Coulaines – Saint Saturnin

Preliminary note: this third stage, covering 9 km, takes you through the northern part of Le Mans via Boulevard Nature, then through the old town and along the banks of the Sarthe.

To get to the starting point, go to Coulaines, Rue Jean-Claude Boulard, and park in the cul-de-sac at the end of the street. Bus routes 4, 11 and 15 also serve this location.

(S) Leaving the car park via the west exit, follow the signs for “Boulevard Nature”: walk through Parc de la Gironde; at the far end, turn left and join Rue de Vienne, which you follow to the right. Cross at the pedestrian crossing on the left, then on the right. Walk diagonally across Square de l’Église Saint-Nicolas.

(1) Cross Rue du Général de Gaulle and follow the promenade opposite, walking past the town hall (there are public toilets in the building on the right). Continue to Boulevard Saint-Michel.

(2) Walk along the boulevard on the left, cross at the first pedestrian crossing and head towards the opposite corner of Square François Mitterrand. Follow the signs for “Boulevard Nature”. At Rue Molière, turn left, then right after 20 metres. Continue straight ahead until you reach Rue Corneille, which you follow to the left. At Boulevard Saint-Michel, turn right.

(3) At the roundabout, cross to the left and walk along Rue de Tallinn. At the end, after a right-left turn, take the path which crosses Rue de Ballon and continues in a zigzag until it reaches Rue de Vilnius. Opposite, follow the path to the right, cross Rue de Banjan, then walk straight through Parc de Banjan for 100 metres, turn right and leave the park via the steps.

(4) Provisional end of Boulevard Nature. Opposite, walk along Rue de Bellevue and take the first street on the right (Rue de l’Enclos); continue along Rue de l’Abbaye Saint-Vincent and take the steps on the right leading down to Ruelle Sainte-Barbe. At the bottom of the alley, take the stairs that lead under the building to emerge onto Rue Henri Delagenière. A short right then left takes you along Ruelle Sainte-Barbe to the next street (Alphonse Poitevin), which you follow to the left. Walk alongside the River Sarthe until you reach the Passerelle d’Enfer, where you cross the river.

(5) Turn right and head towards Avenue François Chancel. Take the first street on the right (Rue des Pervenches, then Allée du Parc Beaulieu). As you enter the park, take the path on the right and walk alongside the River Sarthe for 150 metres. Take Rue Jean Bouin on the left and rejoin Avenue François Chancel, which you follow to the right as far as the cemetery.

(6) Go round the cemetery on the right (Rue de la Garenne) and you’ll reach Boulevard Nature at Ruelle de la Prée Denise. A newly created path takes you back to the River Sarthe, which you follow on your right for 1.4 kilometres. Turn left 10 metres before the public bench and join Rue Jules Chéret. Turn right and, after 100 metres, take Allée de Fifine, which leads back to the River Sarthe.

(7) From Fifine’s, follow the River Sarthe again, staying on the path furthest to the right whilst it remains wide. When you come within sight of the motorway bridge, veer left and head for the car park on Rue Jules Chéret. Provisional end of Boulevard Nature.

(8) Hairpin bend to the right. Take the path that runs alongside the motorway and passes under the bridge. Continue along this path. Avoid the tracks, which are often muddy and sometimes flooded (swimming prohibited). At the first fork, take the path on the right (the path on the left leads to a large shopping centre with toilets and a bus stop). As you come out of the woods, turn right onto the path (often muddy and damp) that runs alongside the River Sarthe, as the track ends in a dead end. Follow it for about 1 km until you reach the Chemin du Moulin aux Moines.

(9) Turn right and follow the path to Rue de la Rivière. After another right-hand bend, follow this street for about 1 km. You’ll see three car park entrances on your left within 150 metres. Turn into the third one and drive the full length of the car park. As you leave the car park, cross the road at the pedestrian crossing and turn right onto Rue Jean de Vignolles. Go under the railway line, go straight ahead through the roundabout to complete this route (E).

(S) Access by bus (lines 4, 11 and 15). Bus stops near the church or on Rue de la Paix.

(2) Toilets 50 m before reaching the WP (2) St Michel or Palmiers à Coulaines bus stops on Boulevard St Michel (lines 4, 11 and 15).

(4) Delagenière bus stops on Rue Delagenière (lines 4, 11 and 15). Bon Pasteur bus stop after the Passerelle d’Enfer footbridge (line 14).

(8) Walking up the hill, you’ll come to a shopping centre with toilets and the Gallière bus stop (line 17). After passing under the motorway, the path on the left leads to another shopping centre with toilets and, at the roundabout on Rue Charles Sauria, the Parc Manceau bus stop (line 14).

(E) Cinema car park and the ‘Cinéma CGR’ bus stop (lines 7 and 20).

After the WP (4), you can take a stroll through the old town of Le Mans, but the most interesting part takes you quite a long way off the route.
After the WP (8), when the ‘muddy’ path becomes a track again, in summer there is a chain ferry allowing you to cross the River Sarthe