La Ferté-Vidame - Senonches

Departure from La Ferté-Vidame town hall.

(S) Follow Rue de La Borde to the park entrance, tourist office and Maison de Saint Simon. Free walk in the park with a view of the ruins of the Marquis de La Borde's castle. Turn left onto Rue de Senonches and continue for about 100 metres. Turn left onto Chemin du Lavoir, then follow the alley leading to Rue du Stade. Take this road opposite, then turn into Rue des Carres, which becomes a path. Follow the yellow and red GRP® signs. At the end of the path, climb up a trail on the embankment of the old railway line and follow it to the right until you reach Rue du Stade. Turn left and follow the road. Pass the cemetery and continue straight ahead. Cross the Route de Lamblore and arrive at La Jaltière.

(1) Turn right onto the path. At the end of the straight road, turn right, then left to arrive at the Chêne aux Dames farm.

(2) Take the path on the right between the fields, cross the stream and reach the boundary between the fields. Turn left, then veer right and come out near the Ferme de la Brosse. Follow the small road opposite, then turn left onto the D146. At the next crossroads, turn right to go down to the Étang de Rouge.

(3) Follow the pond on your right, continue to the entrance to La Puisaye and arrive at the church.

(4) Go up Route de la Verrerie on the left, then turn into the first street on the left. Go around the village and come out near the equestrian centre. Follow the road on the right and, at the large fir tree, turn right onto the path. Go straight ahead, first between the fields, then into the woods. The path, which is sometimes wet, widens into a large lane, the Ligne à Jacob. Follow it to the end. Join a path on the right at the edge of the woods. Then turn left along the field to reach the road. Go straight ahead and pass in front of the Château de La Hézière.

(5) Continue along the road until you reach the entrance to a path on the left. Follow it for a few metres, then leave it and enter the forest via a narrow path on the right. Join a layon and follow it up to the crossroads. Turn left to reach a forest edge. Turn right and continue, staying close to the edge of the forest. Cross the D155.4, then the old railway line and reach the Chêne de La Framboisière.

(6) Continue along the edge of the forest and join the D155.3. Before reaching it, stay on the edge of the forest. A small detour allows you to join a path avoiding the tarmac. Take this path to the Chemin du Moulin à Vent and continue left to Tardais. Continue opposite along Rue du Lavoir to the church.

(7) Take the D941 on the right and now follow the yellow-red markings. Pass in front of the small town hall, cross at the pedestrian crossing and continue towards the pond. At the crossroads, follow Rue de La Guilletière straight ahead. Pass the castle and continue to the entrance to the forest. Turn left into the long straight lane. At the crossroads with the Trois Pierres road, leave the yellow and red signs and continue straight ahead. You will soon see the Senonches housing estate. Continue straight ahead to Chemin de Paris.

(8) Follow it to the right for 100 metres along a hedge. After the pumping station, cross it, pass the chicane and follow Rue Maurice de Vlaminck to the left. At the end, turn left onto Rue de La Moinerie and follow the wire fence of the École Jacques-Yves Cousteau. Follow Avenue d'Horicon to the left and go down to the traffic lights. Turn right onto Rue de La Ferté-Vidame, go under the bridge and continue on the pedestrian crossing until you reach the Carrefour des Vallées. Cross Rue des Marronniers and turn right onto Rue du Tramway. At the crossroads, turn left at the corner of the Hôtel de la Forêt, where Vlaminck often went to eat with his friends. Then follow Rue de Verdun, pass the Town Hall and continue along Rue Louis Peuret. At the crossroads by the church, turn right down Avenue Poucin and you will arrive at Rond de Battenberg (E).

(4) La Puisaye: picnic area on the banks of the Meuvette, wash house.
(6) Chêne de La Framboisière: remarkable tree.
Before (E) Rue Lucien Descaves in Senonches: a few metres to the left at No. 2 lived Lucien Descaves, writer, playwright, president of the Académie Goncourt and friend of Maurice De Vlaminck.

Please note: during hunting season, check with the town halls and the Perche Forest Tourist Office. No hunting on Sundays in the national forest.

Forest paths can be wet, so wear waterproof footwear.

(S) in La Ferté-Vidame, Maison de Saint-Simon.
(E) in Senonches Château-Musée. L'Ambiance cinema. Huttopia holiday village.