Trouée d'Arenberg

The Trouée d'Arenberg or Tranchée de Wallers-Arenberg (English: Trench of Arenberg) is a 2.3 km long cobbled road in the municipality of Wallers in Northern France, in the Département Nord.

The road's official name is La Drève des Boules d'Hérin ("Bullet Alley of Hérin") and crosses the Forêt de Raismes-Saint-Amand-Wallers, outside France better known as the Forest of Arenberg.

Officially, the 2,300 meters of cobbles were laid in the time of Napoleon I, in the late 18th century, crossing the large forest of Saint-Amand-Wallers, close to Wallers and just west of Valenciennes.

[1] François Doulcier, the president of Les Amis de Paris-Roubaix, the voluntary association which takes care of the race's cobblestones, said that "objectively speaking, it’s the worst-maintained sector of cobbles in the whole race", giving three reasons: the rough and grooved surface of the stones, resulting from poor cutting; the wide gaps between the stones; and the uneven laying of the cobbles.

[2] It has been noted that the road's layout, as a long straight surrounded by trees, is unique among Paris-Roubaix's cobbled secteurs: Doulcier has stated that "it gives the impression that you’re standing in a cathedral.

Although almost 100 km from Roubaix, the sector usually proves decisive and as Stablinski stated, "Paris–Roubaix is not won in Arenberg, but from there the group with the winners is selected".

[2] It was immediately dubbed the "Trouée d'Arenberg" by Pierre Chany, as an allusion to the trenches of World War I that were scattered across the area of northern France where the race is held.

In 1998 Johan Museeuw, leading the World Cup, crashed heavily on the Trouée and broke his kneecap, nearly spelling the end of his career.

In 2001 French rider Philippe Gaumont broke his femur after falling at the beginning of the Trouée when leading the peloton and never returned to racing at the highest level.