The bellowing of the stag in Villaines-la-Gosnais

de fr

The village of Villaines, situated near the ancient Le Mans–Chartres road, developed in the Middle Ages around the church, on the hillside. You will appreciate its rural charm and the well-preserved architecture of the village houses and the old farmhouses scattered across the countryside. Their materials – terracotta for the tiles and bricks, limestone rubble and lime plaster coloured with local sand – blend beautifully with this scenic setting, offering fine views over the Huisne valley.

Details

n°97197278
Creation:
Last update:
Last review:
–
  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 2.53 mi
  • ◔
    Average duration: 1h 20 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Easy
  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 190 ft
  • ↘
    Descent: - 164 ft
  • ▲
    Highest point: 417 ft
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 256 ft
Downloads
Open in the mobile app
Download GPX GPX
Download PDF PDF

Photos

Stags and does at the Ferme de la Haie

Description of the walk

Start at the church square.

(S/E) From the church square, leave the church behind you and take Rue de la Mairie, located opposite. Walk past the multi-service shop and continue along the street that climbs to the left. Go straight on until you reach the covered path.

(1) At the end of the path, take the small road on the left. When you reach the farm, take the stony path on the right. Walk past the Mère Dieu and follow the Huisne. At the end of the path, continue to the right up the hillside.

(2) At the top of the path, continue straight on along the stony track. At the junction with the road, turn right and follow the road for 150 metres.

(3) Take the small road on the right towards La Petite Goulaudière. At the farm, take the path on the left. When you reach the road, turn left, then return to the junction from the outward journey.

(1) Follow the path to the right which leads back to the village (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : mi 0 - alt. 338 ft - Church Square
  2. 1 : mi 0.44 - alt. 407 ft - Route. Junction of the circular loop
  3. 2 : mi 1.36 - alt. 381 ft - Gravel path
  4. 3 : mi 1.61 - alt. 387 ft - Route
  5. S/E : mi 2.53 - alt. 335 ft - Church Square

Notes

Picnic table and toilets near the church.

Map and full route description available in the Perche Sarthois Hiking Guide (50 routes). On sale at Perche Sarthois tourist offices for €10.

Worth a visit

Natural heritage.

Other walks in the area

Walking The Trognes Route in Boëssé-le-Sec

Tourism professional
Le circuit des trognes à Boëssé-le-Sec
↔7.82 mi ↗+495 ft ↘-492 ft ◔4h 00 ▲Moderate
⚑Departure from Boëssé-le-Sec (Sarthe)
This route through valleys and bocage will allow you to explore the countryside around Boëssé le Sec. You’ll discover a beautiful avenue of pollarded trees.

Walking Saint-Aubin-des-Coudrais and its hills

Tourism professional
Saint-Aubin-des-Coudrais et ses collines
↔7.66 mi ↗+456 ft ↘-427 ft ◔3h 55 ▲Easy
⚑Departure from Saint-Aubin-des-Coudrais (Sarthe)
Set off to explore the hills and valleys of the Saint-Aubin countryside and its varied landscapes: woods, meadows and cultivated fields.

Walking The Vow of Saint-Quentin

Tourism professional
Le Vœu de Saint-Quentin
↔5.43 mi ↗+266 ft ↘-269 ft ◔2h 45 ▲Easy
⚑Departure from Saint-Maixent (Sarthe)
Bordering the Huisne valley to the west and the Vibraye forest to the east, Saint-Maixent is first mentioned in the13th century. Although the settlement is largely scattered (27 farms and 59 cottages in 1841), there are large hamlets such as Les Blousières, whose houses, clustered around a now-vanished pond, once housed up to 40 people, likely hemp workers. The village, crossed by the medieval road known as the “Chemin aux Bœufs” leading to Paris via Châteaudun, grew considerably in the 19th century thanks to the trade generated by this route.

Walking The Chéronne stream

Tourism professional
↔8.57 mi ↗+531 ft ↘-528 ft ◔4h 25 ▲Moderate
⚑Departure from Tuffé (Sarthe)
The route through the countryside around Tuffé takes us to the Château de Chéronne and the church of Saint-Denis-des-Coudrais. The Chéronne, which feeds the Tuffé lake, crosses and recrosses the sunken paths several times. This route is best enjoyed in good weather as the dirt tracks can be quite wet.

Walking The Beillé meadow

Tourism professional
↔5.58 mi ↗+135 ft ↘-135 ft ◔2h 40 ▲Easy
⚑Departure from Beillé (Sarthe)
This walk follows the Huisne Valley and crosses the meadow where an American airfield was set up following the liberation of France in August 1944. A sign on site recounts the history of this temporary airfield.

Walking Around Duneau

Visorando Member
↔2.42 mi ↗+138 ft ↘-138 ft ◔1h 15 ▲Easy
⚑Departure from Duneau (Sarthe)
The village of Duneau is located in a dominant position on the left bank of the Huisne, on a route that has been highly sought-after since prehistoric times. The Pierre Fiche menhir and the Pierre Couverte dolmen, dating from the Neolithic period (around 4000 BC), bear witness to this. These are the only visible archaeological remains among many others covering the periods of Antiquity and the Middle Ages.

Walking Around Mont-Chauvel

Tourism professional
Autour du Mont-Chauvel
↔5.52 mi ↗+387 ft ↘-384 ft ◔2h 50 ▲Easy
⚑Departure from Courgenard (Sarthe)
Situated on the eastern slopes of the Huisne, Courgenard, first mentioned at the end ofthe 9th century, was the seat in the Middle Ages of an important barony belonging to the chapter of canons of Le Mans Cathedral. The fine Romanesque architecture of Saint-Martin’s Church still bears witness today to the power of this barony, as does the remarkable16th-century decoration adorning the chancel. In the19th century, the village still lived off agriculture and the production of hemp cloth. Today, it forms part of the La Ferté-Bernard employment area.

Walking The sunken lanes of Préval

Association / Club / Walk leader
Les chemins creux de Préval
↔3.08 mi ↗+105 ft ↘-105 ft ◔1h 30 ▲Easy
⚑Departure from Préval (Sarthe)
Discover this peaceful village, its countryside and its hedgerows by following its sunken lanes, which offer beautiful panoramic views of the Même valley and the hills of the Perche.

For more walks, use our search engine .

The GPS track and description are the property of this route's author. Please do not copy them without permission.