Along the River Noireau from Montsecret

Start from the Constant Aubry leisure park car park, situated near the Town Hall and the church in Montsecret.

(S/E) Head towards the Grande Rue, going round the Town Hall and School. Pass Place Lieutenant Maurice Guilbert (in memory of the children of Montsecret who died for France in 1914–1918) then continue to the junction with the D54. Turn left towards Frênes, passing the gatekeeper’s cottage (on the former branch line of the Montsecret–Tinchebray Railway, 1883–1964).

(1) Cross the bridge over the River Noireau, where you’ll find the old Mottette flour mill, which was in use until 1930, and at the three-way junction that follows, continue left towards the village of La Grûlière and reach the^first path on the left (known as Chemin aux Loups, a former Roman road running from Jublains (53) towards Vieux-la-Romaine (14)).

(2) Take this path and follow it until you reach a road. Turn right and you’ll come to a junction with a car park on your right.

(3) Continue to the left, towards La Moisandière, cross the bridge under the railway line and turn right immediately afterwards. Cross the bridge over the little stream known as the Nussons and join the path on the left after house number 11, with the stone-built Noireau well on your left.

(4) Take this path and head towards the village of Vieux Saint-Pierre.

(5) Walk through the hamlet, passing the flour mill belonging to the monks of Belle-Étoile Abbey in Cerisy (in use until 1910). Cross the Romanesque-style bridge and continue straight ahead on the red and white-marked path. Take a sharp right-hand bend and follow the Noireau on your right (there isan old mill on the opposite bank). Ignore a bridge on the left and pass in front of the Rochette mill (dating from 1804, in operation until 1975).

(6) At the end, cross the D911, follow it to the left and take the bridge over the River Diane. Turn immediately right towards Pont Dienne. At the next junction, turn left.

(7) When the path bends to the right, continue to the left (south-west). Join the railway line, turn left and follow it on your right-hand side.

(8) Join the D911, turn right and cross the level crossing. Carry on for about 300 m and take the arboretum path which runs alongside the road and joins it further on. Continue to No. 48. Take the Chemin du Noireau on the left and head towards the 90° right-hand bend and the Tilleul de Hollande (a remarkable tree).

(9). Continue along the tarmac road towards the church and, at the next junction, note the boat wash on the left. Cross the road, walk past the church and head for the leisure park (S/E).

Montsecret has two possible etymologies: the hidden, isolated, secret mountain; or Montsegré, as the former inhabitants called it until around 1975, which is thought to derive from ‘segreur’ (= druid), meaning the druid’s mountain.