The venerable trees of the Senonches forest

Start in Senonches – Rond de Battenberg – Parking along Avenue des Evés and at Rond de Battenberg.

Yellow and red markings of the GRP® Vallées de la Blaise et de l'Avre

(S/E) With your back to the church, follow the right-hand bank of the Étang Arthur Rémy (on your left) along the fitness trail. Walk between the water’s edge and the Butte des Sarrasins (presumed tumulus; tree-statue of the “Fisherman”). As you approach the hedge of the boules court and the motorhome car park, join the Allée de la Tourbière. Head up to the edge of a second pond (on your right) and continue left along the track. Cross Avenue de Badouleau (pedestrian crossing) and continue straight ahead along the path beside the stadium fence until you reach the edge of the forest (alternative route: see § Nearby).

No signposting

(1) Continue straight ahead along the school fence. Near Avenue Poucin, turn left onto a path starting opposite the corner of the building. At the fork, take the path on the right. You will arrive at an area of deep iron ore extraction pits. Go round them on the right, carefully staying on the edge of the excavations. Join a path and follow it to the left. At the next fork, head down to the right and emerge at a large forest crossroads near Badouleau Pond (alternative route: see § Nearby).

Yellow-red markings

(2) Cross the often-dry stream that feeds the pond via a metal footbridge, the Pont Noir. Head up the wide path opposite and arrive at the corner of the holiday village fence.

(3) Turn left and continue to follow the fence. Cross a small stream via a wooden footbridge. Continue to follow the Huttopia fence, then that of the pumping station, or go round it to the left, and reach the gate.

(4) In front of the gate, cross the path. Ignore the GRP® and follow the edge of the woods to take the path leading to the right.

No signposting

Follow this winding but clearly marked path. It crosses the Route de la Tuilerie. Continue straight on until you reach a cross path.

(5) Take this to the right; after a damp patch, continue to the main path, follow it to the left to the Rond du Chevreuil: picnic table.

Yellow markings

(6) Cross the tarmac forest road and take the stony path opposite. Follow it to the Rond d’Angoulême. Cross the D941 with care.

No markings

(7) Follow the signposted path to the Trois Frères (listed as a Remarkable Tree). At the foot of the tree, turn right onto a path running parallel to the forest road, which leads out near the Rond du Berry. (You will pass bomb craters, evidence of the intense Allied bombardment of the German munitions depot from June to August 1944). Join the crossroads on the right.

Yellow markings

(8) At Rond du Berry, follow the Route du Haut Cornet to the left as far as Rond de Monsieur. Cross the D25 with care, passing remarkable sequoias and cedars, and continue straight ahead, crossing the level crossing of the disused railway line to reach a picnic area.

No markings

(9) Leave the marked path and continue straight ahead on the gravel road towards Rond de Condé until you reach the signpost marked “Le Chêne Fauteuil” at the entrance to a path on the left.

(10) Follow the signposted path to the left leading to the Chêne Fauteuil. Walk to the right of this remarkable tree to admire “the armchair”. After walking halfway round the tree, follow the path to the right leading to the Rond des Ruelles.

(11) Follow the grassy path to the right leading to the Rond de Condé. Picnic area and a remarkable chestnut tree on the other side of the road at the far end of the grounds. Cross carefully ( alternative route: see § Nearby).

(12) After admiring the remarkable chestnut tree, return to the Rond de Condé. Cross the road again carefully and take the gravelled Allée Forestière du Haut Cornet opposite, until you reach the entrance on the left to a path between plots no. 177 and 181.

(13) Follow this path to the left. At the end, turn right and then, a few dozen metres further on, left, between plots nos. 178 and 180. At the end, rejoin the D140 and follow it to the left as far as the Rond de la Sablonnière (stone marker).

(14) Continue straight ahead along the grassy path to the start of a track that climbs to the right up the embankment.

(15) Take the path on the right to a crossroads above the Étang Loiseau embankment.

(16) Do not cross the embankment, but follow the path to the right towards Rond de Battenberg, which runs alongside the fence of the fire extinguisher factory. Cut across the end of a lane, continue straight ahead, go down a steep slope, cross the disused railway line and arrive at the D25. Cross it carefully and continue straight ahead for about a hundred metres to reach the Orée du Bois sensory trail.

(17) Take it to the right (informative panels about the forest). Exit via the car park (picnic area). Cross Rue du Général de Gaulle and continue straight ahead to Avenue Poucin. Walk down it to the left (beautiful view towards the church), passing in front of the school entrance. Reach Rond de Battenberg (S/E).

Waterproof footwear is recommended.

During hunting season, check withthe Perche Forest Tourist Office on 02 37 37 80 11 for hunting days and locations. (No hunting on Sundays in the national forest).

The section between points (1) and (2) crosses a plot where the trees are left to age naturally. There is a risk of falling branches in strong winds. It is therefore preferable to reach point (2) by following the yellow and red marked trail along the stadium.

The section between points (4) and (6) is magnificent but, as it is not marked, you must follow the trail on the ground. In autumn or winter, it may be hidden by dead leaves or snow. It is therefore preferable to stay on the main Sablonnière path between points (3) and (4).

Variations
(1) You can also cross the grassy area on the right to see the small pond created by schoolchildren and their teachers: enter to the right of the gate - exit at the corner of the forest - guided by mosaic tiles on the ground.

(2) Depending on the season, you can visit the Badouleau pond: entrance on the left, following the fence for about 300 metres - at the end of the dyke: bar, snacks - open to all.
Then return to the crossroads or ask if it is possible to rejoin the circuit near the pumping station - Point (4) by crossing a small part of the village for a few metres.

(12) From Rond de Condé, you can also carefully follow the D140 to Rond de la Sablonnière (14). Parts of the paths passing between recently regenerated plots exposed to sunlight can sometimes be a little overgrown. Then rejoin the circuit at the right-angle bend in the road, Point (14).

Senonches: Castle museum on the theme of the forest and its exploitation.
Orée du Bois sensory discovery trail -
Hotel - Restaurants - Lodges - Huttopia holiday village - motorhome reception area. Shops -
Fishing - horse riding
http://www.lesforetsduperche.fr/culture-et-tourisme/office-de-tourisme/

Manou, 4 km away: the Froux peat bog, a site developed by the Conservatoire des Espaces Naturels Sensibles (Conservatory of Sensitive Natural Areas) for the discovery of rare and protected plant and animal species.
Castle known as Blanche de Castille.
Auberge du Moulin à vent - Hotel - restaurant - horse riding
Bar de la Grange open Tuesday to Saturday from 7.30 amhttps://www.mairie-de-manou.com/bar-de-la-grange

Fontaine-Simon, 6 kmaway : Perche Water Park - campsite - indoor swimming poolhttps://www.terresdeperche.fr/pages/parc-aquatique-du-perchewater skiing -

In the village: hotel-restaurant - shops.

Digny, 10 kmaway : Nolimit Aventure tree climbing https://nolimit-aventure.com/digny/

La Loupe, 11 km away: the cellars of history - history of the 1944 bombingshttps://www.lechateaulaloupe.fr/

sNCF railway station.