L'Hermitière walks

Following the sunken lanes of the Perche and the rolling hills, the route passes through the village of Gemages, the Angenardière Manor and the Priory of Sainte-Gauburge with its Ecomuseum. The return journey to L’Hermitière takes you through the Bois des Baronnières, which overlooks Le Theil.

A hike through woods, sunken paths and hills that will introduce you to the Même valley, a panoramic view of Saint-Germain-de-la-Coudre and the church of Gemages. Along the way, you will admire the charming village of L'Hermitière, its castle and its church perched proudly on a hill.

Lush green valleys, steep hillsides, majestic panoramas, sunken lanes and their gnarled pollarded trees are all part of this beautiful countryside walk, which crosses the wide Huisne valley and takes you through the villages of Mâle and La Rouge.

Starting from the 13th-century priory of Sainte-Gauburge, this route leads along sunken paths to the Dolmen de la Pierre Procureuse, the site of several legends, then passes in front of a feudal motte at the Tour du Sablon and several fortified farms, before reaching the Angenardière manor house.

Discover this peaceful village, its countryside and its hedgerows by following its sunken lanes, which offer beautiful panoramic views of the Même valley and the hills of the Perche.

A countryside trail exploring the built heritage of the Perche region and its gems, notably the hamlet of Saint-Gauburge and its priory, the Manoir de l'Angenardière, the Manoir des Chaponnières, and the hamlet of Clémencé. Discover exceptional buildings constructed from cut stone and finished with lime plaster coloured with local sand.

The village of Avezé developed in the Middle Ages to the north-east of the church, which was rebuilt inthe 16th century, at the same time as the priory that adjoined it, of which only extensive farm buildings remain. The main street is dominated by a large two-storey house known as the “Maison du prieur” (Prior’s House), dating from the 15th or 16th century, notable for its rear stair tower and its elegant façade that juts out over the current street.

A lovely walk along sunken paths, through woodland and across the gentle hills of the Perche. Panoramic views of the Huisne and Maroisse valleys.

This route, which alternates between sunken lanes, forest paths and flat sections, will take you to the hill overlooking the Huisne Valley to the west. Along the way, several panoramic views allow you to admire the meadows of Avezé, a veritable hay barn that has provided for generations of farmers.

Through sunken lanes, hedgerows and woods, discover the landscapes of the Perche region as far as Ceton, the Jambette Valley and the Huisne Valley.

This route offers panoramic views of the Huisne valley on the outskirts of Nogent-le-Rotrou.

Taking beautiful sunken paths, over hill and dale, you will discover magnificent panoramic views of the Cétonais countryside and be amazed by its diversity: woods, meadows, hedgerows and cultivated fields.

Cherré-Au is a new commune formed in 2019 by merging the communes of Cherré and Cherreau, located east of La Ferté-Bernard. The village of Cherreau has always been closely linked to the neighbouring town of La Ferté-Bernard. Indeed, in the Middle Ages, the lords of La Ferté took over the Abbey of La Pelice at the end ofthe 12th century. Then, in the14th century, the Domaine de la Plaisse was incorporated into that of La Ferté. More recently, as the town of La Ferté-Bernard expanded inthe 19th century, it encroached upon Cherreau, annexing the hamlets of Gué-Faux and La Fosse Fondue in 1889, which bordered the road to Paris.

Discover Bellême, a Petite Cité de Caractère® (Small Town of Character), on this tour that highlights its rich heritage. Bellême charms visitors with its unique architecture, where the harmony between limestone and ochre and pink sand plaster, typical of Perche-style buildings, gives this town its incomparable charm.

A lovely walk in the beautiful Bellême national forest, where you can admire the Étang de la Herse lake and its fountain.

Set off to explore the hills and valleys of the Saint-Aubin countryside and its varied landscapes: woods, meadows and cultivated fields.

This walk is the first stage of an eight-day, 220 km route, the Tour des Collines du Perche. This first stage, from Nogent-Le-Rotrou to Rémalard, will be your first taste of what characterises the splendid landscapes of the Perche: forests criss-crossed by sunken lanes, meandering rivers, and, along the way, chapels, fountains, wells and a few manor houses.

A historical and heritage tour of the capital of the Perche region, following in the footsteps of Rotrou III, Count of the Perche, Maximilien de Béthune, Duke of Sully, and Rémy Belleau, poet of the Pléiade.

Situated on the eastern slopes of the Huisne, Courgenard, first mentioned at the end ofthe 9th century, was the seat in the Middle Ages of an important barony belonging to the chapter of canons of Le Mans Cathedral. The fine Romanesque architecture of Saint-Martin’s Church still bears witness today to the power of this barony, as does the remarkable16th-century decoration adorning the chancel. In the19th century, the village still lived off agriculture and the production of hemp cloth. Today, it forms part of the La Ferté-Bernard employment area.

The village of Villaines, situated near the ancient Le Mans–Chartres road, developed in the Middle Ages around the church, on the hillside. You will appreciate its rural charm and the well-preserved architecture of the village houses and the old farmhouses scattered across the countryside. Their materials – terracotta for the tiles and bricks, limestone rubble and lime plaster coloured with local sand – blend beautifully with this scenic setting, offering fine views over the Huisne valley.

This route through valleys and bocage will allow you to explore the countryside around Boëssé le Sec. You’ll discover a beautiful avenue of pollarded trees.

The former parish of Saint-Denis-des-Coudrais developed under the influence of the lords of Chéronne, who held the parish seigneury, until the Revolution. Under the Ancien Régime, the village fell under the jurisdiction of the Perche (right bank of the Chéronne) and the Maine (left bank of the Chéronne). Whilst the local economy was primarily agricultural, deposits of very high-quality white clay were exploited from an early stage to supply the nearby pottery workshops, notably those in Tuffé, Bonnétable and Prévelles. This activity ceased in themid-20th century with the closure of the last workshop in Prévelles in 1962. The place names bear witness to this history: Les Caves, la Fosse (now called Les Merisiers), and les Terres Blanches.

A lovely walk along a former railway line, converted into a footpath and cycle route, through charming rolling countryside, then along paths and small tarmac roads with beautiful views over the Huisne Valley.

Like the neighbouring village of Gréez, the medieval development of Saint-Ulphace is linked to the settlement, between the Braye and the Saint-Ulphace stream, of a hermit monk in the6th century. The Hermitage of Saint-Ulphace led to the clearing of the surrounding land and the settlement of Christianised populations, followed by the establishment of the parish, first mentioned in 802.

This walk through the Rémalard countryside will allow you to discover the Perche landscapes: hills, woods, streams, traditional houses and châteaux.