Entre forêts et manoirs à Conches-en-Ouche

Start from the Maison des Arts.

(S/E) On leaving the Maison des Arts, cross the car park towards the keep, walk past it through the public garden, go round the town hall, which is opposite you on the right, follow the panoramic view where ‘the boar’ stands, and head down via the car park running alongside the church. At the end of the car park, turn right (take the opportunity to visit Sainte-Foy Church and its magnificent^16th-century listed stained-glass windows). Continue down the street towards Place Carnot. Ignore the three streets on the left. Pass the Hôtel du Cygne and go straight on. Walk down Rue de la Cavée towards the Musée du Rouloir.

(1) Take the path on the left that leads down towards the Arboretum park, cross the small bridge and go through the park on the left along the dirt track. At the top of the track, take the path on the left and go through the wooden gate.

(2) Take Rue de Rhodes opposite. Go uphill, then halfway up the slope, take the short, steep path down to the left. At the bottom, turn right and follow the railway line. Enter the forest. Turn right (leaving the viewing points on your left). Keep going straight on. At the crossroads, go straight on. Walk 20 metres to the next crossroads.

(3) Turn left, following the GR®. Take the path on the right.

(4) Go past the barrier and continue straight on. Ignore the three small paths on the right and take the path on the left. Ignore the path on the right. At the junction, take the path on the left.

(5) As you leave the forest, head left towards the farm, walk alongside it and take the path on your right, leaving the Chapelle Saint-Calais on your left. Leave the GR®. Continue straight on towards Louversey. Cross the road and take the path straight ahead. After about 35 m, turn right (into the field), just before the large white electrical transformer.

(6) Continue across the fields. At the end of the path, cross the road and go straight on into the field. At the end of the path on your left, you’ll see the ‘Manoir du Bois’; take the tarmac road opposite the manor house. Follow the road and, at the crossroads, turn left before the pond (Impasse de la Mare Plate, towards the lodge). Pass the lodge and continue to the end of the path.

(7) Go straight ahead across the fields. Cross the next small tarmac road (elevation 157) and continue straight on at the next crossroads. Follow the path through the fields (you will see the church of Tilleul-Dame-Agnès in the distance on your right). Cross the field, follow the railway line on your left and head towards Collandres-Quincarnon. Join a road.

(8) Continue straight ahead for about 500 m, following the railway line on your left.

(9) Cross the bridge over the railway line, then take Rue des Ferrières on the left, which continues as a path. At the end of the path, turn left onto the street and continue straight on until you reach an X-shaped junction. Turn left and walk for 50 m.

(10) Take the path on the right, heading due south, across the fields. Go straight on at the crossroads and enter the forest. Continue straight on, skirting a field on your right and continuing through the forest. At the end of this stretch through the forest, you will come to a small junction.

(11) Continue straight on along the edge of Bois Fromageot and join the GRP® Tour du Pays d'Ouche.

(12) Follow it to the left until you reach the exit of the Bois d'en Haut (elevation 147).

(13) Continue straight ahead (Impasse du Pérruchet) still on the GRP®, then cross the road and continue straight ahead towards the pond.

(14) Before the Les Loges Graves sign, turn left onto the old railway line converted into a hiking trail (GRP®). At the end of this path, turn left towards Conches. Follow the road (passing under a railway bridge) until you reach the Manoir de Saint-Calais opposite you.

(15) At the manor house, turn right, passing under a railway bridge again, situated right on the bend. Walk up the Chemin de Saint-Calais, then at the top, take a road on the left.

(16) At the stop sign, cross the D140 (Route de Bernay) towards the restaurant ‘À l’orée du bois’ and take the Cheminde la Balivière, running alongside the restaurant, on the left. The half-timbered Manoir de la Balivière (the manor where Diane de Poitiers used to go hunting
) is just ahead.
Continue along Chemin de la Balivière until you reach Chemin du Marteau. You will join the GR® 222.

(17) At Chemin du Marteau, take the road on the left, going round the La Balivière housing estate. Head straight on towards the D140 (Route de Bernay). Pass Rue des Étangs on your left. Cross the D140 and turn right. Follow this road (staying on the grass verge) for 350 metres. Take the first street on the left (leaving the D140) to join Rue des Forges, following the GR®222 for 650 metres. Pass under the D840 bridge. Walk past Parc de la Forge, a natural, leafy recreational area set in the valley.

(18) Follow the Rouloir stream on your left and take the small forest path running alongside the stream, keeping to the left as you descend. Continue for 600 metres along this shaded path.
Take a flight of steps (slightly mossy) on the right to reach Rue Orly Roedereur, from where you can see Conches station below. Head left, continuing along Rue Orly Roedereur for 160 metres, passing behind the Sainte Foy school, now a guesthouse. Turn right onto Rue du Bois de Rome until you reach Sainte Foy School again (on the right, main entrance). Cross Rue de Rome heading towards Jules Ferry Nursery School, which you should walk alongside to reach Rue Wareham.
Cross the road, go round the lake on the left and head towards the ‘Carrefour Express’ on Place du Général de Gaulle. Walk along Rue de la Grand’Mare. Cross Rue St Foy at the bakery to reach Place Aristide Briand, the starting point of the walk (S/E).

Every Saturday morning, an escape game takes place in the Saint-Calais Chapel.
In Conches.
Maison des Arts and its exhibitions.
Sainte-Foy Church and its listed^16th-century stained-glass windows.
Glass Museum.
Rouloir Museum.
Performance hall.
Arboretum and its 122 European, Asian and American trees, and its apple tree conservatory.
Pré Bourbeux and its nature trails.
Natura 2000 area.
Fitness trail.

In Louversey
Church dating from the^14th and^17th centuries.
Mesnil Vicomte Castle with its chapel and dovecote.
Saint-Calais Manor House.
Manoir du Bois.

In Tilleul-Dame-Agnès
^16th-century church
Former^17th-century presbytery.
La Bruyère Manor.

In Collandres-Quincarnon
^16th- and^17th-century church with inscriptions carved into the stone.

The Rouloir is a river that flows through the departments of Eure and Orne. It flows into the Iton tributary near the village of Glisolles. It rises in the village of Saint-Ouen-sur-Iton. It is also known as the Lemme in its upper reaches.