Levaré walks

The Mayenne is a land of pastures where plots of land remain small. There are numerous sunken lanes here, and you are invited to explore several of them. One slight drawback: due to their nature, there is no continuity. Walkers will therefore have to accept walking some distances on tarmac roads.

Unnoticeable to the hiker, this route has a unique feature: the waters encountered in the south feed into the Atlantic basin, whilst those in the north flow towards the English Channel. It does, however, offer the chance to explore a site where woodworking was, for several centuries, the primary industry.

With one foot in Normandy and one in Brittany, this trail offers some truly stunning views. After taking in the panoramic scenery, you’ll wind your way through the shaded paths along the Futaie Valley.

There are only two old mills, no longer in operation, on this route, but it will also allow you to explore the woods and moors of the Gastinais region.

A short hike in the Fougères National Forest, through varied landscapes, culminating in a beautiful megalithic alignment, the Cordon des Druides. Route developed and maintained by the ONF.

The Fougères State Forest is rich in Druidic sites: the Carrefour de la Serpe d’Or, the Cordon des Druides and the remains of the covered walkway at La Pierre Courcoulée. This route invites you to rediscover another aspect of the past, one closer to our own time: the Gate-sel and the Chemin Mélouin, a key route for smuggling in the Middle Ages between Brittany and the Kingdom of France.

The Lac de Haute Mayenne, artificially created by the Saint-Fraimbault dam, will charm you with its rich and varied flora and fauna. But this route will also allow you to discover the confluence of two rivers that feed into the Mayenne: the Varenne and the Colmont.

The Monthault rock is a place where two beliefs coexist: come and discover some Celtic legends which, thanks to the presence of distinctive rocks, have survived the centuries, with the Chapel of Notre-Dame as its neighbour – the final stage of a Way of the Cross through the woods.

All the special features of the town of Fougères unfold before you throughout this urban walk: of course, you will walk around the castle with its 11 towers, but you will also discover it from the panoramic view of the Rocher Coupé or the Jardin Public. Speaking of gardens, the Parc des Orières, the Val Nançon and the Voie Verte are also on the programme. Finally, the upper town with its belfry, theatre and museums will allow you to explore the city centre.

An urban walk offering various panoramic views of Fougères Castle, the belfry, and the churches of Saint-Léonard and Saint-Sulpice.

A short, easy route around the only remaining mine headframe in Brittany, with beautiful views of the region and the town of Fougères.

Fontaine-Daniel, with its picturesque village and beautiful lake, is one of the best-known places in the Mayenne area, but there is only one busy road to get there and the hiking opportunities around it are limited. This route, which can be done by bike or on foot in a day, connects the town to the village via a greenway through the town of Mayenne, then crosses the rolling countryside of Saint-Georges-Buttavent. It also covers a large part of the Salair forest near Fontaine-Daniel. To shorten the route, you can skip Mayenne and start elsewhere to make a loop around Fontaine-Daniel.

This easy hike allows you to discover the Fosse Arthour. It is a geological fault called a cluse, which gives the landscape an exceptional appeal. This cluse forms a narrow, 70-metre-deep gorge carved into a rocky ridge and strewn with large boulders on its sides. The area is ideal for walking and climbing.

Although "Belle Eau" is the name of a hamlet located at the northernmost point of this route, hikers will be amazed from the outset by the water gushing through the rocks in magnificent waterfalls. The route continues along wide paths, often bathed by runoff water from the various branches of the Cance, and ends on a high note with the panorama offered at altitude 314, famous not only for its small chapel but also for the battles that took place there in August 1944.

This loop will take you through the countryside of Châtillon-en-Vendelais and Montautour.Can be done on foot or by mountain bike.

A short detour to Rochefort, a charming hamlet on the banks of the Mayenne, is highly recommended to admire the river. You can quench your thirst at La Guinguette before continuing your journey.

Visit Andouillé and its countryside with its gentle hills and cross the Ernée via its stepping stones.

The famousGR® 34, which runs along the entire Breton coastline, also reveals a few inland sites with striking terrain, such as the wooded hills of Montautour and Châtillon-en-Vendelais.

A short route along the sunken paths of the small village of Sacé, passing by the River Mayenne.

This route gives pride of place to the River Mayenne, following its course for over four kilometres. As you travel upstream, you will pass five lock-and-dam complexes, some of which are linked to a small power station.

Discover the countryside around Saint-M'Hervé with this route, which takes you to the east of the village.