On the way to La Lucerne Abbey

(S/E) Leave the car park with the station behind you. Take Rue Saint-Jacques to the left for 50 m, then turn left into Rue de la Brasserie. Cross the level crossing and continue along the D 309, which soon turns westwards. Pass La Garenne on your right.

(1) After a right-hand bend, take the path on the right which very quickly turns north-north-east and leads to Le Chanu. At the road, first turn right then left for 20 m to continue along a path heading north-north-west, then north. Ignore the turn-off to Le Buffe on the right and head towards Hocquiny.

(2) Turn left, walk alongside the cemetery, then, at the junction, continue to the left.

Red and yellow markings of^{the GRP®} Mont-Saint-Michel viewpoints trail

(3) Follow the^GRP® by turning left. When the path becomes a road after passing between two buildings, turn right, heading due west, and arrive in front of the town hall of Le Mesnil-Drey.

(4) Turn right, then take a right/left turn 50 m further on to leave the road. After a bend in the path to the right, turn left twice over 50 m, then follow the^{GRP® route}, heading west-south-west. At the end of the path, turn left.

(5) Follow the road to the left and immediately, at the start of the bend, leave it by taking the path on the right. Ignore two paths on the left and reach La Charrerie. Continue straight on towards the south until you reach the D 309.

(6) Take the D-road on the right for 300 m, then turn left towards La Gislardière. At the right-hand bend, take the path on the left. Cross the Ruisseau du Thar and enter the Forêt de La Lucerne. At the top of the hill, turn right, taking care to follow the yellow and red markings of the GRP^®.
Follow the forest track westwards to the Abbaye de la Lucerne, which may not be visible due to the vegetation.

(7) Continue to the left for approximately 2000 m.

No more^GRP® markings, but some dark green markings

When the^GRP® follows the road round a bend to the right, take the path on the left, heading east, along the edge of the forest. Turn right (if you go straight on, there is a sign on a post on the right saying “Private”). This uphill path leads to the D 109 road.

(8) Turn right. In front of the cross and the memorial stone on your right, turn left. Cross La Hulonnière by turning right then left. Cross the Ruisseau l’Allemagne and continue along the same path to La Barbière.

(9) Turn left after the last house, then take the path on the right just behind the house. At the end of the path, turn left. At the hamlet of La Perruche, continue to the right to reach the D 105.

(10) Follow it to the left. Go straight across the junction with the D 35 and pass in front of the town hall of La Rochelle-Normande. Just before the cemetery, turn left into Rue du Presbytère.

(11) Follow the D 35 to the right to cross La Croix. On leaving the village, turn right off the D 35. Continue straight ahead along a track to pass under a power line. Continue north-east to reach Le Pavé Besnard.

(12) A few metres before the house on the left, leave the road by taking the track on the right. Follow the D 231 on the left for 200 m. Ignore an access road on the right and, a little further on, take the path on the right which continues the Route de la Mare Croisée and head north.

(13) Cross the D 109 again and continue straight ahead. This road leads to the Blandouet district and then to La Douveterie, which is crossed by the D35. Turn right to go under the railway bridge, then immediately after the sign marking the entrance to Saint-Jacques, turn left, passing between the containers on the left and an old well on the right. Continue along the dead-end road to reach the car park (S/E).

200 m after (8), a memorial stone marks the spot where, on 23 July 1944, the local resistance leader was shot by the Gestapo.

Abbaye de la Lucerne: Abbey