There are three different aids to help you “stay on the right track” and have a good walk :

Marks can be on trees, rocks, walls or posts and may include arrows giving directions.

Most of the routes now have markings that adhere to the departmental charter standards and are found at main intersections on the route. There are also other signs (boards at route departure points, information boards). Some sections do not have markings, e.g. in towns (where you should use street names) and on tow paths (no problems in finding one’s way).
The colour of some markings is likely to change so that they all conform to the departmental standard. In the meantime we cannot be held responsible for any such changes that may be made beyond our control.
At the moment some routes that form part of a longer route do not have their own markings but use its markings instead.
Routes created by the ONF (French Forestry Commission) in state owned forests are generally marked with coloured circles on directional arrows.
You will also come across the red & white markings of Grande Randonnée ® paths and the yellow & red markings of the GR de Pays ® paths. These markings are the responsibility of the Fédération Française de la Randonnée Pédestre and its committees.

The GR paths crossing the Aisne are as follows : GR 11, 12, 14, 122 and the GR de Pays of the Omois, the Avesnois-Thiérache and the 4 valleys. Some of our routes use these paths for some of the way.
The Thiérache Axe Vert is also used in places. It does not have direction markings as such but has metal plaques before and at intersections with roads.
Routes are described and generally marked in only one direction, determined by its interesting features or any difficulties it may present. Shortcuts, off track loops or variant routes are sometimes mentioned in a route description and shown with a dotted line on the accompanying map. They are not usually marked on the ground, but each PDF sheet has the information needed to take them, if required.
Estimated times to complete a route should be modified by individuals according to their speed of walking and physical fitness, the type of terrain involved, any proposed tours of places off the route and/or variant routes they intend to take.
The technical details box specifies for each stage : distance, markings to follow, guide times, level of difficulty and gradients (for mountain bike routes).
The sheet that you can download for each route has a section entitled “What to see on the way”, listing the interesting natural sites, historic buildings or villages along the way. They are marked on the IGN map by symbols, defined as follows.

The address/contact details of the nearest Tourist Information point are also provided, in case you should have any questions about the area visited.

The walking routes presented on this site are designed for people on foot. They cannot be used as bridle paths or by anyone in a motorised vehicle, neither are they always suitable for mountain bikers.
Parts of some routes go through private property. Please be aware that permission to cross such land could be withheld, and the route effectively withdrawn, if walkers cause damage or infringe property rights.
Some routes pass through wet areas that can become waterlogged or flooded after heavy or prolonged rainfall, making them impassable at such times.
Walks/rides are undertaken at your own risk and you are responsible for any accidents that could befall you or a third party as a consequence of not following these recommendations.
During the hunting season you should check on the accessibility of routes by telephoning the town halls, the Aisne Hunting Association (Tel. 03 23 23 30 89) or the French Forestry Commission (Tel. 03 23 79 23 91).

If changes have been made to routes, follow any new marks on the ground which always take precedence over the description.

Mini-walks are walks that take less than 1 hour, particularly suitable for families with young children.