Les Ressuintes walks

Starting from Les Ressuintes, between Senonches and La Ferté-Vidame, you will pass through La Puisaye and hamlets dotted with numerous tastefully renovated farmhouses. Set amongst woods and fields, this circular route takes you past several ponds, including the Bénette, a site protected by the Regional Conservatory of Sensitive Natural Areas due to its valuable biodiversity. Beautiful, straight paths wind through the Senonches State Forest, where you might just spot some large wildlife.

This very wet area drains water from the Senonches Forest. There are numerous streams and ponds. The route starts by following the Meuvette valley. The stream originates in the nearby private woods and flows through the Haron and Rouge ponds.After passing through a cultivated area, the return journey is along small roads. This walk is best done in winter, when the nearby forest paths are difficult to navigate.The commune is backed by private woods and bordered to the west by the walls of the park of the former château of the Marquis de La Borde, which became the Citroën Test Centre in the 20th century.Between the park and the forest, old farmhouses have been converted into attractive second homes, well maintained and decorated with flowers in summer. The village has a church which, since the 12th century, has undergone many vicissitudes.At the rear, the communal wash house has been restored, and a public space welcomes walkers who wish to take a moment's rest.

This hike is the fourth stage of an eight-day, 220 km circuit, the Tour des Collines du Perche. Thisfourth stage takes us along part of the northern edge of the Grand Perche with its large forests, which have changed very little since medieval times.

The second stage of this journey through Vlaminck country will take us from La Ferté-Vidame to Senonches via La Puisaye. After crossing an agricultural plain, the path takes us into the woods of La Saucelle, then into the Senonches State Forest. We will pass through Tardais, a small village where the painter often came to hunt with his friend Michel Erlisch, the village mayor, and where he painted a picture of the church as seen from the town hall. We will finally arrive in Senonches, a small town of character where he often went to enjoy joyful and hearty feasts with friends.

For this second stage, fromthe town hall in La Ferté-Vidame, the route leads to the park entrance. After visiting the part open to the public, you unfortunately have to follow the wall of the former Citroën test centre. It was the birthplace of the "deux chevaux", the "traction avant" and many other models. Enclosed by this 13 km wall, it is impossible to cross, so you have to follow the D941 and D15.The route then crosses an area of farmland and copses. It passes by some pretty, well-restored houses. At La Pommarié, it finally reaches the woods. The Allée du Maupas leads to the Senonches State Forest, which you will follow for a long time. We pass at the foot of two remarkable majestic trees to reach the Grand Rond, a majestic star-shaped crossroads. After the village of Tardais, the route returns to the forest and leads to the entrance to Senonches. It crosses the town via the recently renovated and flower-filled main street.

This short loop in the Bois de la Saucelle, near Puisaye, is mainly woodland. It confirms the toponymic meaning of the name Puisaye, which refers to a wetland area. Through private woods, the circuit follows wide avenues, including the Ligne Jacob, whose length, width and majesty could justify the mischievously pretentious name of "Champs Élysées du Perche". However, don't expect to find shops and noisy café terraces here. All you will hear is birdsong. Enjoy the peace and quiet of this unspoilt, authentic natural environment, exploring it on tiptoe so as not to disturb the many animals that you are sure to glimpse if you are discreet.Avoid this route on hunting days. Danger!

Starting from Lamblore Town Hall, this circular leads to La Ferté-Vidame, where you will find reminders of historical figures: The Dukes of Saint-Simon, the father, who after acquiring the estate had the parish church built, and the son, the famous memoirist, the Marquis de Laborde, who had a sumptuous palace built, the romantic ruins of which still remain, and laid out a huge park. King Louis-Philippe wanted to restore this building, which had been dismantled after the Revolution, to its former glory, but he was only able to build the "Petit Château" (small castle)...A detailed tour of the village and park is a must. The return journey takes you past the former Citroën test centre, a mecca for the automotive industry. This is where the most famous models of the chevron brand were developed: the Traction Avant, the 2CV, the DS, the Ami 6, the SM... After passing the Champ-Brulé equestrian centre, the route returns to the village via the beautiful Chemin du Mortripié, which has been reopened by the local council.

This circular loop in the Senonches State Forest, starting from the Grand Rond – a magnificent star-shaped junction of forest tracks – first follows long forest tracks leading to the Rond des Quatre Barrières and then to the Rond des Hussards. A path then winds its way between the state-owned forest and private woodland. After passing through the Rond de la Rachée, the route passes at the foot of the Chêne d’Hérissé, the sole survivor of the 1999 storm in this area. Shortly before the finish, the Hêtre du Haut Cornet stands a few metres from the path.

Allow a day to complete this route and visit Senonches. As it is easier to find shelter in town for lunch in winter or in case of bad weather, this route suggests setting off from Tardais in the morning, heading towards Senonches where you can picnic or eat in a restaurant, and, after visiting the town and the castle, returning to Tardais at the end of the afternoon. The route takes you around Tardais and connects it to Senonches. It is varied, passing between the castle and the lake, crossing the forest, taking you through the recently developed town centre and leading to Lake Arthur Rémy. After passing by the castle and the church, it returns across fields and through the forest again. It follows the edge of the village. Here you will find the magnificent Tardais Beech, a remarkable listed tree. At 185 years old, it is suffering, like all the beech trees in the forest, from global warming, which will cause them to disappear in the short term. So don't delay in going to see it.

Starting from Morvilliers, this loop takes you to the sites where a tragic episode unfolded during the final days of the Maquis de La Ferté-Vidame in August 1944.It first leads to the farm of Mary Thibault, the instigator of the Maquis. It then crosses the Bois de Malassis, where the Maquisards hid after machine-gunning a German car, killing the driver and the secretary of the Kommandantur of La Ferté-Vidame This action triggered the fury of the SS, who, after searching the neighbouring farms in vain, arrested three young members of the Maquis in the hamlet of Les Rayers. They were taken to the nearby Château du Gland, where they were tortured. The first man was shot on 11 August in front of his comrades. The next day, the other two were also executed. They had to dig their own graves. A commemoration takes place every year in the clearing and at the cemetery in Morvilliers, where the bodies were returned after the Liberation.

Le Gué au Chéron is a district of the Senonches National Forest. This tour starts in Tardais and leads through fields into the forest. It follows the edge of the forest, passing in front of the majestic Chêne de la Framboisière oak tree. After crossing the old La Loupe-Verneuil railway line, the trail follows the Gervaine, a stream that was canalised in the 18th century to float timber down the Avre and Seine rivers to Rouen.The trail then runs alongside the Étang de la Bénette, managed by the Conservatoire des Espaces Naturels, which preserves its exceptional flora and fauna. A long forest line crosses the Rond de Sauveloup, then joins the small road from Tardais to Laudigerie. It takes you past the lake and the Château de Tardais before reaching this picturesque village with its wash house, small church and tiny town hall. Vlaminck stayed here frequently and immortalised this view of "the road" in winter under the snow from the town hall to the church in one of his paintings.

No raspberries in sight: for now, but where on earth have the raspberry bushes of La Framboisière gone?The village’s name is more likely to be linked to the Bois Francs – the free-hold woods.The Raspberry Festival takes place every two years. It brings together local artisans who showcase their products related to the preparation of dishes made with red berries.A short walk to explore the fields and woodland edge between the Senonches State Forest and the village. A stroll past the majestic oaks of La Framboisière and Le Grand Village. Reminders of an old railway line.

A pleasant circular, partly through the forest and partly across fields, ideal for a late morning walk, lunch in Manou or at the Moulin à Vent, and a return in the afternoon with a visit to the Froux peat bog.Departure from the Senonches national forest, from the Bois des Dames, formerly owned by the nuns of the neighbouring Belhomert Abbey. At the entrance to Manou, view of the castle known as Blanche de Castille. Garden near the church and the "Bon'Eure" pond in Manou, a pleasant place to relax and have a picnic.Cross the Froux bog site, developed by the Conservatoire des Espaces Naturels (Conservatory of Natural Areas) to showcase rare and protected animal and plant species.Return via the Forestiers pond, which is ideal for observing animals coming to drink in the evening.

In Senonches, starting from the Jacques-Yves Cousteau School, there is a short circuit designed for families, leading from the Moinerie housing estate or the HLM social housing complex to the Arthur Rémy pond. Here you will find a whole happy flock of waterfowl, games for the little ones and picnic tables for the grown-ups. You can fish or follow a fitness trail. Crossing the town centre, you will pass by the main points of interest: the listed cinema, Town Hall, media library, castle museum and church.

On the edge of the Senonches Forest, north of Perche, La Saucelle is a real crossroads between different historical and natural sites. On this short route, come and discover what the Knights Templar brought to the village. It was here, in La Saucelle, that they first settled in the Drouais region, and even in Eure-et-Loir. This settlement, in 1165, was made possible thanks to donations from local lords. These were largely plots of land in the Carnutes Forest. The Knights Templar cleared these plots and all those that followed, creating the vast plain that surrounds the village.

This loop, on the edge of the Perche region, leads from La Chapelle-Fortin to La Ferté-Vidame. Close to the Perche, it is divided between two types of landscape, both of which are represented by the painter Maurice de Vlaminck: vast expanses of crops under cloudy skies and woods with gnarled trees. Living in La Tourillière near Rueil-la-Gadelière from 1925 to 1958, the artist frequently visited the neighbouring villages in search of inspiration: churches, villages buried under snow, paths lined with bare trees. The circuit leads to La Ferté-Vidame, a town with a rich historical past: a medieval fortress where the Duke of Saint-Simon wrote his memoirs, which became the palace of the Marquis de Laborde, Louis XV's wealthy banker, a small château converted by Louis-Philippe into outbuildings and recently restored by the Eure-et-Loir Departmental Council, the new owner of the site. La Ferté-Vidame is also home to horse races held in summer at the Pipe-Souris racecourse.

On this largely forest-based tour, discover the Chapelle de Réveillon and its frescoes, then the site of La Ferté-Vidame where Saint-Simon, the famous chronicler of the court of Versailles, wrote his memoirs, recounting the escapades of his time. Near his "favourite residence" in the Church of Saint-Nicolas, he had wanted to rest alongside his beloved wife. The revolutionaries decided otherwise and desecrated the tomb, scattering the remains and putting an end to their desire to be together forever, their coffins "bound so closely that no one could separate them". A beautiful love story, already romantic at a time when marriages were rather conventional. Paradoxically, the wealthy Marquis de Laborde built a sumptuous palace on the site of the demolished medieval castle, where he wanted to invite the elite of his time and resume the escapades that the Duke had so strongly condemned. The Revolution passed and the Marquis, once so powerful, lost his property and his head!

Itwas believedthat harbouring a swallow’s nest under one’s roof would bring happiness to the home. The shelter provided for the children of Soissons – who took refuge in Senonches from Christmas 1914 until the end of the war – was, for the families of the mobilised soldiers, as much a humanitarian act as a feeble ‘talisman’ intended to ward off misfortune. Alas, 76 names were nevertheless inscribed on the town’s war memorial in 1922! Lucien Descaves, author of works now largely forgotten, co-founder and later president of the Académie Goncourt, had owned a second home in Senonches since 1910. Having lived through these events, he recounted them in his novel *L’hirondelle sous le toit* (*The Swallow Under the Roof*), published in 1924.Join Nanette and Nanand as you explore this small town situated between Beauce and Perche, renamed “Bourg en Thimerais or Bourg en Forêt”. The book, recently republished, serves as a guiding thread for this walk, which can also be undertaken simply for the pleasure of discovering the town and its forest.

This entirely forest-based circuit takes you past several strange trees, unexplained natural curiosities. It runs alongside the Biquet valley, a favourite walking route for the people of Senon. After reaching the Froux peat bog, a natural site of great ecological richness, it passes close to the romantic Forestiers pond nestled in the heart of the forest. This is an ideal spot for observing the animals that come here to drink in the evening.

What if you were invited by the Duke of Saint-Simon, famous chronicler of the Court of Versailles, to celebrate his350th birthday in La Ferté-Vidame? Imagine being able to accept this unlikely invitation and spending a weekend on this two-stage loop that will take you from Senonches, through forests and farmland, to his "favourite residence". Since 1975, the Saint-Simon Prize has been awarded every September to a contemporary memoirist during the book festival. In 2025, it will be the50th edition and we will celebrate the 350th anniversary of the duke, who was born in 1675. Set off to explore his estate and the "Petites Cités de Caractère" (small towns of character) of Senonches and La Ferté-Vidame along long forest paths, ponds and country lanes. If you are unable to meet the duke and his beloved wife, the Maison Saint-Simon will tell you about his life and work. Visit the romantic ruins of the castle built by the Marquis de Laborde shortly before the Revolution in the park.

This first stage connects Senonches to La Ferté Vidame. Through the national forest, the route takes you to the village of La Framboisière, the Château de la Hézière, near which there was once a glassworks, and, via a long forest road, leads to La Puisaye. After skirting the Étang de Rouge, the path crosses farmland and arrives at La Ferté-Vidame, the stronghold of the Duke of Saint-Simon, famous chronicler of the court of Versailles. At the entrance to the park, in the Pavillon Saint-Dominique, home to the tourist office, the Maison Saint-Simon presents his life and work. A walk in the park allows you to contemplate the vast views, the ponds and the ruins of the castle of the Marquis de la Borde, which replaced the medieval fortress, the "favourite residence" of the memoirist, in the 18th century. Recently restored, the "little castle" once belonged to King Louis-Philippe, benefactor of the village. The classical-style Saint-Nicolas Church contains the tomb of the duke and his wife.

The ancients revered old trees. Like them, pay homage to the "elders" of the forest. After skirting Lake Arthur Rémy, then the Vente des Trous iron ore extraction site, this circuit will take you, via secret paths and long avenues, to the seniors of the forest.First, wish the Three Brothers a happy340th birthday. Younger, but just as sturdy, seven sequoias and a cedar have been watching over the Rond de Monsieur for over a century. After passing through this imposing circle, visit the King of the Forest, who is said to sometimes sit on the gigantic throne of the Chêne Fauteuil. Finally, don't forget to say hello to the chestnut tree at the Rond de Condé.Take the time to enjoy the peace and quiet of the woods by stopping at the rest areas you'll find along the way. At "L'Orée du Bois" (The Edge of the Woods), learn to use your five senses to better experience the forest. Complete your knowledge by discovering a "Forest of Stories" at the château.

The name "Les Evés" refers, locally, to places where water is abundant. This water, which is everywhere, is particularly present in this "district" of the forest, south of the village. It is carried by gutters and streams from the forest to the ponds and wash houses. This short route takes you on a tour of places where water has been collected over the years, not far from the town, to be regulated and used for the activities of the Senonchois.After inspiring dreams of a spa resort in 1936-37, the water has nevertheless contributed to the town's development as a tourist destination. Successive municipal councils have worked to develop what was once a marshy area, which has now become a tourist complex with sports and leisure facilities, ideally located near the new La Loge des Bois secondary school.

This last stage of our journey through the Vlaminck region takes us from Senonches to La Loupe. Initially mainly wooded, the route then crosses the Eure valley, passing close to the Fontaine-Simon water park, where you can stop for refreshments. La Loupe station provides a quick return to Paris-Montparnasse.

This grand tour of the lower Senonches state-owned forest follows the forest’s edge, moving from Rond to Rond – these large crossroads connecting the forest paths. Whilst the surrounding landscape is occasionally visible, the route mostly remains within the woods.Starting from Parc Arthur Rémy or the holiday village, it heads south through the forest, descending and then ascending the geological fault that forced the River Eure to flow eastwards, whereas its natural course was to head north to join the River Seine. It is only able to do so as it approaches Chartres.The route passes very close to Belhomert and Fontaine-Simon, villages which can be reached and from which you can also set off. The return journey follows a picturesque path along the disused La Loupe–Verneuil railway line via Senonches. This route is not recommended for those seeking noise and bustle, or who are averse to the tranquillity of the woodland!

A town of water and greenery, Senonches invites you to explore its winding paths along the forest edge, beside springs, and through narrow streets lined with beautiful ‘grison’ buildings.

The name Senonches comes from the Latin Senunchia: land with marshy waterways. In fact, the area was once covered with ponds and waterways, making it a vast marshland.This circular allows you to discover the many places where water springs up and flows around the town. It is built on wet land that has had to be drained over the years by capturing springs, installing drainage systems and digging streams to carry water to the ponds that now give the town its charm. Along these streams, numerous wash houses were established at the end of the 19th century and still bear witness to the hard work of women at that time.Follow this route, which stays within the urban area but also sometimes passes along the edge of the woods.

This circuit begins in the heart of the Senonches Forest on wide, easy-to-ride paths, starting from the Rond de Condé, followed by a passage through La Ferté-Vidame and its rich historical past.Don't miss Moussonvilliers and its washerwomen at work at the Ruisseau de Grenouille wash house.Afterwards, cross various waterways, each one different from the other, including the Rivière de Saint-Maurice, the Avre, the Iton, the Risle, the Cauche and the Sommaire, the most difficult to cross.

Beneath the seemingly peaceful surface of the Baine (or Benne) pond, there is a whole world of plants and animals. The route, which starts in this hamlet in the commune of Rueil-la-Gadelière, takes you around the Bois de la Noë, passing by the farms of Bois Normand and Rueil. It is located south of Verneuil d'Avre et d'Iton, at the gateway to Normandy. Return via the hamlets of Les Bruyères and Le Canada.

The painter Maurice de Vlaminck lived near Rueil-la-Gadelière from 1925 until his death in 1958. This year marks the centenary of his arrival in the area. A three-day itinerary already allows you to explore his homeland from Verneuil-sur-Avre to La Loupe. Walkers who are unable to undertake this crossing can take one or more of the short circulars "In the footsteps of a Fauve". These allow you to discover in detail the places that inspired the painter."Beauche is the village next to the hamlet of La Tourillière. Its origins are lost in the mists of time. One cannot imagine that its pleasant, wholesome appearance has ever changed. The spire of its bell tower pierces the clouds. It can be seen from far away because Beauche is built on flat ground in the plain..." Vlaminck.Starting from Beauche, this short route through fields and woods skirts the Château du Boulay Saint-Clair. On the way back, it passes by the Benne pond, which has recently been restored by the municipality of Rueil-la-Gadelière.

The painter Maurice de Vlaminck lived here, near Rueil-la-Gadelière, from 1925 until his death in 1958. This year marks the centenary of his arrival. A three-day itinerary already allows you to cross his country from the Verneuil-sur-Avre station to the La Loupe station. Walkers who are unable to undertake this crossing can take one or more of the short circulars "In the footsteps of a Fauve". These allow you to discover, in detail, the landscapes that inspired the painter. This one, starting from Boissy-lès-Perche, follows the valley of the Ruisseau de Buternay. After crossing the ponds near the Chapelle de Réveillon, it flows towards the Avre, joined by other streams. Their courses, partly underground, reappear at the source of the Vigne, where their waters are collected and carried to Paris via a 100 km aqueduct.Landscapes of cereal fields cut by the stream, wide horizons from which you can soon see the bell tower of the church of Verneuil.

The painter Maurice de Vlaminck lived here, near Rueil-la-Gadelière, from 1925 until his death in 1958. This year marks the centenary of his arrival in the area. A three-day itinerary already allows you to cross his country from Verneuil-sur-Avre station to La Loupe station. Walkers who are unable to undertake this crossing can take one or more of the short circulars "In the footsteps of a Fauve". These allow you to discover the landscapes that inspired the painter."I love the countryside, not by accident, but continuously, and I spend my life there" This route, around the village of Rohaire, mainly crosses farmland. It partly follows the Buternay stream, coming from the ponds near the Chapelle de Réveillon and heading towards Rueil-la-Gadelière. After a stretch that is sometimes underground, it reappears at the Sources de la Vigne, where the streams from the vicinity of La Ferté-Vidame converge. Their waters are collected there and piped to Paris.

A forest hike starting from the Perche Water Park in Fontaine-Simon. The path leads into the Senonches State Forest after following the edge of the lake. A picturesque trail along the old railway line, a long forest line and then a path that descends into the Tourbière des Froux lead to this protected natural site, home to rare plant and animal species. Passing through hamlets and ponds, you return to La Ferrière, the site of former iron ore mining.

There is so little relief in the Senonches Forest! So, with a lot of imagination and a little humour, let's have fun transforming this walk through the slight relief caused by a geological fault in the south of the forest into an alpine trail: the 90D!The trail starts, as it should, at the bottom of the "valley", on the banks of the Eure, at the edge of the "lake" of Fontaine-Simon. During the ascent, without ropes or ice axes of course, towards the Fontaine aux Liards at an altitude of 249 m, we will have to cross miniature "torrents", pass through tiny "passes" and follow a ridge path along a "vertiginous ravine"... railway. Then, after a descent into a "deep" valley, you will have to climb the Route de La Ferrière to finally tumble down towards La Billette, where you will begin to see the water ski lift installed on the pond, like a ski lift. If this description doesn't convince you, rest assured that you will at least enjoy a beautiful walk in the forest!

Circular route starting from Fontaine-Simon along quiet paths and small roads through farmland. Pass by the church in Meaucé then the beautiful La Grande Maison farm surrounded by moats still filled with water.

A beautiful hike, mostly in the woods around the Eure valley, starting from the Senonches State Forest and ending at the Boizard locks. Built in 1785 by Louis XIV's engineers, this structure was supposed to be the starting point of an unfinished aqueduct that would have carried water from the Eure to the fountains in the park of the Palace of Versailles. On the way back, discover the Château des Vaux and its gardens.

In the 6th century, Saint Laumer, or Lhomer, was a shepherd before becoming a canon and then bursar of Chartres Cathedral; he retired to the forests of the Perche where he founded two hermitages: he first settled in 558 in these places, later named Beatus Launomarus, then, 12 years later, moved to the banks of the Corbionne near Moutiers-au-Perche.This circular walk takes you around the Belhomert area in the footsteps of the holy man. Passing first by the entrance to the abbey that succeeded the original priory, the route follows the banks of the Eure. It reaches the edge of the Forest of Senonches, where trees were until recently the subject of strange rituals.After overlooking the valley at the edge of the forest, the route passes by the charming Étang de Fontaine-Aubert, a place name which, like Fontaine-Simon or Les Ressuintes, reminds us that many pagan places of worship were established near springs before being Christianised by devout hermits.

This short route starts in the village of Belhomert and takes you to the small lake at Fontaine-Aubert, a pleasant spot for fishing and picnics. The route through the fields offers beautiful views of the Eure valley.