Views of the Eure Valley through the Senonches State Forest

Following the disappearance of the path between the fields at Fontaine-Aubert, after the section between the buildings, the signposting has been removed from the small transformer at the entrance to the path leading to the pond right up to the point where the path rejoins the forest.
It now indicates that you should head to the pond, walk around it, enjoy the pleasant surroundings for a short break, and return along the same path to the first crossroads in the forest.

Alternatively, after returning only as far as the transformer, turn right and continue along the GRP marked in yellow and red, pass through the hamlet, cross the road carefully and continue for about 500 metres. Then, leave the GRP and take the first path on the left which goes round the houses, cross the road again and continue straight ahead past the riding school; head towards the forest where you rejoin the marked route.

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Thank you, Lyne 28, for your glowing praise of the signposting and the route description. As for its appeal, the short circular loop leading to Fontaine-Aubert and Belhomert Pond was designed precisely to get out of the forest for a bit and offer a view of the valley. It’s true, however, that the long, straight path between Rd Fortin and the finish is a bit monotonous, but it’s the only way to get back to the car quickly.
If you have the chance to do this route again, now that you know the route, you could walk it in the opposite direction to the signposting. You’d save the best for last and you’d also avoid the rather steep climb up to the junction where the circular loop begins, as, after the remarkable tree known as ‘The Ritual Oak’, the slope is gentler as you head back up onto the plateau.

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Date of your route : Aug 14, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average
Very busy route : No

A very well-signposted route, but it’s all through the forest, so it’s a bit monotonous.

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The forest is a lovely place to go for a bit of fresh air at the moment. You were right not to leave it. There aren’t many people there now, so it’s peaceful…
A tip to make the most of it: pick up a map of the forest and its notable trees, published by ‘Les amis de la Forêt’, from the Senonches Tourist Office. With this, you can’t go wrong. The paths and clearings are marked. The plots are numbered, and you’ll find these numbers on the plaques nailed to the trees. This means there’s no limit to the number of walks you can take.
There are suggested routes to see the remarkable trees, but everyone can plan their own short or long walk. Enjoy your walks.
.

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Date of your route : Aug 21, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Hello,
My wife and I started this walk at the Rond de la Fontaine aux Liards, as getting to the Rond Bergon by car would have involved a detour.
We got a bit lost trying to reach the junction of the circular route, but we didn’t stray out of the forest. The compass and map came in very handy
Once we reached Rond Fortin, we took a path that passes through Rond Henri IV and Rond Barbereux, to get back to our starting point.
It’s a pleasant, shaded walk, but we only came across one person out for a jog – was that because of the heat and the fact it was August?

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Date of your route : Apr 25, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★☆☆☆☆ Very disappointing
Ease of following the route : ★☆☆☆☆ Very disappointing
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

The GPS track appears to be incorrect. The signposts that have recently been put up need to be corrected. The route description is partly incorrect. It is recommended that you stick to the signposting, which is reviewed regularly.
Between points 3 and 4, the path is perfectly passable. It continues to follow the GRP as far as Fontaine-Aubert.
The route description should state:
Point 5 ‘Follow the GRP® signposting to the right and leave the forest, following the small road. At the first path leading down to the right (small electricity substation), it is recommended that you head down towards the Belhomert village pond (picnic area).
You can walk round it and then head back up to the transformer. Then follow the road to the right towards the hamlet.
At the first junction, turn left then right between the house and a hedge that is sometimes overgrown. At the end of this stretch, continue straight ahead along the village path, which is often overgrown with grass and difficult to see. Continue straight on for about 200 metres to reach the correct path running at right angles, which you take to the left and head back towards the forest.
You’ll come back to the junction of the circular path at point 5: turn right onto the winding path that follows the edge of the state-owned forest and soon joins a wider track. Turn left and continue to
Point 6: where you meet the Route forestière de la Mare ronde. Turn right and you will arrive at
Point 7: the Rond Fortin.
Take the first path on the left and follow it straight on until you reach Rd Bergon.
This route is very pleasant. It is a circular route offering lovely views over the Eure valley.
It takes about two hours to complete and presents no significant difficulties (a short climb towards Point 5)
If the section between the houses in Fontaine-Aubert and the perpendicular path is really too overgrown, you can continue along the GRP to the D 928. Follow it to the left and, taking the first path on the left, rejoin the route.

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Date of your route : Nov 20, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★☆☆☆ Disappointing
Ease of following the route : ★★☆☆☆ Disappointing
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A very pleasant walk, enjoyed in lovely November sunshine amidst magnificent autumn colours.
A few issues encountered:
On two occasions, the GPS track I was following on my mobile turned out to be different from the planned route:

between point 3 and point 4, the route suggested by the GPS along the edge of the forest was impassable
between point 5 and point 6, where I had to improvise, turn back and follow the road to reach point 6 – contrary to the description and the GPS track – as the path shown was blocked by a private fence.

The signposting is sometimes very comprehensive, sometimes non-existent, and it is not always clear whether one should follow the yellow markings

Furthermore, the stated duration of 2 hours 30 minutes is very generous, as we took exactly 2 hours 30 minutes after taking several wrong turns and stopping frequently to take photos.
Loïc

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