La Lande-sur-Eure walks

This hike is the fourth stage of an eight-day, 220 km circuit, the Tour des Collines du Perche. Thisfourth stage takes us along part of the northern edge of the Grand Perche with its large forests, which have changed very little since medieval times.

For this second stage, fromthe town hall in La Ferté-Vidame, the route leads to the park entrance. After visiting the part open to the public, you unfortunately have to follow the wall of the former Citroën test centre. It was the birthplace of the "deux chevaux", the "traction avant" and many other models. Enclosed by this 13 km wall, it is impossible to cross, so you have to follow the D941 and D15.The route then crosses an area of farmland and copses. It passes by some pretty, well-restored houses. At La Pommarié, it finally reaches the woods. The Allée du Maupas leads to the Senonches State Forest, which you will follow for a long time. We pass at the foot of two remarkable majestic trees to reach the Grand Rond, a majestic star-shaped crossroads. After the village of Tardais, the route returns to the forest and leads to the entrance to Senonches. It crosses the town via the recently renovated and flower-filled main street.

The second stage of this journey through Vlaminck country will take us from La Ferté-Vidame to Senonches via La Puisaye. After crossing an agricultural plain, the path takes us into the woods of La Saucelle, then into the Senonches State Forest. We will pass through Tardais, a small village where the painter often came to hunt with his friend Michel Erlisch, the village mayor, and where he painted a picture of the church as seen from the town hall. We will finally arrive in Senonches, a small town of character where he often went to enjoy joyful and hearty feasts with friends.

This short loop in the Senonches State Forest starts at the Grand Rond, a magnificent star-shaped crossroads of forest paths, and first follows a long forest path that leads to the Rond des Hussards. A path then winds its way between the national forest and private woods. After passing through the Rond de la Rachée, the circuit passes at the foot of the Chêne d'Hérissé, the only tree to survive the 1999 storm in this area. Shortly before the end, the Hêtre du Haut Cornet stands a few metres from the path.

On this largely forest-based tour, discover the Chapelle de Réveillon and its frescoes, then the site of La Ferté-Vidame where Saint-Simon, the famous chronicler of the court of Versailles, wrote his memoirs, recounting the escapades of his time. Near his "favourite residence" in the Church of Saint-Nicolas, he had wanted to rest alongside his beloved wife. The revolutionaries decided otherwise and desecrated the tomb, scattering the remains and putting an end to their desire to be together forever, their coffins "bound so closely that no one could separate them". A beautiful love story, already romantic at a time when marriages were rather conventional. Paradoxically, the wealthy Marquis de Laborde built a sumptuous palace on the site of the demolished medieval castle, where he wanted to invite the elite of his time and resume the escapades that the Duke had so strongly condemned. The Revolution passed and the Marquis, once so powerful, lost his property and his head!

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.

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.

This loop, on the edge of the Perche region, leads from La Chapelle-Fortin to La Ferté-Vidame. Close to the Perche, it is divided between two types of landscape, both of which are represented by the painter Maurice de Vlaminck: vast expanses of crops under cloudy skies and woods with gnarled trees. Living in La Tourillière near Rueil-la-Gadelière from 1925 to 1958, the artist frequently visited the neighbouring villages in search of inspiration: churches, villages buried under snow, paths lined with bare trees. The circuit leads to La Ferté-Vidame, a town with a rich historical past: a medieval fortress where the Duke of Saint-Simon wrote his memoirs, which became the palace of the Marquis de Laborde, Louis XV's wealthy banker, a small château converted by Louis-Philippe into outbuildings and recently restored by the Eure-et-Loir Departmental Council, the new owner of the site. La Ferté-Vidame is also home to horse races held in summer at the Pipe-Souris racecourse.

This short loop in the Bois de la Saucelle, near Puisaye, is mainly woodland. It confirms the toponymic meaning of the name Puisaye, which refers to a wetland area. Through private woods, the circuit follows wide avenues, including the Ligne Jacob, whose length, width and majesty could justify the mischievously pretentious name of "Champs Élysées du Perche". However, don't expect to find shops and noisy café terraces here. All you will hear is birdsong. Enjoy the peace and quiet of this unspoilt, authentic natural environment, exploring it on tiptoe so as not to disturb the many animals that you are sure to glimpse if you are discreet.Avoid this route on hunting days. Danger!

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.

Starting from Morvilliers, this loop takes you to the sites where a tragic episode unfolded during the final days of the Maquis de La Ferté-Vidame in August 1944.It first leads to the farm of Mary Thibault, the instigator of the Maquis. It then crosses the Bois de Malassis, where the Maquisards hid after machine-gunning a German car, killing the driver and the secretary of the Kommandantur of La Ferté-Vidame This action triggered the fury of the SS, who, after searching the neighbouring farms in vain, arrested three young members of the Maquis in the hamlet of Les Rayers. They were taken to the nearby Château du Gland, where they were tortured. The first man was shot on 11 August in front of his comrades. The next day, the other two were also executed. They had to dig their own graves. A commemoration takes place every year in the clearing and at the cemetery in Morvilliers, where the bodies were returned after the Liberation.

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.

No raspberries in sight: for now, but where have all the raspberry bushes from La Framboisière gone?The name of the village is more likely to come from Bois Francs, meaning woods free of rights.But patience: the new Raspberry Festival will take place in June 2024. Plantings are planned and the shrub should be given pride of place.Take a short tour to discover the crops and the edge of the Senonches State Forest and the village. Pass by the majestic Chêne de la Framboisière oak tree. Memories of an old railway line.

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.

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.

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!

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.

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.

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.

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 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.

The painter Maurice de Vlaminck lived here, near Rueil-la-Gadelière, from 1925 until his death in 1958. This year marks the centenary of his arrival in the area. A three-day itinerary already allows you to cross his country from Verneuil-sur-Avre station to La Loupe station. Walkers who are unable to undertake this crossing can take one or more of the short circulars "In the footsteps of a Fauve". These allow you to discover the landscapes that inspired the painter."I love the countryside, not by accident, but continuously, and I spend my life there" This route, around the village of Rohaire, mainly crosses farmland. It partly follows the Buternay stream, coming from the ponds near the Chapelle de Réveillon and heading towards Rueil-la-Gadelière. After a stretch that is sometimes underground, it reappears at the Sources de la Vigne, where the streams from the vicinity of La Ferté-Vidame converge. Their waters are collected there and piped to Paris.

The painter Maurice de Vlaminck lived here, near Rueil-la-Gadelière, from 1925 until his death in 1958. This year marks the centenary of his arrival. A three-day itinerary already allows you to cross his country from the Verneuil-sur-Avre station to the La Loupe station. Walkers who are unable to undertake this crossing can take one or more of the short circulars "In the footsteps of a Fauve". These allow you to discover, in detail, the landscapes that inspired the painter. This one, starting from Boissy-lès-Perche, follows the valley of the Ruisseau de Buternay. After crossing the ponds near the Chapelle de Réveillon, it flows towards the Avre, joined by other streams. Their courses, partly underground, reappear at the source of the Vigne, where their waters are collected and carried to Paris via a 100 km aqueduct.Landscapes of cereal fields cut by the stream, wide horizons from which you can soon see the bell tower of the church of Verneuil.

The painter Maurice de Vlaminck lived near Rueil-la-Gadelière from 1925 until his death in 1958. This year marks the centenary of his arrival in the area. A three-day itinerary already allows you to explore his homeland from Verneuil-sur-Avre to La Loupe. Walkers who are unable to undertake this crossing can take one or more of the short circulars "In the footsteps of a Fauve". These allow you to discover in detail the places that inspired the painter."Beauche is the village next to the hamlet of La Tourillière. Its origins are lost in the mists of time. One cannot imagine that its pleasant, wholesome appearance has ever changed. The spire of its bell tower pierces the clouds. It can be seen from far away because Beauche is built on flat ground in the plain..." Vlaminck.Starting from Beauche, this short route through fields and woods skirts the Château du Boulay Saint-Clair. On the way back, it passes by the Benne pond, which has recently been restored by the municipality of Rueil-la-Gadelière.