois de Cramont, a natural site, and Saint-Martin Church, with furnishings from several centuries. These themes offer different starting points for planning your stay.

The Traverse du Ponthieu and its route details

The Traverse passes through Cramont and provides access to the region’s historic cultural heritage. This includes small chapels that bear witness to local history. The former railway line now serves as a trail for walkers, cyclists and horse riders. The route therefore combines a practical opportunity to get active with historical themes from the surrounding area.

When planning, it is important to distinguish between the total route and the section within the area. The Traverse du Ponthieu is 23 kilometres long in total. Within the intermunicipal community’s area, it covers a section of 8.7 kilometres, with an estimated duration of about three hours. This time estimate applies to the designated section, not the entire route. Plan your time according to the section you intend to cover.

A route guide updated in autumn 2015 lists marked access points, some with nearby parking, as well as benches, tables and rubbish bins along the trail. Check the condition of these facilities before setting out.

Nature along the former railway corridor

The former railway ballast bed of the Traverse is described as a warm, dry habitat with distinctive fauna and flora. Rows of ash, maple, hornbeam and hawthorn trees grow along the corridor. Nature is therefore part of the former railway line itself: alongside its former use as a railway, the corridor’s character is shaped by the habitat features described.

Cramont lies within the Regional Natural Park of Baie de Somme Picardie maritime. The Bois de Cramont is described as a natural site of significance across the entire area. Together with the Traverse’s habitat, this presents nature at different scales: from the former railway corridor to the village’s regional setting.

Saint-Martin Church and art history

Saint-Martin Church in Cramont dates from 1883. Its listed furnishings include an 18th-century pulpit, a 19th-century altar and a statue also dating from the 19th century. The pulpit therefore provides an earlier historical reference point than the church building, while the altar and statue are both from the 19th century.

An art-historical comparison links the sculpture group of Saint-Martin in Cramont with the group in Frettemolle (Hescamps): both were made by the same maker, but are painted differently. They share a maker, while their paintwork differs. Along with the chapels on the Traverse and the church furnishings, this comparison offers different ways to explore the region’s cultural heritage.

Discover more destinations: Ailly-Le-Haut-Clocher, Baizieux, Glisy, Frise, Velennes, Tours-En-Vimeu, Vron, Boussicourt.

For the wider travel overview: Somme.