No hills or mountains in Montécot

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In fact, here you will only find a few undulations caused by the streams flowing towards the nearby Eure. This small 637-hectare national forest is surrounded by a bridle path and criss-crossed by straight paths. The D103 crosses it from east to west and is not very busy. A high-voltage power line divides the forest. Parallel to the D103, it overlooks a large clearing and is bordered by a well-maintained path. A long north-south lane, formerly part of the GR®35 hiking trail, marks the boundary of the private woods to the west. Finally, the Merise forest road connects the D920 to the D103: closed to cars from Rond de la Félicité to Rond de Diane.
This network of paths allows you to combine numerous circular paths or take shortcuts. Just make sure you don't leave the state-owned forest, which is bordered by an embankment. Private woods are located all around. These woods are rich in game, and large animals are shot there, so it is wise not to venture in on hunting days!

Details

n°85816020
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  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 6.55 mi
  • ◔
    Average duration: 3h 05 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate
  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 105 ft
  • ↘
    Descent: - 105 ft
  • ▲
    Highest point: 791 ft
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 686 ft
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Photos

Riding track starting from the D103 (point 8)
View of the countryside (from point 5 to point 6)
The sign placed very high up (point 3)
The old split oak (point 2)

Description of the walk

Park in the Rond de Diane car park, the first roundabout between La Loupe and Le Favril - picnic table.

No markings

(S/E) From Rond de Diane, take the first path on the left (coming from La Loupe), to the left of the Merise forest road. Follow this path to the first track on the left, turn into this track and reach a path at the next crossroads.

(1) Continue to the right, staying on this private path. Continue straight ahead, pass under the high-voltage line and go to an old split oak tree, turn around to see the split.

(2) Take a path on the right that crosses a hollow and then approaches the edge marked by an embankment. Keep to the left without crossing it. Continue to the entrance of the wide lane on Route de la Villeneuve. Note a plaque placed high up on a tree on the left.

(3) Leave the edge of the forest and follow the lane to the right until you reach Rond de la Félicité, where there are picnic tables.

(4) Cross the tarmac road and continue straight ahead along the lane. Shortly before the end, turn right and join the bridle path. Continue to the junction with a path coming from buildings outside the forest, near a place called La Barrerie.

(5) Follow the bridle path to the right, which stays close to the edge of the forest. It sometimes offers views of the countryside, then crosses a plot where the coppice has been cut down. Walk along a wire fence where the track disappears at its end. Turn right into the lane, walk for about 100 metres and turn left onto a path about 50 metres after a tree stump encroaching on the right-hand side of the lane. Come out under the high-voltage power line near Le Bourbier.

(6) Cross the lane, walk a few metres to the right, then turn left. Cross the ditch via a culvert. Follow the path to the left to rejoin the bridle path. Turn right and follow it straight ahead for a long way until you reach the D103.

(7) About 50 metres before reaching the departmental road, turn right onto a winding, barely visible path (a few fuchsia markings). It stays close to the road and avoids the tarmac. Come out onto the Route de Montireau, where you turn left to reach the Rond de Provence.

(8) Turn right to follow the D103 for about 50 metres, then turn left onto the bridle path marked with a sign with a boot on it. Follow it for about 1 km until you reach the crossroads with a north-south line (sign with a boot).

(9) Turn right for 10 metres and immediately afterwards, take the path on the left. Continue until you reach the stony lane that extends from the Route Forestière du Merise.

(10) Turn right and continue straight ahead until you reach the D103 to return to the starting point (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : mi 0 - alt. 791 ft - Rond de Diane car park
  2. 1 : mi 0.29 - alt. 771 ft - North-south path along the edge (formerly GR®35)
  3. 2 : mi 1.08 - alt. 715 ft - Old split oak tree
  4. 3 : mi 1.89 - alt. 696 ft - Route de la Villeneuve
  5. 4 : mi 2.19 - alt. 702 ft - Rond de la Félicité
  6. 5 : mi 2.71 - alt. 689 ft - Edge of the forest near La Barrerie
  7. 6 : mi 3.54 - alt. 725 ft - High-voltage power line near Le Bourbier
  8. 7 : mi 4.03 - alt. 751 ft - Path near the D103
  9. 8 : mi 4.51 - alt. 761 ft - Rond de Provence
  10. 9 : mi 5.64 - alt. 791 ft - North-South line, sign with boot
  11. 10 : mi 5.91 - alt. 791 ft - End of Route du Merise
  12. S/E : mi 6.55 - alt. 791 ft - Rond de Diane

Notes

Good waterproof footwear is strongly recommended.

Hunting in the Montécot National Forest usually takes place on Mondays. Check the hunting calendar on the Perche Forest Tourist Office website. There is no hunting on Sundays in the national forest. However, please be careful as the forest is surrounded by private woodland.

Those who don't mind walking on tarmac can also reach the D103 after the point (7) and follow it to Rond de Provence (8).

Alternative: it is possible to shorten the route after Rond de Provence (8) by following the D103 for about 100 metres. Then turn right onto the path that runs diagonally between plots 39 and 40 to join the Route Forestière du Merise and return to the starting point at Rond de Diane (S/E) on the left.

Worth a visit

Picnic tables at Rond de Diane.

Senonches, 12 km away : Castle museum on the theme of the forest and its exploitation.
Orée du Bois sensory discovery trail.
Hotel - Restaurants - Lodges - Huttopia holiday village - motorhome parking area. Shops.
Fishing - horse riding.
http://www.lesforetsduperche.fr/culture-et-tourisme/office-de-tourisme/

Manou, 10 km away: the Froux peat bog, a site developed by the Conservatoire des Espaces Naturels Sensibles (Conservatory of Sensitive Natural Areas) for discovering rare and protected plant and animal species.
Château dit de Blanche de Castille.
Auberge du Moulin à vent - Hotel - restaurant - horse riding.
Bar de la Grange open Tuesday to Saturday from 7.30 am https://www.mairie-de-manou.com/bar-de-la-grange.

Fontaine-Simon, 6 kmaway : Perche Water Park - campsite - indoor swimming pool https://www.terresdeperche.fr/pages/parc-aquatique-du-perche water skiing -

In the village: hotel-restaurant - shops.

Digny, 10 kmaway : Nolimit Aventure tree climbing adventure park https://nolimit-aventure.com/digny/

La Loupe, 5 km away: the cellars of history - History of the 1944 bombings https://www.lechateaulaloupe.fr/

SNCF railway station.

Always be cautious and plan ahead when you're outdoors. Visorando and the author of this route cannot be held responsible for any accidents occurring on this route.

The GR® and PR® markings are the intellectual property of the Fédération Française de Randonnée Pédestre.

Downloads
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Reviews and comments

4.7 / 5
Based on 2 reviews
Reliability of the description
5 / 5
Ease of following the route
4 / 5
Route interest
5 / 5
flogonza09
flogonza09

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 06, 2026
Reliability of the description : Not used / Not applicable
Ease of following the route : Not used / Not applicable
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A forest with a wide variety of habitats. A pleasant walk. A chance to immerse yourself in the forest.

Machine-translated

FARGAS Jean-Claude
FARGAS Jean-Claude

Good evening, Mr Rufo
Please accept my apologies, but I believe I may have sent you the same message twice. Whilst I know the local trails well, I am less confident with computers. I live in Senonches and have been hiking in the surrounding area for years. I am happy to provide any information you may need should you wish to return for a walk in the Perche region.
Kind regards

Thank you very much for your kind comment and for the photos you’ve added. The one of the split oak tree with the ray of sunlight piercing through the branches is particularly lovely – well done!

The Montécot Forest, surrounded by private woodland, has remained somewhat wild, which is part of its charm. It is rarely visited by hikers, who tend to stick to the routes published by official bodies.

The GR 35 must have been rerouted and its signposting removed. The section that originally crossed the forest and then the Bois de Champrond from north to south over more than 4 km was, however, one of the most beautiful parts of the route.

An old PR trail coming from St Eliph is no longer officially recognised; it remains very ‘discreetly’ signposted by locals and mainly follows the long avenues. The magnificent bridle path that used to circle the entire forest is now marked only by the signs featuring a riding boot, which fortunately can still be found at the crossroads. Some sections have disappeared as they are no longer used by horse riders. This explains why, due to lack of use, the trail on the ground is less visible in certain areas. Nevertheless, this route, which revives an old PR project that was unfortunately abandoned, allows for a lovely walk without much risk of getting lost, thanks to the old cast-iron plaques placed on the trees at the entrance to the avenues and the plot numbers. A GPS makes navigation even easier.

Enjoy many more lovely walks in the region’s forests.

Machine-translated

FARGAS Jean-Claude
FARGAS Jean-Claude

Thank you very much for your kind comment and for the photos you’ve added. The one of the split oak tree with the sunbeam shining through the branches is particularly lovely – well done!

The Montécot forest, surrounded by private woodland, has remained somewhat untamed, which is part of its charm. It is rarely visited by hikers, who tend to stick to the routes published by official bodies.

The GR 35 has had to be rerouted and its signposting removed. The section that originally crossed the forest and then the Bois de Champrond from north to south over more than 4 km was, however, one of the most beautiful parts of the route.

An old PR trail coming from St Eliph is no longer officially recognised; it remains very ‘discreetly’ signposted by locals and mainly follows the long avenues. The magnificent bridle path that used to circle the entire forest is now marked only by the signs featuring a riding boot, which fortunately can still be found at the crossroads. Some sections have disappeared as they are no longer used by horse riders. This explains why, due to lack of use, the trail on the ground is less visible in certain areas. Nevertheless, this route, which revives an old PR project that was unfortunately abandoned, allows for a lovely walk without much risk of getting lost, thanks to the old cast-iron plaques placed on the trees at the entrance to the avenues and the plot numbers. A GPS makes navigation even easier.

Enjoy many more lovely walks in the region’s forests.

Machine-translated

Sylvain_rando22
Sylvain_rando22

Hello Mr Fargas,
Thank you very much for your message, that’s very kind of you! Your comments are very interesting.
Having recently moved to the Chartres area (I’m originally from the Paris region), I’m making the most of my pre-retirement holidays to go hiking in your area (where the landscapes are far more varied than our vast plains over here!).
I’ve seen that you offer a wide range of walks. I’ll try to join as many as possible!
Thank you once again and I wish you all the best for the future!
Kind regards.
Sylvain RUFO

Machine-translated

FARGAS Jean-Claude
FARGAS Jean-Claude

Thank you very much for your kind comment and for the photos you’ve added. The one of the split oak tree with the sunbeam shining through the branches is particularly lovely – well done!

The Montécot forest, surrounded by private woodland, has remained somewhat untamed, which is part of its charm. It is rarely visited by hikers, who tend to stick to the routes published by official bodies.

The GR 35 has had to be rerouted and its signposting removed. The section that originally crossed the forest and then the Bois de Champrond from north to south over more than 4 km was, however, one of the most beautiful parts of the route.

An old PR trail coming from St Eliph is no longer officially recognised; it remains very ‘discreetly’ signposted by locals and mainly follows the long avenues. The magnificent bridle path that used to circle the entire forest is now marked only by the signs featuring a riding boot, which fortunately can still be found at the crossroads. Some sections have disappeared as they are no longer used by horse riders. This explains why, due to lack of use, the trail on the ground is less visible in certain areas. Nevertheless, this route, which revives an old PR project that was unfortunately abandoned, allows for a lovely walk without much risk of getting lost, thanks to the old cast-iron plaques placed on the trees at the entrance to the avenues and the plot numbers. A GPS makes navigation even easier.

Enjoy many more lovely walks in the region’s forests.

Machine-translated

Sylvain_rando22
Sylvain_rando22

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 29, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

If, like me, you enjoy hiking in the woods on your own (I didn’t meet a soul in three hours!), you’re in for a treat!
Even though the route runs entirely through the forest, the scenery remains varied (especially in the second half, from (4) to (10)).
Mr FARGAS’s directions (to whom I extend my greetings and thanks) are very precise. Nevertheless, I would advise you to check your route using the GPS on the app’s map (especially from (2) to (3) and from (7) to (8)). Indeed, the path isn’t always clearly marked on the ground.
In conclusion, this is a very pleasant hike that I would recommend without hesitation!

Machine-translated

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