The Iton, the greenway and the ‘échelettes’ in Évreux

Park in the car park at Place Dupont de l’Eure in Évreux.

Please note! This route is not signposted.

(S/E) With your back to the car park, head left, go down Rue Édouard Efray, turn left onto Rue Saint-Louis, then right at the next junction to reach Place du Général De Gaulle, which is the town hall square. Take the footbridge on the right to cross the Iton. On the other side, turn left to walk alongside the river. Cross Rue de l’Horloge.

(1) Ignore the footbridge on the left, then, further on, cross Rue de Grenoble as the river bends to the left.

(2) At Rue Charles Corbeau, turn left to cross the river and visit Notre-Dame Cathedral in Évreux. At the end of the visit, cross the Iton again and continue to the left. Shortly afterwards, after crossing the river once more, take Rue de la Harpe on the left. At the crossroads, continue straight ahead as the street becomes Rue Jean-Jaurès. You will reach the former Capuchin Cloister, which now houses the Conservatoire de Musique. Enter Parc François Mitterrand by walking along the right-hand side of the building, then, once inside the park, head south-west towards the large, modern-style greenhouse.

(3) Leave the park through a gate just to the right of the greenhouse (to the north) and continue along Rue Guy de Maupassant to reach Rue de Panette. Continue straight on along Rue du Jardin Botanique, then turn left onto Rue Victor Hugo. Further on, turn right onto Rue du Président Huet, which crosses the Iton shortly afterwards.

(4) At the next junction, turn left onto Rue Joséphine. Continue to a large crossroads with Boulevard de la Buffardière and Avenue du Maréchal Foch. You will then see the Iton on your left. Cross the crossroads, without taking the bridge, to take a path that runs alongside the river on your left.

(5) Further on, cross Boulevard de Normandie and continue along the path opposite, still following the river. Continue along the Iton until you reach the sports facilities on the outskirts of the town. Then cross Rue Jean Bouin and turn right.

(6) Shortly afterwards, take the steps leading up to the left onto an old railway line converted into a greenway. Follow it to the right for about 1.8 km. You will come out onto a small road leading to the golf course and the hospital.

(7) Leave the Voie Verte and turn sharply right onto the road. Shortly afterwards, at a junction with a path coming from the left, take a track that climbs up the embankment to the left of the road (blue markings; this track does not appear on the OSM map for this route description). At the junction with another path, continue straight ahead to reach Rue du Neubourg shortly afterwards.

(8) Continue right along this street to Place Aimé Doucerain.

(9) Turn left onto Rue Saint-Michel for a few metres, then turn right onto Rue de la Corniche les Pipos. At the end of the street, continue along the path. Shortly afterwards, ignore the Échelette Tordue (staircase) leading down to the right and the street to the left, and continue along the path, higher up, until you reach a junction with another path, the Échelette Saint-Pierre.

(10) Go down the steps on the right. Shortly afterwards, at the fork, continue down the steps on the right. You will arrive on Boulevard du Jardin l’Évêque. Walk a few metres to the right, then turn left onto Rue des Lombards. Do not cross the Iton but turn right onto the university grounds to take a path that runs alongside the river on your left. You will arrive opposite the cinema car park; turn left. At the roundabout, turn left onto Rue Isambard, then right onto Rue Jean Gilles, left onto Rue Saint Thomas, then right onto Rue de la Vieille Gabelle. Continue straight on to reach the banks of the Iton.

(1) Cross the footbridge and turn left. Pass under the belfry to reach Place du Général De Gaulle. Return to the car park at Place Dupont de l’Eure (S/E) via the same route as on the way there.

There are no particular difficulties on this semi-urban walk.

From (S) to (2) On Place du Général De Gaulle, note the Town Hall, the theatre, the belfry and the fountain.
The Town Hall stands on the site of the former castle of the Counts of Évreux. Built in the Neoclassical style, it was completed in 1895. Its pediment is adorned with the town’s coat of arms.
Next to the Town Hall, the theatre, which dates from 1903, is adorned with busts of Corneille and Boileau.
The belfry, the southernmost in France, was built in 1497 by the town’s burghers in the Flamboyant Gothic style. Its bell is called the Louyse.
In the centre of the square, the fountain, sculpted in 1882, symbolises the Eure and its two tributaries, the Iton and the Rouloir.

From (2) to (3) The Episcopal City comprises the former Episcopal Palace and Notre-Dame Cathedral. The cathedral’s architectural styles span a broad period from the Romanesque era to the Renaissance. In addition to its remarkable stained-glass windows dating from the 13th to the 16th centuries, it was enhanced in 2007 with a beautiful modern organ. The former Episcopal Palace, meanwhile, houses the Museum of Art, History and Archaeology. It was built in 1499, directly on the city walls, and is now one of the last remaining examples of Gothic architecture in Normandy. The reflecting pool, on your left as you leave after visiting the cathedral, was created on the River Iton so that the cathedral is reflected in it.

The Gallo-Roman rampart was erected as early as 275 and stretches for 1.145 km. You can see some remains along the River Iton, but it is at the Water Mirror, at the foot of the Episcopal City, that the remains are most striking.

The Jardin François Mitterrand is home to the city’s botanical garden. It also houses a beautiful, modern greenhouse.

Between (4) and (5) On Rue Joséphine, you will pass close to the Abbey Church of Saint-Taurin, a former Benedictine abbey founded in the 10th century. It combines Romanesque, Gothic and Baroque styles and features a beautiful 15th-century stained-glass window.

Between (6) and (7) The Evreux-Le Bec Hellouin Greenway has been created on the former railway line that linked Évreux to Honfleur. It is a lovely shaded path offering some fine views of the town.

Between (9) and (10) The Coteaux Saint-Michel, a Natura 2000 site, offer beautiful views of Évreux and the Iton valley. They are maintained by sheep and accessed via ‘échelettes’, i.e. streets consisting mainly of steps.