Route de La Croix de Pierre – Préaux / Ballée Route Ballée and Préaux

de fr

This route will allow you to discover the Mayenne countryside and its landscapes. Don’t miss the Croix des Chouans, a 3-metre-high monument erected in the 19th century and featuring a medieval cross. Finally, once the walk is over, don’t forget to take a look at the River Erve and the pretty houses lining its banks.

Details

n°221698
Creation:
Last update:
Last review:
  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 12.61 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 3h 50 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Easy
  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 72 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 70 m
  • ▲
    Highest point: 77 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 46 m
  • ⚐ Country: France
  • ⚐ District: Ballée (53340)
  • ⚑
    Start/End: N 47.93313° / W 0.41733°
  • ❏
    IGN map(s): Ref. 1519SB
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Description of the walk

(S/E) Start from the church square in Ballée. Take the D24 towards Saint-Loup-du-Dorat, then turn right at the first junction onto Rue du Hautbois. Continue straight on for about 400m until you reach a three-way junction.

(1) Turn left onto a country lane which leads onto a small stony road after 900m. On the left, you will see the stone cross known as the Croix-des-Chouans. Continue straight on to join a path and follow it for about 400m.

(2) Turn right onto a country lane and follow it all the way to the farm buildings.

(3) Turn right between the buildings, join the tarmac road, and at the 90° bend continue along this road until you reach a junction at Château du Pin (on the right)

(4) At the junction, turn right and continue straight on until you reach a junction with the D 284 (stop sign and wayside cross on the right)

(5) At this junction, cross the D 284 and go straight on towards the village of Préaux. Continue straight on until you reach the church (on the right). There, at the junction, continue straight on towards Chémeré-le-Roi.

(6) Cross the Vaige. Continue along this road for about 2 km until you reach a place called Le Buisson.

(7) At the place known as Le Buisson, turn right and continue along this road until you reach a junction in a bend. There, turn right and continue straight on until you reach a T-junction. Turn left and continue for about 150 m until you reach a junction with a wayside cross.

(8) At the wayside cross, turn slightly right and take the tree-lined country lane between the two fields (be careful not to take the tarmac road). Follow this lane for about 600 m until you reach a junction with another country lane. Turn left and continue straight on for about 700 m, passing through the hamlet of Le Fertray.

(9) Turn right onto the gravel path running alongside a stone wall. Walk for about 250m to reach the three-way junction at the start of the route.

(1) Turn left towards the village, then left again at the junction with the D24 to reach the church square (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 47 m - Church square. Near the - Erve (rivière) - Affluent dela Sarthe
  2. 1 : km 0.44 - alt. 56 m - Three-way junction
  3. 2 : km 1.81 - alt. 63 m - Turn right onto the country lane.
  4. 3 : km 3.04 - alt. 59 m - On the right between the farm buildings
  5. 4 : km 4.35 - alt. 69 m - On the right-hand side of the road near the castle
  6. 5 : km 5.7 - alt. 68 m - Go straight on at the stop sign (calvary on the left)
  7. 6 : km 6.3 - alt. 50 m - Continue straight ahead - Vaige (rivière)
  8. 7 : km 8.1 - alt. 65 m - Turn right at the bush before the railway line
  9. 8 : km 10.55 - alt. 75 m - Calvary on the right.
  10. 9 : km 11.91 - alt. 59 m - First right after Le Fertray (stone wall)
  11. S/E : km 12.61 - alt. 47 m - Church square.

Notes

At the start of the route from Ballée church, there is a car park with around ten spaces (next to the town hall). Further parking spaces are located along the D24 (towards Saint-Loup-du-Dorat).

Reviews and comments

4.5 / 5
Based on 5 reviews
Reliability of the description
4.6 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.6 / 5
Route interest
4.2 / 5
CHAMIL
CHAMIL

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Feb 03, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good

Hello
On the route map, point 4 needs to be corrected:
You should turn right before the railway line (see the Ballée sign) and not after.
And there is no longer a wayside shrine.

Thank you
Kind regards

Machine-translated

jean-yves desgrouas
jean-yves desgrouas

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 27, 2018
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good

There were 40 of us on this hike. Everyone enjoyed it.

Machine-translated

orhen
orhen

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 09, 2018
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good

.

Machine-translated

patriarches55
patriarches55

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Dec 14, 2016
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

A pleasant walk where you can sense the faith of our forefathers at every turn.
Please note that in section 5, you should not cross the bridge over the high-speed line, which appears to be finished. Instead, turn right before the bridge so that you can rejoin the route whilst staying on the correct side of the track.:!(!)!:

Machine-translated

michel et regine renard
michel et regine renard

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : May 01, 2016
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good

An easy, clean and, what’s more, well-signposted walk.

Machine-translated

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