Courson circular loop via La Croupte

You can easily park your car in the car park at the Notre-Dame de Courson village hall.

(S/E) From this car park, take the Route de Fervaques (D64) and head left. Cross the D4 using the pedestrian crossings and continue along the Route de Fervaques for about 300 m.

(1) Take the Chemin Ancien on your right. Continue straight on for about 900 m, until you reach the main entrance to the Damelot Stud Farm.

(2) Turn left onto the path that runs alongside the stud farm’s grounds. Leave the path used by the horses and turn left into the Gaillardière woodland. As you emerge from the woodland, take the path on the left to reach the gate of a roofing company.

(3) Cross the D161b with care and take the Impasse des Hulpins opposite. Carry straight on until you reach the junction with the Chemin des Rues aux Brierettes.

(4) Turn right, then left onto Route des Perrées Varin. Take care: although this is a small country road that you’ll only be on for 300 metres, you may encounter motorists. Continue to a junction.

(5) Turn right onto a stony track which takes you straight to the Chemin du Val Séry on the edge of the Bois de la Cauvinière.

(6) Turn left and follow this track alongside the Douet.

(7) After passing the narrow path on your left that leads back down to the Douet, turn left onto a wider path to join the Chemin de Launay. Follow this for about 600 metres.

(8) Turn right onto the Chemin de la Haie Mérière; you will walk alongside and cross the Ruisseau de la Croupte three times before reaching the wash house at Saint-Martin’s Church.

(9) Head to the right and walk towards the gate of the vicarage. Turn slightly left to go round the back of the church and follow a steep little path which leads to Route Françoise Lévêque (D47c). Turn right and walk carefully along it until you reach the crossroads: the wayside shrine.

(10) Carry on straight ahead along the Chemin de la Daugerie. Continue straight on until you reach the Route de la Cauvinière (D164).

(11) Cross this road carefully and turn right onto the path that appears to run alongside it but soon veers off. Continue straight on along this path for about 1.2 km. It may sometimes seem to disappear into the fields, but it is indeed a path. You will reach the Route d’Antignac (D161b).

(12) Cross the road with care to rejoin the path opposite. At the junction, turn right onto the Chemin de la Frontière and head towards the hamlet.

(13) Carry on straight ahead along the same path until you reach a crossroads (elevation 200). Turn right onto the path leading back towards the Bauquet farm, then turn left onto the access road. Join the Route de la Cauvinière (D164).

(14) Cross the road carefully and take the Chemin de la Bissonnière opposite. After about 1.3 km, you’ll come out onto the Route des Perrées Varin.

(15) Cross the road to take the path opposite, which is slightly to the right, and continue straight on to reach the Haras Damelot.

(2) Carry on straight ahead and follow the original route in the opposite direction to return to the village hall car park (S/E).

(S/E) A bakery just a stone’s throw from the car park.

After periods of heavy rain, the Chemin du Val Séry can easily become flooded. There are then two options to consider: taking big leaps or getting your feet wet.

The horses from Damelot Stud (2) and then from Belledame Stud.

(9) Saint Martin de la Croupte Church, the wash house and the spring said to cure skin diseases.

Roe deer.