Fontaine-Simon walks

Circular route starting from Fontaine-Simon along quiet paths and small roads through farmland. Pass by the church in Meaucé then the beautiful La Grande Maison farm surrounded by moats still filled with water.

There is so little relief in the Senonches Forest! So, with a lot of imagination and a little humour, let's have fun transforming this walk through the slight relief caused by a geological fault in the south of the forest into an alpine trail: the 90D!The trail starts, as it should, at the bottom of the "valley", on the banks of the Eure, at the edge of the "lake" of Fontaine-Simon. During the ascent, without ropes or ice axes of course, towards the Fontaine aux Liards at an altitude of 249 m, we will have to cross miniature "torrents", pass through tiny "passes" and follow a ridge path along a "vertiginous ravine"... railway. Then, after a descent into a "deep" valley, you will have to climb the Route de La Ferrière to finally tumble down towards La Billette, where you will begin to see the water ski lift installed on the pond, like a ski lift. If this description doesn't convince you, rest assured that you will at least enjoy a beautiful walk in the forest!

A forest hike starting from the Perche Water Park in Fontaine-Simon. The path leads into the Senonches State Forest after following the edge of the lake. A picturesque trail along the old railway line, a long forest line and then a path that descends into the Tourbière des Froux lead to this protected natural site, home to rare plant and animal species. Passing through hamlets and ponds, you return to La Ferrière, the site of former iron ore mining.

In the 6th century, Saint Laumer, or Lhomer, was a shepherd before becoming a canon and then bursar of Chartres Cathedral; he retired to the forests of the Perche where he founded two hermitages: he first settled in 558 in these places, later named Beatus Launomarus, then, 12 years later, moved to the banks of the Corbionne near Moutiers-au-Perche.This circular walk takes you around the Belhomert area in the footsteps of the holy man. Passing first by the entrance to the abbey that succeeded the original priory, the route follows the banks of the Eure. It reaches the edge of the Forest of Senonches, where trees were until recently the subject of strange rituals.After overlooking the valley at the edge of the forest, the route passes by the charming Étang de Fontaine-Aubert, a place name which, like Fontaine-Simon or Les Ressuintes, reminds us that many pagan places of worship were established near springs before being Christianised by devout hermits.

This short route starts in the village of Belhomert and takes you to the small lake at Fontaine-Aubert, a pleasant spot for fishing and picnics. The route through the fields offers beautiful views of the Eure valley.

This circuit begins in the heart of the Senonches Forest on wide, easy-to-ride paths, starting from the Rond de Condé, followed by a passage through La Ferté-Vidame and its rich historical past.Don't miss Moussonvilliers and its washerwomen at work at the Ruisseau de Grenouille wash house.Afterwards, cross various waterways, each one different from the other, including the Rivière de Saint-Maurice, the Avre, the Iton, the Risle, the Cauche and the Sommaire, the most difficult to cross.

A beautiful hike, mostly in the woods around the Eure valley, starting from the Senonches State Forest and ending at the Boizard locks. Built in 1785 by Louis XIV's engineers, this structure was supposed to be the starting point of an unfinished aqueduct that would have carried water from the Eure to the fountains in the park of the Palace of Versailles. On the way back, discover the Château des Vaux and its gardens.

Don't worry, no strenuous effort is required to complete this circular around La Loupe, linking the three parishes formerly known as "La Trinité des Bois": La Loupe, Vaupillon and Saint-Eliph. And if your heart races, it can only be from the emotion of remembering the terrible bombing that the town suffered on 17 June 1944. You will pass through woods and fields near the three churches of the former parish. If you want to see them more closely, you will need to make a small detour to reach them. Two of them are often closed and can only be visited on rare occasions. You could also visit the Gros Chêne de Meaucé (the big oak tree of Meaucé). It is a venerable old tree that has many stories to tell before reaching the end of its long life. After walking along the Étang du Gallou (Gallou Pond), you will arrive at the château, where a museum has been set up to commemorate the tragedy of 1944. Be sure to visit it.

No, it was not calves, devotees or a certain Mr Desvaux, who once owned the property, but three valleys that gave the estate its name. However, there are many horses. Purchased in 1805 by the Marquis d'Aligre, whose family lived in the nearby Château de la Rivière, it became a renowned hunting destination where horses reigned supreme and were housed in sumptuous stables. Even today, horses still graze in the surrounding meadows.In front of the château, the statue ofthe 1,000th stag served by the Marquis's hunting parties bears witness to the abundance of game in these 120 hectares of woodland. Since 1946, the Fondation des Apprentis d'Auteuil, which owns the estate, has established a renowned vocational school there, which welcomes nearly 1,250 students.This circular starting from Saint-Maurice-Saint-Germain allows you to discover the site and the Eure valley. You can extend the walk by following the GRP® to the Boizard locks and the Château de la Rivière.

This entirely forest-based circuit takes you past several strange trees, unexplained natural curiosities. It runs alongside the Biquet valley, a favourite walking route for the people of Senon. After reaching the Froux peat bog, a natural site of great ecological richness, it passes close to the romantic Forestiers pond nestled in the heart of the forest. This is an ideal spot for observing the animals that come here to drink in the evening.

A pleasant circular, partly through the forest and partly across fields, ideal for a late morning walk, lunch in Manou or at the Moulin à Vent, and a return in the afternoon with a visit to the Froux peat bog.Departure from the Senonches national forest, from the Bois des Dames, formerly owned by the nuns of the neighbouring Belhomert Abbey. At the entrance to Manou, view of the castle known as Blanche de Castille. Garden near the church and the "Bon'Eure" pond in Manou, a pleasant place to relax and have a picnic.Cross the Froux bog site, developed by the Conservatoire des Espaces Naturels (Conservatory of Natural Areas) to showcase rare and protected animal and plant species.Return via the Forestiers pond, which is ideal for observing animals coming to drink in the evening.

At the edge of the Montécot Forest, this circular route takes you past pretty little farms connected by winding roads. The bridle path on the western edge of the forest offers beautiful views of the countryside towards La Loupe.

This circular loop takes you along the most beautiful paths in the commune, but returns via roads. Don't hesitate to take this route, as the beautiful site of the Saint-Éliph wash house with its picnic area, the pretty hamlet of Vaufermé, the sunken path leading up to La Haisonnière, and the views of the Perruchet and Théllière ponds, a protected bird sanctuary, make for a varied and enjoyable walk.

This route, starting from the wash house in Saint-Éliph, allows you to discover the two aspects of the countryside around the village. It passes through Auberdière and Grande Cour, then Petite Butte and follows Chemin de César to Touraille through a landscape of meadows and hedgerows typical of the Perche region. It returns to Saint-Eliph along roads and paths on the plain, the first signs of the Beauce region. With many quiet, small tarmac roads, it is recommended as a winter route when the nearby forest paths become difficult.

This last stage of our journey through the Vlaminck region takes us from Senonches to La Loupe. Initially mainly wooded, the route then crosses the Eure valley, passing close to the Fontaine-Simon water park, where you can stop for refreshments. La Loupe station provides a quick return to Paris-Montparnasse.

A town of water and greenery, Senonches invites you to explore its winding paths along the forest edge, beside springs, and through narrow streets lined with beautiful ‘grison’ buildings.

This grand tour of the lower Senonches state-owned forest follows the forest’s edge, moving from Rond to Rond – these large crossroads connecting the forest paths. Whilst the surrounding landscape is occasionally visible, the route mostly remains within the woods.Starting from Parc Arthur Rémy or the holiday village, it heads south through the forest, descending and then ascending the geological fault that forced the River Eure to flow eastwards, whereas its natural course was to head north to join the River Seine. It is only able to do so as it approaches Chartres.The route passes very close to Belhomert and Fontaine-Simon, villages which can be reached and from which you can also set off. The return journey follows a picturesque path along the disused La Loupe–Verneuil railway line via Senonches. This route is not recommended for those seeking noise and bustle, or who are averse to the tranquillity of the woodland!

The name "Les Evés" refers, locally, to places where water is abundant. This water, which is everywhere, is particularly present in this "district" of the forest, south of the village. It is carried by gutters and streams from the forest to the ponds and wash houses. This short route takes you on a tour of places where water has been collected over the years, not far from the town, to be regulated and used for the activities of the Senonchois.After inspiring dreams of a spa resort in 1936-37, the water has nevertheless contributed to the town's development as a tourist destination. Successive municipal councils have worked to develop what was once a marshy area, which has now become a tourist complex with sports and leisure facilities, ideally located near the new La Loge des Bois secondary school.

The ancients revered old trees. Like them, pay homage to the "elders" of the forest. After skirting Lake Arthur Rémy, then the Vente des Trous iron ore extraction site, this circuit will take you, via secret paths and long avenues, to the seniors of the forest.First, wish the Three Brothers a happy340th birthday. Younger, but just as sturdy, seven sequoias and a cedar have been watching over the Rond de Monsieur for over a century. After passing through this imposing circle, visit the King of the Forest, who is said to sometimes sit on the gigantic throne of the Chêne Fauteuil. Finally, don't forget to say hello to the chestnut tree at the Rond de Condé.Take the time to enjoy the peace and quiet of the woods by stopping at the rest areas you'll find along the way. At "L'Orée du Bois" (The Edge of the Woods), learn to use your five senses to better experience the forest. Complete your knowledge by discovering a "Forest of Stories" at the château.

The name Senonches comes from the Latin Senunchia: land with marshy waterways. In fact, the area was once covered with ponds and waterways, making it a vast marshland.This circular allows you to discover the many places where water springs up and flows around the town. It is built on wet land that has had to be drained over the years by capturing springs, installing drainage systems and digging streams to carry water to the ponds that now give the town its charm. Along these streams, numerous wash houses were established at the end of the 19th century and still bear witness to the hard work of women at that time.Follow this route, which stays within the urban area but also sometimes passes along the edge of the woods.

What if you were invited by the Duke of Saint-Simon, famous chronicler of the Court of Versailles, to celebrate his350th birthday in La Ferté-Vidame? Imagine being able to accept this unlikely invitation and spending a weekend on this two-stage loop that will take you from Senonches, through forests and farmland, to his "favourite residence". Since 1975, the Saint-Simon Prize has been awarded every September to a contemporary memoirist during the book festival. In 2025, it will be the50th edition and we will celebrate the 350th anniversary of the duke, who was born in 1675. Set off to explore his estate and the "Petites Cités de Caractère" (small towns of character) of Senonches and La Ferté-Vidame along long forest paths, ponds and country lanes. If you are unable to meet the duke and his beloved wife, the Maison Saint-Simon will tell you about his life and work. Visit the romantic ruins of the castle built by the Marquis de Laborde shortly before the Revolution in the park.

This first stage connects Senonches to La Ferté Vidame. Through the national forest, the route takes you to the village of La Framboisière, the Château de la Hézière, near which there was once a glassworks, and, via a long forest road, leads to La Puisaye. After skirting the Étang de Rouge, the path crosses farmland and arrives at La Ferté-Vidame, the stronghold of the Duke of Saint-Simon, famous chronicler of the court of Versailles. At the entrance to the park, in the Pavillon Saint-Dominique, home to the tourist office, the Maison Saint-Simon presents his life and work. A walk in the park allows you to contemplate the vast views, the ponds and the ruins of the castle of the Marquis de la Borde, which replaced the medieval fortress, the "favourite residence" of the memoirist, in the 18th century. Recently restored, the "little castle" once belonged to King Louis-Philippe, benefactor of the village. The classical-style Saint-Nicolas Church contains the tomb of the duke and his wife.

Itwas believedthat harbouring a swallow’s nest under one’s roof would bring happiness to the home. The shelter provided for the children of Soissons – who took refuge in Senonches from Christmas 1914 until the end of the war – was, for the families of the mobilised soldiers, as much a humanitarian act as a feeble ‘talisman’ intended to ward off misfortune. Alas, 76 names were nevertheless inscribed on the town’s war memorial in 1922! Lucien Descaves, author of works now largely forgotten, co-founder and later president of the Académie Goncourt, had owned a second home in Senonches since 1910. Having lived through these events, he recounted them in his novel *L’hirondelle sous le toit* (*The Swallow Under the Roof*), published in 1924.Join Nanette and Nanand as you explore this small town situated between Beauce and Perche, renamed “Bourg en Thimerais or Bourg en Forêt”. The book, recently republished, serves as a guiding thread for this walk, which can also be undertaken simply for the pleasure of discovering the town and its forest.

In Senonches, starting from the Jacques-Yves Cousteau School, there is a short circuit designed for families, leading from the Moinerie housing estate or the HLM social housing complex to the Arthur Rémy pond. Here you will find a whole happy flock of waterfowl, games for the little ones and picnic tables for the grown-ups. You can fish or follow a fitness trail. Crossing the town centre, you will pass by the main points of interest: the listed cinema, Town Hall, media library, castle museum and church.

In fact, here you will only find a few undulations caused by the streams flowing towards the nearby Eure. This small 637-hectare national forest is surrounded by a bridle path and criss-crossed by straight paths. The D103 crosses it from east to west and is not very busy. A high-voltage power line divides the forest. Parallel to the D103, it overlooks a large clearing and is bordered by a well-maintained path. A long north-south lane, formerly part of the GR®35 hiking trail, marks the boundary of the private woods to the west. Finally, the Merise forest road connects the D920 to the D103: closed to cars from Rond de la Félicité to Rond de Diane.This network of paths allows you to combine numerous circular paths or take shortcuts. Just make sure you don't leave the state-owned forest, which is bordered by an embankment. Private woods are located all around. These woods are rich in game, and large animals are shot there, so it is wise not to venture in on hunting days!

Don't be fooled by the name of this route: the "town" in question is just a small village attached to Senonches. The nuns and monks left it long ago! This circular route, starting from Ville-aux-Nonains, follows quiet paths and roads and leads to Senonches, a "Petite Cité de Caractère" (Small Town of Character) that is well worth a detailed visit. On the way back, it follows the edge of the national forest. This route also serves as a reminder, through its place names, of the activities that once took place in this other part of the Senonches area, better known for its forest, and evokes activities that have now disappeared: marl pits, tile works, lime kilns, forges and mechanical workshops, which played a major role in the economic development of the commune. These have now been replaced by intensive farming in vast fields reorganised after the consolidation of the old bocage. The hedges have disappeared, with only a few small woods remaining as refuges for game.

Starting from Saint-Fraise, a hamlet in the commune of Digny with an enigmatic name, this circular route first takes us across fields in the plain that stretches between the Senonches and Châteauneuf-en-Thymerais state forests. After crossing La Fizilière, it enters the forest, continues to Rond Fortin along a wide avenue and then crosses the somewhat wild Bois des Hauts Cornets forest before returning to the fields via Buisson-Elouis, La Frette and Les Mésangères.

This circular loop in the Senonches State Forest, starting from the Grand Rond – a magnificent star-shaped junction of forest tracks – first follows long forest tracks leading to the Rond des Quatre Barrières and then to the Rond des Hussards. A path then winds its way between the state-owned forest and private woodland. After passing through the Rond de la Rachée, the route passes at the foot of the Chêne d’Hérissé, the sole survivor of the 1999 storm in this area. Shortly before the finish, the Hêtre du Haut Cornet stands a few metres from the path.

Allow a day to complete this route and visit Senonches. As it is easier to find shelter in town for lunch in winter or in case of bad weather, this route suggests setting off from Tardais in the morning, heading towards Senonches where you can picnic or eat in a restaurant, and, after visiting the town and the castle, returning to Tardais at the end of the afternoon. The route takes you around Tardais and connects it to Senonches. It is varied, passing between the castle and the lake, crossing the forest, taking you through the recently developed town centre and leading to Lake Arthur Rémy. After passing by the castle and the church, it returns across fields and through the forest again. It follows the edge of the village. Here you will find the magnificent Tardais Beech, a remarkable listed tree. At 185 years old, it is suffering, like all the beech trees in the forest, from global warming, which will cause them to disappear in the short term. So don't delay in going to see it.

Le Gué au Chéron is a district of the Senonches National Forest. This tour starts in Tardais and leads through fields into the forest. It follows the edge of the forest, passing in front of the majestic Chêne de la Framboisière oak tree. After crossing the old La Loupe-Verneuil railway line, the trail follows the Gervaine, a stream that was canalised in the 18th century to float timber down the Avre and Seine rivers to Rouen.The trail then runs alongside the Étang de la Bénette, managed by the Conservatoire des Espaces Naturels, which preserves its exceptional flora and fauna. A long forest line crosses the Rond de Sauveloup, then joins the small road from Tardais to Laudigerie. It takes you past the lake and the Château de Tardais before reaching this picturesque village with its wash house, small church and tiny town hall. Vlaminck stayed here frequently and immortalised this view of "the road" in winter under the snow from the town hall to the church in one of his paintings.

Although many birds can be found here despite global warming, parakeets have not yet colonised the site! Discover these ponds, an integral part of the Perche landscape. Although medium-sized (20 hectares), they constitute a wetland of great importance. Starting from the hamlet of Perruchet between the ponds, the route offers beautiful views of the lakes from the small road overlooking the valley. A road, believed to be Roman, the Chemin de Jules César, approaches the Étang de Perruchet. Leave it to go around it to the south. The route then leads to the Touraille farm and returns via Haut Coudray and the heights of the Teillière Pond, where an information board provides a better understanding of these landscapes between Beauce and Perche.

No raspberries in sight: for now, but where on earth have the raspberry bushes of La Framboisière gone?The village’s name is more likely to be linked to the Bois Francs – the free-hold woods.The Raspberry Festival takes place every two years. It brings together local artisans who showcase their products related to the preparation of dishes made with red berries.A short walk to explore the fields and woodland edge between the Senonches State Forest and the village. A stroll past the majestic oaks of La Framboisière and Le Grand Village. Reminders of an old railway line.

A circular path at the far end of the Bras de Louvilliers in the Senonches State Forest, taking in the valley of the Ruisseau de Saint-Cyr and the site of the Poste de Louvilliers forest lodge with its pond and magnificent oak tree. The path then winds its way above the Blaise valley before skirting the Bois du Paradis. Quite a journey!

A walk half in the fields and half in the Châteauneuf-en-Thymerais State Forest, starting from the village of Jaudrais and passing through its hamlets. The circular route follows the Grande Vallée stream from a distance on both sides.

Starting from Les Ressuintes, between Senonches and La Ferté-Vidame, you will pass through La Puisaye and hamlets dotted with numerous tastefully renovated farmhouses. Set amongst woods and fields, this circular route takes you past several ponds, including the Bénette, a site protected by the Regional Conservatory of Sensitive Natural Areas due to its valuable biodiversity. Beautiful, straight paths wind through the Senonches State Forest, where you might just spot some large wildlife.

This very wet area drains water from the Senonches Forest. There are numerous streams and ponds. The route starts by following the Meuvette valley. The stream originates in the nearby private woods and flows through the Haron and Rouge ponds.After passing through a cultivated area, the return journey is along small roads. This walk is best done in winter, when the nearby forest paths are difficult to navigate.The commune is backed by private woods and bordered to the west by the walls of the park of the former château of the Marquis de La Borde, which became the Citroën Test Centre in the 20th century.Between the park and the forest, old farmhouses have been converted into attractive second homes, well maintained and decorated with flowers in summer. The village has a church which, since the 12th century, has undergone many vicissitudes.At the rear, the communal wash house has been restored, and a public space welcomes walkers who wish to take a moment's rest.

A circular loop between the village and the Senonches National Forest, passing through fields and copses. It goes through small hamlets with pretty farmhouses decorated with flowers in summer. After La Motte and La Petite Motte, places reminiscent of the ancient line of defence established between France and Normandy, the route becomes more romantic, crossing the Bois du Rouvray via a path which, it is said, was a meeting place for young lovers from the village. There weren't many other places nearby where they could meet discreetly!