The Bois de Côte Bailleul

Park in the church car park, Rue de l’Église in Croix-Mare.

(S/E) With your back to the car park, facing the grocery shop, turn right onto Rue de l’Église, then take the first left onto Route du Calvaire. At the crossroads by the calvary, turn left onto Route du Mouchel (D304). Continue for about 1 km until you reach Impasse du Mouchel on your left.

Green signposting

(1) Turn right onto the path directly opposite the cul-de-sac, Chemin du Hameau-en-Caux. Continue straight on until you reach the T-junction, Route du Hameau-en-Caux. Turn left until you reach Impasse-en-Caux 300 m further on, on your right.

(2) Turn right onto Impasse-en-Caux, which descends into the forest to Route du Val au Cesne.

Blue markings

(3) Cross the road and take the path directly opposite to enter the woods. Follow this path down to the Route d’Ecalles-Alix. Turn right onto it.

Yellow markings

(4) Take the grassy path on the right just before the Route d’Yvetot (D5), pass in front of the Auberge du Val au Cesne and, at the bend to the left, take the path on the right. Ignore a path on the right, go through the forest gate ahead and continue straight on heading north. Pass a second forest gate and continue to the signpost for the yellow markings.

No signposting

(5) Ignore the yellow markings heading off to the right; continue straight ahead, staying on the same path. Ignore a gravel path on the left and continue straight ahead. Pass another path on the left; follow the path marked with a Yellow Cross, which veers slightly to the right and continues straight ahead. At the upcoming fork, no problem; the two paths join a few metres further on (I prefer the one on the left, which is narrower but cleaner). Continue straight ahead, joining the tarmac road near the sewage treatment plant. Pass two buildings on the left and arrive at the T-junction.

(6) Turn right and join the tarmac road. Continue straight ahead along Chemin de la Bretèque. Carry on along the path straight ahead across the fields to rejoin the tarmac road, still on Chemin de la Bretèque, until you reach the crossroads and the Stop sign.

(7) First turn left then right to join Chemin des Vents and, at the Stop sign, continue straight ahead. Pass the church square and the town hall on your left, along Rue du Bourg in Ecalles-Alix, until you reach a crossroads with a Stop sign.

(8) Turn right onto Route du Val au Cesne, which you follow downhill for about 500 m until the first path on the left, then turn left and follow the green markings.

Green markings

(9) Turn left onto the forest track, which climbs uphill. Leave the woods and continue straight on through the hamlet of Yvelin until you reach a T-junction.

(10) Turn left and then immediately right onto Route du Hameau Yvelin. Continue straight on, passing the recycling centre on your right, cross the next X-junction to reach Rue de l’Église and return to the starting point, the church car park (S/E).

Croix-Mare:
Saint-Aubin Church: the present church dates from the late 19th century (the chancel and transept date from the third quarter of the 19th century), completed in 1896. It replaces an earlier building which had a 13th-century chancel and bell tower, as well as a 16th-century nave.
The water tower and its painting

Ecalles-Alix:
Saint-Martin Church: Listed as a Historic Monument, the bell tower dates back to the 12th century. The rest of the building dates from the late third quarter of the 18th century: the chancel in 1763, and the nave in 1768.

La Grande Rue hamlet:
Château Beauvoir, built between 1630 and 1660 by Robert d'Esmalleville, Governor of Caudebec. This château now belongs to the SNCF’s social welfare organisation.