Stone, water, forest and iron from Mézangers

Park in the village of Mézangers, Place Lair de la Motte.

(S/E) Take Rue des Juifs to reach the D7.

(1) Cross the D517 with caution, then after about 100 metres at La Houdière (beautiful granite cross), turn left towards the leisure centre and continue until you reach it.

(2) Take the beautiful path on the right along the edge of the Gué de Selle pond, then return to the meadow on the right.

(3) Walk along the hedge on the left before entering the small copse.
Come out onto the D272 and follow it, passing the Petite-Coudrière pony club and the Manoir de la Grande-Coudrière (a^15th-century fortified house).

(4) Finally, leave the D272 by taking the Chemin de la Maison-Neuve-des-Sapins on the left (lower region of the former Langé forest dotted with ponds). Turn right to follow the ancient road from Le Mans to Jublains along the edge of the former moors, which have yielded numerous traces of human activity from the Palaeolithic era.

(5) After crossing the Bias stream, leave the Roman road and turn left onto the small road that crosses the D7. Pass through Les Bouillons and you will come to a crossroads with a cross leading to the Bois d'Hermet.

(6) Turn left towards Hermet. You will reach the Étang d'Hermet.

(7) Now enter the Bois d'Hermet (pay attention to the map and the markings) and follow a long winding path until you reach the D140.

(8) Cross it and head towards Pince-Louvette. You will reach a fork in the road with several directions.

(9) At this junction, there are two options:
- Return straight back to Mézangers via Bois-Joli, Viel-Hêtre and Ballerie (12). This route is 1.32 km shorter.
- Turn right (map route). Do not reach the D140, and turn left for 100 m. Caution: very wet in winter to reach the crossroads of paths at Le Chaussay shortly before the Étang de Mortry.

(10) Continue straight ahead southwards, pass Bel Air, cross the road. Leave La Gargouillère on your left. You will come to a new Y-shaped crossroads.

(11) Turn left, keep left at the next crossroads and you will come to La Malétière. Take the road on the right, then turn left to reach La Ballerie.

(12) Follow another path bordering grasslands before returning to the small tarmac road that leads to the village of Mézangers.

(13) Turn right, continue left at the crossroads, and pass by the Château du Rocher. Take the opportunity to walk around the park.

(14) Continue along the road, return to Allée du Château and head back to the car park where you started (S/E).

Gué de Selle leisure centre: water point, shelters, paddocks for horses, picnic tables.

Find all the hikes offered by the Sainte-Suzanne les Coëvrons Tourist Office at www.coevrons-tourisme.com.

Water, stone, fire: why?
The name of this route may surprise you and raise questions.
- Water: as you walk along, you will notice the slight slope of the terrain, and you will understand why when you arrive at the edge of the "Gué de Selle". In the Middle Ages, the surface of the water was such that the crossing was at the height of a horse's saddle, hence the name "Gué de Selle" (saddle ford).
- Stone: the commune of Mézangers is characterised by the presence of two types of rock in its subsoil: granite in the centre and east, and sandstone in the north-west (Hermet forest). Stone quarrying was an important activity here from ancient times until the early^{20th century}: granite quarries for construction (notably for the Paris-Brest railway line) and sandstone quarries for millstones (in the Hermet forest).
- Fire: another important activity until the end of^{the 19th century} was iron production at the Hermet forges (production of nails), thanks to the forest, which provided the necessary charcoal, and the hydraulic power of the Evaille stream to drive the machines.

Hermet: A remarkable former industrial complex (ruined buildings, pond, leat and cast iron cross are the remains of the forges that closed in 1859).

Château du Rocher: This is one of the most beautiful architectural achievements of the Renaissance in Maine. The towers belong to the oldest fortified part of the seigneurial residence, which was transformed by the addition of large windows. The famous Renaissance gallery (with its finely sculpted decoration), which leads to the chapel, is the work of François de Bouillé on his return from Italy around 1533. Around 1740, the Louis XV wing was built, extending the residence perpendicular to the gallery. One of the towers dates from^{the 18th century}. The pond adds to the elegance of the château.