Manou, from Chemin du Moulin à Vent to Saint-Pierre de Cernières.

Parking available in the car park opposite the Moulin à Vent inn.

(S) With the Chemin du Moulin à Vent behind you, turn right and follow the D140 to Rond de Condé.

(1) Follow the bridle path to the left and then continue straight ahead. Cross the D319 and then the D20 via the Haut Cornet line and arrive at the Grand Rond forest houses.

(2) Continue on rough terrain, taking the^second road on the right, Route de la Framboisière, until you reach Rond de Sauveloup.

(3) Continue on the^third road on the left, over difficult terrain, until you reach the D941.

(4) Turn right, drive along the Étang de la Benette on your right, then turn left onto the D318. Follow this road, pass the church of La Puisaye and reach the junction with the D146, at no. 2.

(5) Continue right on this road and reach the next junction.

(6) Turn left towards La Brosse (dead end) and follow the yellow and^GR®®35markings. Continue along a path between the fields to the farm at Chêne aux Dames.

(7) Turn left, staying on the^GR®®35access route, and head towards Les Usages, following the main path. At the road (D102.2), turn left and, at the junction with the D102, follow it straight ahead to La Ferté-Vidame. Enter the village via Rue de la Satinerie, turning right, then follow Rue de l'Aqueduc on the left and arrive at a side street at Place du Vieux Marché. Turn right, then left onto Rue du Temple and arrive in front of Saint-Nicolas Church.

(8) Continue along Rue du Temple (^PR®®) and at Les Bruyères, cross Avenue du Général de Gaulle and continue straight ahead. Continue along a track until you reach Rond de la Victoire.

(9) Cross the road and continue straight ahead on Ligne de Montpensier to Rond de Blagny.

(10) Turn right onto Allée de la Chapelle Fortin, walk for about 850 metres and you will find a path on the left (^PR®®) about 50 metres before the road and Rond Saint-Simon.

(11) Follow this path (^PR®®), cross a road (D317.1), leave the woods and reach a small road opposite a house. Turn left, then take the path and continue straight ahead until you reach another road (D317.2) at a place called La Chanvallonerie.
(12) Turn right, cross the bridge over the Buternay, then pass in front of the Réveillon chapel and arrive at a four-way crossroads. Continue straight ahead towards Les Mésangères, pass the locality and join the start of a path on the left at the corner of a copse in the right-hand bend of the road.

(13) Go straight ahead along this dirt track. Enter the department of Orne and continue straight ahead for 1 km, with some difficult sections of track, until you reach a fork at the edge of the woods.

(14) Turn right, then left after a hundred metres and continue straight on until you reach a road (D279). Follow it to the right and you will come to a four-way crossroads at the church in Moussonvilliers.

(15) Turn left onto the D45, then quickly turn right onto Rue de la Pyramide, towards Chenebrun, D279. Pass La Ruauderie, Le Rouilly, the bridge under the N12 and enter the Eure department, reaching Saint-Étienne.

(16) At the crossroads, turn left onto Rue du Verger, D78, for 200 m, then turn right (^GR®®22) and enter Chennebrun. Cross the village and continue straight on until you find a path on the right after the cemetery, at the end of a wall on the right-hand side. Follow this path, ignoring the turnings on the right, until you reach a road at Bois Anjouy. Turn left and continue to the next junction at the end of Rue du Bois des Houx.

(17) Turn right (border between the departments of Eure and Orne). After 2 km, you will re-enter the department of Eure, then 1.5 km later, the department of Orne. Pass through a small valley and at the top of the hill you will reach the junction between the D667 and D293. Continue for about ten metres until you reach the road on the right.

(18) Turn right towards Les Margrains. Pass La Peuvellière and La Guilloterie and join a cross road after Les Jartières.

(19) Turn left, pass under the high-voltage power line and continue straight ahead. In Chandai, at the end of Route de Petiteville, turn right and you will soon reach the D926.

(20) Cross the D926 and immediately afterwards, turn left onto Rue de l'Église. Pass in front of Chandai church and continue right onto Rue des Masselins. Cross the bridge over the Iton and arrive at a four-way crossroads.

(21) Turn right onto Route de Chaise Dieu (D664) and reach the town hall of La Chaise-Dieu-du-Theil via Rue de la Mariette.

(22) At the corner of the town hall, turn left onto Rue de la Bruyère des Dames, cross the railway line and head towards the hamlet of Les Boulais.

(23) After Les Boulais, turn left onto Chemin de la Comerie, pass through the hamlet and, at the three-way junction, turn left onto Chemin des Martins and continue to the crossroads with a war memorial in the centre of the Chéronvilliers cemetery.
(24) Continue straight ahead, then turn right a few metres further on, towards Les Chevaliers. After Chêne Millard, at the pumping station, turn right towards Plessis. Pass La Vieille Chaise Dieu with its water tower, then under the high-voltage power line and arrive at Place de Plessis.

(25) Ignore Rue de Plessis and turn left. Continue straight ahead towards Herponcey, pass under the high-voltage power line again, pass through the village and cross the road (D830) and take the path opposite. In Messey, turn into the^first street on the left, pass the water tower, then turn right. Continue straight ahead until you find a path on the left about 50 metres before a road and a grove of trees.

(26) Turn onto the path on the left and follow it for 600 m, then turn right to join the road (D292). Follow it to the left towards Les Aulnaies.

(27) At the first houses in Les Aulnaies, turn right (^GR®® de Pays Risle-Charentonne) and continue along the path. Cross a wood, pass Le Sommaire stream via the ford or footbridge (made of three concrete posts), follow the path across rough terrain with loose stones and pebbles and a steep incline, then arrive at a crossroad.
(28) Turn left (D657) then take the^second road on the right, before the chapel, towards La Godeterie. Follow this road to the hamlet of L'Allemandière, keeping to the right at the three-way junction, and reach the^first turn-off on the left.

(29) Turn left, go through the Bois des Houssey, under the high-voltage line, and arrive at Bouley Filleul.

(30) Follow the off-road track to the right, pass La Maladrerie (change of department from Orne to Eure). Continue straight ahead, cross the D54 and follow the road opposite. At the D37, Route des Lyres, continue straight ahead towards Bois Maillard and reach the hamlet.

(31) Continue right then left to the small road on the right just before the D114.

(32) Turn right onto the dead-end road, leave Le Vallet on your left and continue straight ahead on the dirt track until you reach the road. Take the^second left, Impasse de la Chéronnerie.

(33) Turn left at the corner of the woods and continue straight ahead until you reach a crossroad (D22).

(34) Turn right, then quickly left onto Route de Marnefer. Pass Le Chesnay, then cross a strip of woodland and you will soon reach a three-way junction.

(35) Turn right and at the next crossroads, first turn left/right to take the path that leads between the fields. Just after the copse, turn left for 100 m then right and join a four-way crossroads at Mesnil-Rousset, at the end of Route de la Vallée Crotte, near the church.

(36) Continue straight ahead on Route de l'Ancienne Mare. At the next crossroads, take the path opposite and join the tarmac road.

(37) Turn right onto Route de la Davière and continue straight ahead until you reach La Nérandière.

(38) Continue straight ahead along the Bois de la Petite Haye. Pass in front of the Château de Gauville, ignore the various roads on either side and arrive at a four-way crossroads (D35).

(39) Head straight ahead, then turn left at the next junction and head towards the church and town hall of Saint-Pierre-de-Cernières (E).

Route completed on Saturday 17 September 2022.

(E) 4 km away, accommodation available in Montreuil l'Argillé, Hôtel de Courteilles, Les Logis, Route André Zalkin
Note: excellent pizzas in Montreuil-l'Argillé at Le D'jequi pizzeria, with remarkably soft dough and generous toppings.

IGN map:
1916SB.La Loupe, Rémalard.
1915SB.Verneuil-sur-Avre,Bourth.
1815SB.L'Aigle, Sainte-Gauburge, Sainte-Colombe.
1814SB.Rugles,La Ferté-Frénel.

Comments on difficulty:
No major technical difficulties (in dry weather). The distance requires careful pacing, and it is important not to add extra kilometres due to route errors.

Comments on commitment:
Wide forest paths, hiking trails and small roads, without encountering anyone. Do not count on assistance in the event of mechanical problems.

Comments on carrying:
Short portage/pushing when crossing the Sommaire stream at La Pinchonnière. A trial specialist might be able to stay on the bike.

Author's comments on the ride:
Stage completed in dry weather, but with an unfavourable north-westerly wind.

Accessibility:
All year round.

Additional information:
The route consists of: urban and road: 64%, greenway and track: 0%, all paths and all rolling terrain: 12%, all terrain: 24%.

Places to visit along the route:
La Ferté-Vidame: House of the Duke of Saint-Simon, Saint Nicholas Church, La Ferté-Vidame Arboretum.
Chapelle de Réveillon: Romanesque, then remodelled in the 12th and 16th centuries. A rare church that has preserved its 16th-century murals.
Cemetery with the tomb of Michel Jobert, former minister under Pompidou and Mitterrand.
Chaise-Dieu-du-Theil: Abbey. The priory is a former monastic establishment of the Order of Fontevraud, consecrated on 2 October 1132. It was put up for sale as national property in 1790. It is now partially destroyed.