Hills and the Orthe Valley starting from Saint-Pierre-sur-Orthe

Start at the town hall square in Saint-Pierre-sur-Orthe.
This walk is signposted with yellow directional signs No. 41 – Collines et vallée d’Orthe

(S/E) From the town hall square, return to the main road, turn right, continue to the^first bend, then take Chemin Montais, signposted on your left.

(1) At the foot of the church of Saint-Martin-de-Connée, cross the D35 and the town hall square. Take the small road at the top of the square. Head back down and turn left to pass in front of the cemetery. Continue along a dirt track. Cross a small road.

(2) At the T-junction, turn left. Pass a small house on your left, then follow a river running below on the left.

(3) You’ll come out onto the D13; follow it to the left for about 50 metres and, at a place called Le Pont, turn left. Follow the road running parallel to the river. After La Fenderie, take a path on the right that runs alongside the road and rejoins it before Le Guignier.

(4) Then take a dirt track to the right.

(5) At the T-junction, at a place called La Tisonnière, turn left (you can also turn left for a 2 km round trip to La Chapelle du Chêne). Walk north-west to the D13 (water is frequently present due to nearby springs).

(6) Follow the road to the left for 250 m, then turn right towards Courfontaine. Walk for about 50 m, then turn left onto a lovely path. Head uphill, ignoring a path on the right (elevation 232 m) and then another path on the right, until you reach a fork at the entrance to the Bois de la Moussaye.

(7) Then head off to the right. Walk past a reservoir and follow the edge of the woods to the D203. Follow the road to the right and take the^first path on the left. Walk uphill, ignoring a path on the right, until you reach a crossroads in the Bois du Clairet.

(8) Turn left and follow the signposts carefully. 50 m further on is a point of interest, the Pierre au Loup. Continue east-northeast until you reach a fork.

(9) Turn sharply right and head downhill. Leave the woods and join a small road. After about 200 m, turn right towards La Fralonnière. Go round the farm on the left and continue along a path. Head downhill, ignore a path on the right and cross a small bridge over the Orthe.

(10) As you leave the bridge, turn left and follow the river on your left. You’ll reach a place called Les Aprêts; follow the road to the left (you can take shortcut no. 41V1 on the right and rejoin the main route at ). Cross the D16 and go straight on until you reach a place called La Girardière.

(11) Take the path on the right and climb up to the edge of the forest. Head diagonally left and stay at the edge of the forest.

(12) After about 400 m, turn left and enter the woods. Walk uphill to a crossroads (elevation 243). Then turn right and, when you reach the D16, turn left.

(13) After about twenty metres, cross the D16 and follow a small road (^GR®365, red and white markings) towards the water tower. Pass by the foot of the tower and head straight down to the hamlet of La Boulangerie.

(14) Take the dirt track opposite that leads downhill. At the bottom (elevation 150m), turn left. Ignore a path on the left and continue to the hamlet of Le Gravier.

(15) Turn right onto a small road. Cross a road at right angles and continue straight on to La Jutonnière.

(16) At the junction, first turn right then left onto a small road with the Orthe on your right. At the next junction (Moulin de Bernusse on the right), take a dirt track on the left. At the hamlet of Les Barbouillères, go straight on.

(17) At the fork, turn left. You’ll come out onto a street near the cemetery; follow it to the left to return to the town hall car park (S/E).