Chemin de la Petite Houssaye

Typically Norman, La Haye-de-Routot is a charming village attached to its traditions and craftsmanship. Starting from the church, an easy route suitable for all ages reveals a varied landscape with a beautiful collection of pollarded trees intertwined with hedges and tall beech trees in the national forest, pretty bocage valleys and views of the agricultural plain.
This route is largely unmarked and shortens the yellow-marked route.

Details

4228952
Creation:
Last update:
Last review:
  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 6.57 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 2h 05 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Easy

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 60 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 64 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 130 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 94 m

Photos

Description of the walk

Parking in front of the church in La Haye-de-Routot.

(S/E) After visiting the particularly impressive thousand-year-old yew trees next to the church, leave the cemetery and take the road to the left, passing in front of the bread oven towards the town hall. In front of the town hall, continue straight on along Chemin des Broches. At the end of the village, continue straight on along the road, ignoring the dead ends on the right and left.

(1) On the descent, turn left onto Chemin de la Grotte. Go to the end of this street, ignoring the pretty private path on the right. At the end of the cul-de-sac, continue straight ahead on the path lined with beautiful pollarded trees and enjoy the view of the valley. At the first crossroads, continue straight ahead on this beautiful path.

(2) After Croix Sainte-Marie, at the crossroads of four paths, turn left and follow the yellow markings. At a place called Le Château, take the departmental road to the left.

(3) After 150 m on the RD, turn right onto Chemin du Grand Trait (yellow markings). Cross the plain at this high point, which offers a wide view. At the end of the path, turn left onto the small road that descends, ignoring Rue des Janviers.

(4) On the descent, turn left towards La Haye-de-Routot, then, at the Mare Godart sign, take the path on the right that descends between the fields. At the end of the path, turn left towards the valley, then go straight up the path that enters the national forest.

(5) At the top, turn left to follow the Chemin de Travers (blue markings) which winds along the edge of the slope. Follow this path for 800 m, ignoring the forest paths you come across.

(6) Turn sharply left to descend towards the valley, leave the forest and climb up the other side on a sunken path between the grasslands. Back in the village, you will find the church on your right (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 122 m - Church of La Haye de Routot
  2. 1 : km 0.58 - alt. 99 m - Chemin de la Grotte
  3. 2 : km 2.06 - alt. 116 m - On the left at the crossroads after the Croix Sainte-Marie
  4. 3 : km 2.63 - alt. 128 m - Chemin du Grand Trait
  5. 4 : km 3.54 - alt. 117 m - Towards La Haye-de-Routot
  6. 5 : km 4.64 - alt. 119 m - At the top left of the hill
  7. 6 : km 5.56 - alt. 117 m - Turn left
  8. S/E : km 6.57 - alt. 122 m - Church of La Haye de Routot

Notes

Shelteredpicnic tables on the large grassy square.

At the bread oven: batches of brioches and country breads are baked on operating days, with the possibility of demonstrations of traditional baking methods.

Worth a visit

- The thousand-year-old yew trees classified as "remarkable trees" in the cemetery. A chapel dedicated to Saint Anne has been built in the largest tree, which measures 13 metres in circumference. The other tree, measuring more than 8 metres in circumference, houses an oratory dedicated to Our Lady of Lourdes.

- Notre Dame Church: a modest rectangular building constructed in the 13th century. The western portal with its pointed arch decorated with mouldings dates back to this early period, while the windows decorated with bevels date from the 14th century. Inside, the stone statuary from the 14th, 15th and 16th centuries is particularly remarkable.

- The Clog Museum in a beautiful thatched cottage with a clog-making workshop offering demonstrations of this ancestral craft. It is a true eco-museum bearing witness to rural life and traditional craftsmanship.

Reviews and comments

4.8 / 5
Based on 8 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.8 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.9 / 5
Route interest
4.8 / 5
Emmanuel THIERRY
Emmanuel THIERRY
• Edited:

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 06, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

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Floyd
Floyd

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : May 27, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A pleasant and varied short hike through fields, woods and villages.

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Carre
Carre

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 24, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Very good hike for beginners

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perceneige
perceneige

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 16, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

A beautiful hike if you pay close attention to the markings (especially when the colour changes to blue).
Good route despite our mistake. Good weather with no rain in March.

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kl36
kl36

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 03, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A beautiful walk in La Haye de Routot, starting with the two magnificent yew trees in the cemetery, which haven't aged in the nearly 40 years that I've known them, then continuing along a small valley before ending with a detour into the Brotonne forest.
A small note: the path between points 1 and 2, which runs alongside the woods, is beginning to be overgrown with low-hanging branches and brambles at the start of August 2021.
Thank you again for the route.

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Eric vm
Eric vm

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 02, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Completed on 2/03/21. Superb route, enchanting in its first part. We couldn't find the path on the left at point 6. (Inattention? Fallen trees?) A small detour and we were fine.
Thank you.

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Majoro
Majoro

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Feb 23, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A superb walk, with plenty of variety. Village, countryside, forest.
Two magnificent yew trees to see at the start, which are definitely worth the detour.

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Laupouz
Laupouz

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Jan 30, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Varied landscapes, spectacular yew trees, magnificent walks

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