Perche walks

A trail in the heart of the Perche Regional Nature Park, in the Bresolettes Forest Glade Regional Nature Reserve.

A lovely walk in the beautiful Bellême national forest, where you can admire the Étang de la Herse lake and its fountain.

A lovely walk, mostly on good paths, which allows you to visit a magnificent forest, admire a few ponds and pass by some religious buildings. The only difficulty is the length.

Starting from the charming church of Acon, on the border between Normandy and Île-de-France, the route first takes you through the Avre valley and follows the river for a good distance. Then, higher up, it passes through a forest of oak and birch trees with fern undergrowth. This is a relatively short hike, but it can be extended by following another route that starts and ends at the same point.

This hike, known mostly only to locals, is a little gem for a relaxing walk with friends or as a couple. There are lots of animals along the way, including wild animals, but also donkeys, Percheron horses, sheep and goats.

A hike through woods, sunken paths and hills that will introduce you to the Même valley, a panoramic view of Saint-Germain-de-la-Coudre and the church of Gemages. Along the way, you will admire the charming village of L'Hermitière, its castle and its church perched proudly on a hill.

Discover this peaceful village, its countryside and its hedgerows by following its sunken lanes, which offer beautiful panoramic views of the Même valley and the hills of the Perche.

Taking beautiful sunken paths, over hill and dale, you will discover magnificent panoramic views of the Cétonais countryside and be amazed by its diversity: woods, meadows, hedgerows and cultivated fields.

Starting from the 13th-century priory of Sainte-Gauburge, this route leads along sunken paths to the Dolmen de la Pierre Procureuse, the site of several legends, then passes in front of a feudal motte at the Tour du Sablon and several fortified farms, before reaching the Angenardière manor house.

This hike allows you to discover Montmirail, a "small town of character", and its green countryside through woods and sunken paths.

Route in the Châteauneuf-en-Thymerais National Forest

This route, which alternates between sunken lanes, forest paths and flat sections, will take you to the hill overlooking the Huisne Valley to the west. Along the way, several panoramic views allow you to admire the meadows of Avezé, a veritable hay barn that has provided for generations of farmers.

This hike is the fifth stage of an eight-day, 220 km route, the Tour des Collines du Perche. The hike takes a long detour via Autheuil and the Réno-Valdieu forest before heading towards Mortagne-au-Perche, one of the three historic capitals of the former province of Perche.

This is an easy circular loop starting from Longny-au-Perche, which follows a small road and shaded paths.Étang Chiot is not a pond but the name of a stream and a hamlet!

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.

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.

These circular loops will not take you into the bush in search of large predators, but along good paths through woods and fields on the outskirts of the Perche, in this transitional region known as the Thimerais. You will pass through the landscapes that inspired the painter Maurice de Vlaminck, who founded Fauvism in the early 20th century with his friends Derain and Matisse.Having settled in La Tourillère, near Rueil-la-Gadelière, 100 years ago, the artist fell in love with this region, which he tirelessly explored until his death in 1958 in search of places of inspiration.These circular loops starting from neighbouring villages aim to give you a feel for the landscapes "where the wind bends the trees and chases the clouds across a dark sky" that captivated the painter, reminding him of his paternal family's homeland of Flanders.This hike takes you from Rueil to Saint-Martin aux Portes de Verneuil, where the "Fauve" often visited.

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.

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.

The Étang des Panses lake can be seen along a path where it is not uncommon to encounter forest animals. After the forest, you will discover Percheron fruit trees at the Miermaigne conservation orchard; in mid-November, you can take part in the Apple Festival.

This short loop in the Senonches State Forest starts at the Grand Rond, a magnificent star-shaped crossroads of forest paths, and first follows a long forest path that leads to the Rond des Hussards. A path then winds its way between the national forest and private woods. After passing through the Rond de la Rachée, the circuit passes at the foot of the Chêne d'Hérissé, the only tree to survive the 1999 storm in this area. Shortly before the end, the Hêtre du Haut Cornet stands a few metres from the path.

This route offers panoramic views of the Huisne valley on the outskirts of Nogent-le-Rotrou.

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.

The "Terres Douces" countryside reveals a heritage full of charm: the former Priory of Les Châtaigniers and the Manoir de la Guillerie.

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.

Let's go in search of the Blaise, a mischievous little river that hides so well from its source that geographers are perplexed. According to the elders, it originates near the Rond des Louvetiers, between Tardais and the Étang de la Bénette. Recent maps show it near the Grand Rond. In fact, these are "gouttiers", episodic streams that flow towards and cross the Tardais pond. It emerges under the dyke where a mill once operated, but suddenly disappears, sinking into a "chasm". It sometimes reappears. At the edge of the forest, the Ruisseau de Saint-Cyr joins it. Together, the two waterways pass at the foot of Louvilliers-lès-Perche, flowing sometimes on the surface, sometimes underground. The Blaise reappears definitively in the Étang de Dampierre. In the past, it enabled the establishment of a very important steel complex. It then flows towards Dreux, which it crosses, before joining the Eure at Fermaincourt.

Starting from the public garden created by the local council around the Torçay pond on Rue de la Blaise, this short circular route takes you through the beautiful Blaise Valley, passing the recently restored Church of Saint-Ange. It then follows the pond created from a former gravel pit dug in the 1960s, near the Torçay mill. Although highly controversial at the time due to the risk of groundwater pollution, these bodies of water now add to the charm of the valleys in the Drouais region. The numerous mills that line the valley, bearing witness to a very early industrialisation, have now become beautiful private residences, such as the Torçay Mill. The scenic value of the area justified retaining the detour required by the new GRP® route, which has replaced the former GR®351, before heading towards the Châteauneuf forest.

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.

A hike that combines villages, plains and forests. Without any particular difficulties, this hike is suitable even in wet weather. It can also easily be done by bike and with the family.

Starting from Saint-Fraise, a hamlet in the commune of Digny with an enigmatic name, this circular route first takes us across fields in the plain that stretches between the Senonches and Châteauneuf-en-Thymerais state forests. After crossing La Fizilière, it enters the forest, continues to Rond Fortin along a wide avenue and then crosses the somewhat wild Bois des Hauts Cornets forest before returning to the fields via Buisson-Elouis, La Frette and Les Mésangères.

Beautiful views of the hills of Perche and the Vinette Valley. This route follows paths and small roads with little traffic.

Although many birds can be found here despite global warming, parakeets have not yet colonised the site! Discover these ponds, an integral part of the Perche landscape. Although medium-sized (20 hectares), they constitute a wetland of great importance. Starting from the hamlet of Perruchet between the ponds, the route offers beautiful views of the lakes from the small road overlooking the valley. A road, believed to be Roman, the Chemin de Jules César, approaches the Étang de Perruchet. Leave it to go around it to the south. The route then leads to the Touraille farm and returns via Haut Coudray and the heights of the Teillière Pond, where an information board provides a better understanding of these landscapes between Beauce and Perche.

At the edge of the Montécot Forest, this circular route takes you past pretty little farms connected by winding roads. The bridle path on the western edge of the forest offers beautiful views of the countryside towards La Loupe.

This route, starting from the wash house in Saint-Éliph, allows you to discover the two aspects of the countryside around the village. It passes through Auberdière and Grande Cour, then Petite Butte and follows Chemin de César to Touraille through a landscape of meadows and hedgerows typical of the Perche region. It returns to Saint-Eliph along roads and paths on the plain, the first signs of the Beauce region. With many quiet, small tarmac roads, it is recommended as a winter route when the nearby forest paths become difficult.

Don't be fooled by the name of this route: the "town" in question is just a small village attached to Senonches. The nuns and monks left it long ago! This circular route, starting from Ville-aux-Nonains, follows quiet paths and roads and leads to Senonches, a "Petite Cité de Caractère" (Small Town of Character) that is well worth a detailed visit. On the way back, it follows the edge of the national forest. This route also serves as a reminder, through its place names, of the activities that once took place in this other part of the Senonches area, better known for its forest, and evokes activities that have now disappeared: marl pits, tile works, lime kilns, forges and mechanical workshops, which played a major role in the economic development of the commune. These have now been replaced by intensive farming in vast fields reorganised after the consolidation of the old bocage. The hedges have disappeared, with only a few small woods remaining as refuges for game.

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.

Digny is located on the border between Perche and Thimerais. This route through the fields starts at the foot of the bell tower of Saint-Germain Church, built in 1525 and recently beautifully restored. In 2025, a local association organised various events to celebrate the500th anniversary of its construction. The route takes you to the 16th-century Ferme du Romphaye farm and the Château de la Hallière castle, built in 1770. The return journey takes you through the hamlets of La Richardière and Bellandas, allowing you to return quickly to Digny or extend your walk to Mille Champs along paths offering beautiful views of the village.

These circulars will not take you into the bush in search of large predators, but along good paths through woods and fields on the outskirts of the Perche, in this transitional region known as the Thimerais. You will pass through the landscapes that inspired the painter Maurice de Vlaminck, who founded Fauvism at the beginning of the 20th century with his friends Derain and Matisse.Having settled in La Tourillère, near Rueil-la-Gadelière, 100 years ago, the artist fell in love with this region, which he tirelessly explored until his death in 1958 in search of places of inspiration.These circular loops take you through the landscapes "where the wind bends the trees and chases the clouds across a dark sky" that captivated the painter.This route starts in Saint-Lubin de Cravant, where the church inspired the painter. It follows the Meuvette valley, which was once canalised. The Avre Aqueduct crosses the valley on imposing arches. It supplies Paris with drinking water.

Don't worry, no strenuous effort is required to complete this circular around La Loupe, linking the three parishes formerly known as "La Trinité des Bois": La Loupe, Vaupillon and Saint-Eliph. And if your heart races, it can only be from the emotion of remembering the terrible bombing that the town suffered on 17 June 1944. You will pass through woods and fields near the three churches of the former parish. If you want to see them more closely, you will need to make a small detour to reach them. Two of them are often closed and can only be visited on rare occasions. You could also visit the Gros Chêne de Meaucé (the big oak tree of Meaucé). It is a venerable old tree that has many stories to tell before reaching the end of its long life. After walking along the Étang du Gallou (Gallou Pond), you will arrive at the château, where a museum has been set up to commemorate the tragedy of 1944. Be sure to visit it.

This circular loop takes you along the most beautiful paths in the commune, but returns via roads. Don't hesitate to take this route, as the beautiful site of the Saint-Éliph wash house with its picnic area, the pretty hamlet of Vaufermé, the sunken path leading up to La Haisonnière, and the views of the Perruchet and Théllière ponds, a protected bird sanctuary, make for a varied and enjoyable walk.

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!

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. Six circular loops named "Sur les traces d'un Fauve" (In the footsteps of a Fauve) allow you to discover the places that inspired the painter."I liked the countryside: slightly hilly, with endless fields and meadows planted with twisted apple trees. Here and there were copses, woods and farms surrounded by thorny hedges. It was on the edge of the Perche, a region where the plains of Beauce come to an end in a series of undulations, a region that has retained the appearance that the ages have shaped. Nothing modern alters its structure or disturbs the harmony of the landscape." Maurice de Vlaminck.This circular, between Beauce and Thimerais, crosses the agricultural plain near Verneuil, following the Avre valley to Montigny and returning to Rueil-la-Gadelière through fields and copses. You can visit the Château de Montigny (open to visitors by appointment).

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!

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.

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!

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 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 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.

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.

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.