La Croix de Marcouville

Cette agréable randonnée vous permettra de découvrir ce petit coin de Normandie un peu méconnu car loin des lieux touristiques. On croise en chemin le joli Château de la Mésangère, un bel étang perdu en forêt mais surtout le Chêne à la Vierge de la Mésangère. Cet arbre remarquable est assurément l'un des plus beaux (si ce n'est le plus beau) de toute la région.

Details

315458
Creation:
Last update:
Last review:
  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 15.51 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 4h 40 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 81 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 86 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 175 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 108 m

Photos

Description of the walk

Parking at the town hall square in Bosguérard-de-Marcouville.

(S/E) Leave the Place de la Mairie and turn left onto the D38 towards Bourgtheroulde-Infreville. At the next crossroads, turn left (Route de la Croix de Pierre) then right (Impasse de la Vallée). The road becomes a track before joining the D38.

(1) Continue straight ahead on the D38, then shortly after a pond, turn right onto Allée de la Mésangère. At the entrance to Château de la Mésangère, turn left and go around the castle grounds.

(2) At the tarmac road, turn left, leave the woods and continue to the hamlet of Le Fitz.

(3) In this hamlet, take thesecond street on the left, Chemin du Heuzé. Continue for about 300 m, and at the fork, continue right until the next fork and go a few metres to the right.
(4) Turn left onto the paved road. After 350 m, at the entrance to a property, take the path on the left, enter the woods and continue to the pond. Turn right just before the pond.

(5) After the pond, at the fork in the road, take the sunken path that climbs to the right. At the top, at the road, continue 200 m to the right until you reach the Chêne à la Vierge (Oak Tree of the Virgin).

(6) Turn around and continue along the road to reach the hamlet of La Fontaine.

(7) In this hamlet, don't miss the small path on the right that passes between two properties. Cross the Huitiers plain. At the road, turn left, continue for 400 m, then turn right.

(8) Continue straight ahead to Place Yves Desnos in Houlbec-près-le-Gros-Theil. Then turn right and pass in front of the church and then the pond.

(9) Just after passing under the high-voltage power lines, take the path on the left. After 900 m, at the fork, turn right. The path passes between the meadows and then bends to the left. Continue and pass in front of the entrance to the stud farm.

(10) At the corner of the meadow, just before the paved road, follow the path to the right. Pass under the high-voltage power lines again, then descend to the left at the entrance to the woods.

(11) At the entrance to Saint-Denis-de Bosguérard, turn right then left after the church (Route de Ranger) and continue towards the D38.

(12) Cross with caution and continue on the road that passes to the left of the Croix de Marcouville (Route de Grémare). Cross the bridge, climb the hill and take thesecond path on the right, opposite the Impasse du Bois Givard.

(13) 350 m further on (after the bend), turn onto the road that descends to the right. This road climbs again shortly afterwards before reaching the town hall (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 126 m - Parking lot at the town hall in Bosguérard-de-Marcouville
  2. 1 : km 1.32 - alt. 139 m - Straight ahead on the D38
  3. 2 : km 2.69 - alt. 128 m - Junction with paved road
  4. 3 : km 3.92 - alt. 127 m - Hameau Le Fitz, Chemin du Heuzé
  5. 4 : km 4.43 - alt. 123 m - Tarmac road junction
  6. 5 : km 5.46 - alt. 135 m - Étang
  7. 6 : km 6.34 - alt. 164 m - Chêne à la Vierge
  8. 7 : km 6.85 - alt. 172 m - Hameau la Fontaine
  9. 8 : km 8.13 - alt. 163 m - Fork in the road on the right
  10. 9 : km 9.59 - alt. 159 m - Take the path on the left after the high-voltage power line
  11. 10 : km 11.47 - alt. 150 m - Haras
  12. 11 : km 13.23 - alt. 122 m - Entrance to Saint-Denis-de Bosguérard
  13. 12 : km 14.15 - alt. 111 m - Crossing the D38
  14. 13 : km 15.17 - alt. 119 m - Fork in the road on the right
  15. S/E : km 15.51 - alt. 126 m - Parking lot at the town hall in Bosguérard-de-Marcouville

Notes

There are several starting points, with parking available:
- Place de la Mairie in Bosguérard-de-Marcouville (recommended)
- Place Yves Denos (town hall) in Houlbec-près-le-Gros-Theil
- Car park at the church in Saint-Denis-de Bosguérard

You can stop for a picnic at the foot of the Chêne à la Vierge or Place Yves Denos in Houlbec-près-le-Gros-Theil (benches available).

If you would like to find out more about this route, visit my blog:
Ami ch'min

Worth a visit

Things to see along the way:

  • The Château de la Mésangère.
  • The churches of Saint-Denis-de-Bosguérard and Houlbec-près-le-Gros-Theil.
  • The Oak Tree of the Virgin Mary.

Reviews and comments

4.6 / 5
Based on 5 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.5 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.8 / 5
Route interest
4.4 / 5
Denis26
Denis26 ★

Thanks benoitrando for this information, I have just modified the hike accordingly.

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benoitrando
benoitrando

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 03, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Nice route, I've only just seen the name of its creator, "Leglaude", and I'm not surprised that my hike went smoothly.
However, there is one small point to review, a minor modification following a change of direction at the end of point 2.
It is no longer possible to take the third left, Chemin du Mesnil in the hamlet of FITZ, as barriers have been put up and locked with a padlock.
You must therefore turn second left onto Chemin du Heuzé, continue for approximately 260 m, turn first right and at the next T-junction turn right/left and follow the path that comes after the tarmac to reach the pond hidden in the forest.
Please note: just before and after the pond, the paths are completely rutted by forestry vehicles currently working in the area.

Thank you, Leglaude, for this great directions.

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Maxime76
Maxime76

Overall rating : 4.5 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 26, 2025
Reliability of the description : Not used / Not applicable
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Pleasant hike

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Varimpré
Varimpré

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : May 24, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A very pleasant journey. However, we would appreciate more explanation about the wonders encountered.

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Paco1912
Paco1912

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 23, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

The directions to the hamlet of Fitz could be improved. A passage is blocked...

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rangd'honneur
rangd'honneur

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 20, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Please note...
The road is blocked due to a landslide between the hamlet of Fitz and point no. 3: take the second street on the left (not the third) then turn right to rejoin the route.
Also note that when you arrive at Place de Houlbec, the ruined castle is currently undergoing renovation (good luck to the owner).

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