Mortain walks

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 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.

Route from the bar "l'Autre Café" in Bardet, then return to the bar car park via the village of communal lodges "le Bel Orient".

The route passes along both sides of the Diane valley and offers a view of the canton of Tinchebray from Sainte-Radegonde Chapel.

During this hike, you will discover surprising mining remains: iron mine shafts, calcination furnaces from before and after 1938, and a mining town. The hike begins along a Way of the Cross that will take you to the Calvary of Mont Brûlé. The hike winds through the undergrowth and follows a few sections of road. During your journey, you will discover a castle and an old watermill nestled in a green setting.

In the Bay of Mont Saint-Michel, a hike mostly along the coastal path, along the salt marshes. On either side of the Grouin du Sud, you can enjoy a superb view of Mont Saint-Michel and, from the point itself, the spectacle of the rising tide is impressive. Returning inland, you can visit the beautiful and moving Romanesque chapel of the Priory of Saint-Léonard.

The legend of the Smoking Stone, also known as the Devil's Rock, says that when the Devil is hungry, he makes the stone smoke by baking his cake between the enormous blocks of rock that form a cave. This circular loop will take you from legendary places to sacred sites. It would be the devil's work if you didn't reach the gates of the Domaine de la Foltière, the kingdom of flowers in the Parc Floral de Haute-Bretagne.

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.

This circuit symbolically unites two regions by linking the Moulin de Champ Pinel (Brittany) to the Moulin de Roche Garé (Normandy), as this is where the Tronçon river marks the departmental and therefore regional boundary. You will pass through a variety of landscapes as you walk along a beautiful section of the Bois de Gâtines forest and alongside the Château du Rocher Portail, not forgetting to take the opportunity to discover the village of La-Selle-en-Coglès (the monastery of the North).

Une rabine désignait autrefois un chemin large et bordé d'arbres. Le circuit en emprunte à plusieurs reprises. Il suit également un petit ruisseau et permet d'apercevoir plusieurs châteaux car il emprunte des sentiers communs à une autre randonnée décrite sur le site au départ de Saint-Brice-en-Coglès.

A walk passing through Lénault, St-Jean-le-Blanc, Marsangle and the Notre-Dame-de-Pitié chapel.

In the northern Mayenne countryside, Lassay-les-Châteaux is a small town that is well worth a visit. As you walk along the surrounding paths, a few signposts invite you to follow in the footsteps of Lancelot through meadows, forests and the remains of three castles. An easy walk on well-maintained paths and a few country roads.

Between Sienne and Hambyotte, this route invites you to discover the Normandy countryside via numerous sunken lanes where, in the meadows that line them, Prim'Holstein cows, originally from Holland, mingle with Normande cows, the region's emblematic breed. At the end of the route, Hambye Abbey awaits you with its13th-century chapter house.

This circuit allows you to discover the architectural side of the Coglais region. It offers breathtaking views of the manor houses and châteaux and their estates. It should be remembered that in the Middle Ages, the Seigneury of Saint-Brice was of exceptional importance in the barony of Fougères. Later, in 1794, it was here that the first Chouannerie began, as did the second in 1815.

This picturesque little village, nestled in the heart of the Sienne Valley, will enchant you with its peaceful setting and lush greenery. Its few houses, built from local stone, surround the church. You will notice that the slopes of this valley are covered with beech trees, whose hard, uniform wood is used in carpentry and cabinetmaking, as well as simply for firewood.

Hike around Mont-Pinçon, the highest point in the Calvados department, best known for its radio and television transmitter. Along the way, you will see traces of the Roman presence and discover that, in August 1944, it was also the site of a fierce tank battle during the liberation of France.

The hike is accessible to a wide range of people as there are no difficult sections.

Swiss Normandy: valleys, springs, streams, fir trees, small villages – everything you need to have a great day out and come home tired.

A pleasant hike that allows you to rediscover cornflowers and poppies. A pleasant walk through the forest.

A superb walk to discover the Normandy bocage and the Orne valley. This hike takes in "le pain de sucre", "les rochers de la Houle" and "les rochers des parcs".

This is a fairly easy hike, mostly on country roads with virtually no traffic. Return via the Clécy viaduct and along the Orne. This hike can be done in the morning, with a stop for lunch at one of the open-air cafés along the Orne.

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.

A very pleasant walk through the undergrowth, with the sound of small streams flowing through this magnificent forest. Lots of mushrooms in season.

From Thury-Harcourt to the Chapel of Saint Joseph. On these paths, you will find uphill and downhill undergrowth, theGR®36and the Chapelle Saint-Joseph.

Ouffières welcomes you to a large square beautifully decorated with flowers. You can then set off to discover magnificent stone houses before following the Orne River as it winds its way through the Swiss Normandy.

The Orne valley, upstream from the city of Caen. This circuit invites you to discover both banks of the Orne River north of Thury-Harcourt. Description and route slightly out of date in places, see reviews for alternatives

A very pleasant walk in the forest of Saint-Aubin-du-Cormier with a return to the pond. Walkers can continue their visit to this small town by pushing on to the ruins of the dismantled castle.

If you're passing by on the Greenway, it's well worth a detour.