Mulsanne walks

At the foot of the famous 24 Hours of Le Mans route, a pleasant stroll beneath Scots pines and maritime pines where the squirrel reigns supreme.

During this walk, you will encounter different periods of history, from the 12th century right up to the Second World War.

This walk allows you to discover the forests and heritage of the commune of Ruaudin. It is accessible to people with reduced mobility using a three-wheeled wheelchair, and to families with three-wheeled pushchairs as well.

This walk, along the banks of the Sarthe, follows a section of the Boulevard Nature. It starts at Arnage harbour, goes to the Gémerie lake and circles it before returning to Arnage harbour. If you wish to extend your walk, you can continue past Arnage harbour by following the signs for the Boulevard Nature.It is accessible to people with reduced mobility as well as to three-wheeled pushchairs (also suitable for three-wheeled wheelchairs).

The route runs across agricultural land south of the Rhonne valley and ends by crossing an area of moorland adjacent to the Bercé Forest.

I suggest a walk starting from Allonnes, the route of which can be seen on the IGN map. Follow thePR®® (yellow markings).

With 350 hectares of forest, 60% of which is made up of conifers such as maritime pines and Scots pines, this trail located at the Arche de la Nature offers hikers a breath of fresh air.

A short walk along the Sarthe, returning after skirting the Gèmerie lake (leisure centre).

This walk, along the banks of the Sarthe, features information boards about the local flora and fauna.Starting from Le Mans harbour, passing through the Gué de Maulny park with its many street art murals and continuing via Île aux Planches, this family-friendly walk is suitable for wheelchair users (three-wheeled) and pushchairs (also three-wheeled).

This walk, combining town and countryside, takes you along the banks of the Sarthe, passing through the village of Coulaines and past Le Mans’s Saint-Julien Cathedral.It follows cycle paths and trails along the banks of the Sarthe.

This city walk takes you from park to park. From Parc de Gazonfier via the Jardin des Plantes and Parc Banjan, discover or rediscover the streets of Le Mans with its houses steeped in history and its breathtaking views.

Since 2003, the "Old Mans" has been called "Cité Plantagenêt" after the Plantagenêt dynasty, the English royal family originally from Le Mans. The former provincial capital of Maine and Perche (from the 16th century to the Revolution), this stroll through the streets and alleys of Le Mans' historic district offers a pleasant walk in the natural setting of famous swashbuckling films (Cyrano de Bergerac, Le Bossu, The Man in the Iron Mask, Nicolas Le Floch, etc.).

Via the side streets off Rue Nationale, you’ll enjoy making your way to the barracks district before climbing Sainte-Croix Hill, a former village surrounded by vineyards. Hidden lanes, the national monument to the Battle of Le Mans and the legendary Gazonfier climb, famous amongst cyclists.

Located in the municipalities of Sargé, Coulaines and Le Mans, this route runs largely along dirt tracks, sometimes tarmac, lined with hedges, trees and shrubs offering generous shade.

During this hike, you will have the opportunity to admire the Yvré countryside, its Roman bridge, the Gérence fountain and catch a glimpse of the beautiful Château de Vaux as you walk along the trails and part of the "Boulevard Nature".

A short hike that allows you to discover the built heritage, such as the church and the wash house, as well as the wetland vegetation.

An easy walk, 50% of which follows a path around the Auvours hill, which witnessed the War of 1870, where a tragic battle claimed 617 lives on 10 and 11 January 1871. Many mementoes of this war are housed in the church at Yvre, where one chapel is dedicated to the Papal Zouaves.

This circular walk allows you to discover a site not far from Le Mans that is rich in natural beauty. Ponds, peat bogs, wet and dry heathland, and marshy woods... all form a mosaic of landscapes that are home to species rare in the region: harriers, hobby falcons, goshawks, purple herons (among the birds); and royal ferns, marsh marigolds and sundews (among the plants).

Parigné-Lévêque is a very large and heavily wooded commune: northern pines with sand dunes, and southern chestnut and birch trees. The route allows you to discover the charm of numerous woodlands, vast moors and ponds. The Loudon Stream is crossed in several places.

A pleasant walk where you can explore shaded paths and the Bois de la Cornuère. This is a diverse woodland, consisting mainly of deciduous trees, notably beautiful oaks. A few large umbrella pines dot this lovely landscape. A picnic table awaits you shortly after leaving the woods.

This unmarked route, along roads and footpaths, will take you through the countryside near the town as well as the Cité Universitaire du Maine.

Immerse yourself in picturesque countryside just a stone's throw from Le Mans. A varied route, almost entirely off-road (95% of the route), through rolling countryside dotted with hedgerows and beautiful views. Blue markings.

Walk along the sunken paths on the outskirts of Le Mans.

Located 8 km west of Le Mans, this walk through lush greenery, nestled between woods and marl pits, will allow you to discover a bocage landscape criss-crossed by sunken lanes. This yellow-marked trail is the longest of the marked trails in the municipality; it follows the unmissable fuchsia-marked botanical trail (3.5 km), as well as sections of another blue-marked trail.

Set in lush green surroundings, 8 km north-west of Le Mans, the village of Pruillé-le-Chétif is particularly popular for its wooded countryside. This circular route will allow you to explore the village centre (12th-century church), the famous Botanical Trail, complemented by other sections of remarkable footpaths within the commune: sunken lanes, old marl pits, protected hedgerows, pollarded trees, etc.

This path, marked in Red, uses paths for around 70% of its length. It takes in the eastern part of the village, passing through the green space of the Ruisseau de la Bujerie, the Chemin des Hauts Bois, which leads to one of the highest points in the village (112 m), the place known as Les Basses Epines, as well as stretches of wooded paths and field margins.

Discover the Boulevard Nature, nestled between the countryside and the shopping area.

An easy hike that can be enjoyed by the whole family, including children.

The present-day commune, formed by the merger of two former major market towns, stretches out parallel to the Huisne valley across uneven terrain. The old Pont de Gennes is at the lowest point (60 m), whilst the highest point (100 m) is at Montfort-le-Rotrou. The former is a crossroads village situated at the mouth of an old crossing point over the Huisne. The latter, situated on a strategic defensive site, is a linear settlement built under the protection of the castle. The two were joined by a gradual urban expansion in the 19th century. The walk takes you past the starting point of the first major motor race organised by the Automobile Club de France (ACF) in 1906, the forerunner of the 24 Hours of Le Mans.