Ambrières-les-Vallées walks

The Lac de Haute Mayenne, artificially created by the Saint-Fraimbault dam, will charm you with its rich and varied flora and fauna. But this route will also allow you to discover the confluence of two rivers that feed into the Mayenne: the Varenne and the Colmont.

A walk through the ages, surrounded by nature. You’ll discover reproductions of Impressionist works by Ludovic Piette and Camille Pissarro, as well as megaliths including the Menhir de la Pierre Robert and a dolmen. Finally, the beautiful Bignon manor house and its hamlet.

This is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful walks in the Lassay-les-Châteaux area. Lots of sunken paths, some woodland and a stream.

A superb circular walk starting from the ‘Petite Cité de Caractère’ of Lassay-les-Châteaux, voted France’s third favourite village in 2023. 94 per cent dirt tracks and some wonderful heritage sites to discover along the way: Lassay Castle, Bois Thibault Castle and the ruins of Bois Frou.An interpretative trail based on the legend of Lancelot du Lac enhances this route with several stops featuring information panels on themes from Arthurian legend. The Château de Bois Thibault, open during the tourist season (weekends and public holidays only), features a magnificent round table and a comic strip depicting the legend of the famous knight Lancelot.

In the northern Mayenne countryside, Lassay-les-Châteaux is a small town that is well worth a visit. As you walk along the surrounding paths, a few signposts invite you to follow in the footsteps of Lancelot through meadows, forests and the remains of three castles. An easy walk on well-maintained paths and a few country roads.

Fontaine-Daniel, with its picturesque village and beautiful lake, is one of the best-known places in the Mayenne area, but there is only one busy road to get there and the hiking opportunities around it are limited. This route, which can be done by bike or on foot in a day, connects the town to the village via a greenway through the town of Mayenne, then crosses the rolling countryside of Saint-Georges-Buttavent. It also covers a large part of the Salair forest near Fontaine-Daniel. To shorten the route, you can skip Mayenne and start elsewhere to make a loop around Fontaine-Daniel.

The towpath proves to be a veritable observatory of biodiversity. As you wander along, the landscapes change around every bend and take on a variety of colours depending on the season. A quick wave, a brief “hello” – these little encounters punctuate this peaceful and relaxing walk.

A very lovely walk in the Buttes d’Hardanges, a Sensitive Natural Area, between the villages of Ribay and Hardanges. This former military zone is now a true haven of peace and offers a vast array of natural meadows, wet heathland, dry heathland, peat bogs and valley floors.

There are only two old mills, no longer in operation, on this route, but it will also allow you to explore the woods and moors of the Gastinais region.

Starting from the centre of Jublains, this walk will allow you to discover the Gallo-Roman remains of the town as well as the Chapel of Doucé.

A walk starting from Jublains to explore the sunken paths to the north-east of the town. Please note that in winter the paths are particularly wet. The very pretty Doucé Chapel is well worth a visit in the charming hamlet of the same name. Please note: the path is particularly wet in winter.

The landscapes and views to the east serve as a reminder that the Alpes Mancelles are not far away. Consequently, some sections involve elevation changes which may present a few difficulties for those who are not used to them. At the (5), do pop into the Chapelle du Cerisier for a short break.

This 15 km route will take you through the magnificent sunken lanes of Hambers. It is ideal for all nature lovers: on foot, by bike, or even on horseback! This route is marked "No. 24" on the yellow directional signs.

This route will take you along pretty sunken paths and up into the hills. It is signposted with yellow directional signs: No. 38 – on the Crêtes d’Hambers. You can combine this route with No. 24 – the Hambers circular route.

A beautiful walk that runs alongside the Village du Cheval and then enters the forest via a path offering beautiful views of the surrounding countryside. It then crosses the Saint-Ortaire priory and returns to the centre of Bagnoles-de-l'Orne, passing by the lake and the casino on the way back to the car park.

A very, very short walk to discover Normandy’s arboricultural heritage and the various ways in which local fruit is utilised. You’ll stroll through the heritage orchard and then into old buildings once used for processing. Numerous information boards line this informative trail.