Route du Bois de l'Hommeau

An easy route that allows you to discover a rich and varied heritage while walking along the Sarthe river.

Details

11444128
Creation:
Last update:
Last review:
  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 9.68 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 2h 50 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Easy

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 18 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 18 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 50 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 26 m

Photos

Description of the walk

Park in the car park of the Parcé-sur-Sarthe stadium, Avenue de la Grande Champagne.

(S/E) Take the stadium driveway towards the church. At the three-way junction, take the middle road and then turn right at the crossroads. Cross Rue de la Libération at the pedestrian crossing, continue along Rue de l'Épervier and arrive at Saint-Martin Church.

(1) Turn right onto Rue de l'Église, then left to find yourself in front of the Saint-Pierre Tower.

(2) Take Rue du Four, then turn right onto Rue de la Tête Noire. At the next crossroads, cross over to Rue Claude Chappe, which leads to Rue du Vivier. Turn left onto Rue du Vivier.

(3) At the right-hand bend, take the Allée du Château d'Eau opposite. At the crossroads, admire the two turrets, then turn sharply left onto the grassy path. At the end, turn right towards the cemetery

(4) Walk along the cemetery, then turn left onto the path that leads down to the river.

(5) Walk along the Sarthe, turning left.

(6) Pass in front of the ferryman's house (information panel).

(7) Walk past the pretty mill. Go under the bridge and enter the private property, which is only accessible on foot. Please respect the site. Thank you. Continue along the river until you reach a road.

(8) Take it on the left until you reach the junction with the departmental road and turn right onto it.

(9) Quickly turn into the woods on the left. Follow this path and then this road until you reach the Croix Saint-Antoine crossroads.

(10) There, take the path on the left and continue straight ahead to return to the starting point (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 44 m - Car park at the Parcé-sur-Sarthe stadium
  2. 1 : km 0.76 - alt. 38 m - Église Saint-Martin (Parcé-sur-Sarthe)
  3. 2 : km 0.87 - alt. 40 m - Saint-Pierre Tower
  4. 3 : km 1.32 - alt. 48 m - Allée du Château d'Eau
  5. 4 : km 2.29 - alt. 42 m - Cemetery
  6. 5 : km 2.54 - alt. 28 m - Sarthe (rivière)
  7. 6 : km 2.97 - alt. 28 m - The ferryman's house
  8. 7 : km 3.2 - alt. 28 m - The mill
  9. 8 : km 5.95 - alt. 27 m - The village of Avoise - La Perrine de Cry
  10. 9 : km 6.53 - alt. 37 m - The Bois de L'Hommeau
  11. 10 : km 8.45 - alt. 48 m - Saint-Antoine Cross
  12. S/E : km 9.68 - alt. 44 m - Car park at the Parcé-sur-Sarthe stadium

Notes

(8) picnic area, car park and toilets.

Worth a visit

(1) Since the Middle Ages, Saint-Martin Church has been a stop on the pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela. Its majestic bell tower with its tapered spire and remarkable contemporary stained-glass windows are well worth a visit.
(2) The Saint-Pierre Tower is the only remnant of an ancient church built in the 12th century and destroyed in 1370, of which it was the bell tower. It is topped with a 19th-century weather vane and has a sundial.
At 14 Rue du Vivier, the Petite Roche property is a pretty residence that was the scene of the first aerial telegraphy experiment carried out by Claude Chappe and his brothers (2 and 3 March 1791).
(4) The monumental gate of the cemetery with its scallop shells and the Grim Reaper with his scythe
(6) The ferryman's house, which used to take people across the river (explanatory panel).
(7) The mill.
(8) The village of Avoise and the pretty Perrine de Cry manor house in the distance.

Reviews and comments

4.6 / 5
Based on 6 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.8 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.3 / 5
Route interest
4.7 / 5
Le Coureur des bois
Le Coureur des bois

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Feb 20, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Very pleasant hike, watch out for flooded areas near the bridge.

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2535333
2535333

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 29, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes

Beautiful, well-marked hike

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domivasseur2935
domivasseur2935

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 01, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A magnificent hike. Just be careful at point 8. It says that you have to leave the banks of the Sarthe "at the road". Be careful, as you can't necessarily see the road, which is a little higher up. Instead, understand that you leave the river when you come to a picnic area/car park.
+ Please note: hunting may be taking place between points 9 and 10.

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Didier GARDINAL
Didier GARDINAL

Overall rating : 3.3 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 11, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★☆☆☆ Disappointing
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Contrary to what I read in the reviews, this beautiful hike is not properly signposted. There are no traditional hiking signs and no directions at strategic intersections. Fortunately, Visiorando provides a map and description. However, it is a beautiful walk, with a large part along the banks of the Sarthe and the rest in the forest.

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agingold
agingold

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jan 01, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

The route was extremely well marked; I never got lost because the description was very clear. What's more, the points of interest were well signposted.
I am really satisfied with your activity.

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jiced
jiced

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Nov 16, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A very pleasant walk during which we met some people from Parcé-sur-Sarthe who told us a lot about their village.

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