Saint-Georges-du-Rosay walks

Discover the fortified church of Saint-Georges-du-Rosay and explore the countryside criss-crossed by beautiful sunken paths. The presence of numerous springs means the route remains particularly damp all year round. Sturdy footwear is recommended.

A lovely walk around the village of Dehault, through which the Montreteau flows. A hilly route with some beautiful sunken lanes.

Over hill and dale, following the sunken paths and the Montretaux stream, discover the charming village of Dehault and its landscapes.

The former parish of Saint-Denis-des-Coudrais developed under the influence of the lords of Chéronne, who held the parish seigneury, until the Revolution. Under the Ancien Régime, the village fell under the jurisdiction of the Perche (right bank of the Chéronne) and the Maine (left bank of the Chéronne). Whilst the local economy was primarily agricultural, deposits of very high-quality white clay were exploited from an early stage to supply the nearby pottery workshops, notably those in Tuffé, Bonnétable and Prévelles. This activity ceased in themid-20th century with the closure of the last workshop in Prévelles in 1962. The place names bear witness to this history: Les Caves, la Fosse (now called Les Merisiers), and les Terres Blanches.

Spared by land consolidation, the commune of Bonnétable, best known for its medieval castle and deciduous forest, is much loved by walkers for its typical sunken paths and pleasant wooded countryside.

Set off to explore the hills and valleys of the Saint-Aubin countryside and its varied landscapes: woods, meadows and cultivated fields.

From Terrehault, follow the dirt tracks lined with pollarded trees to the village of Jauzé and its thousand-year-old yew tree.

This route through valleys and bocage will allow you to explore the countryside around Boëssé le Sec. You’ll discover a beautiful avenue of pollarded trees.

Tuffé-Val-de-la-Chéronne is a new commune formed in 2016 from the merger of the communes of Tuffé and Saint-Hilaire-le-Lierru. Inhabited since the Neolithic period, as evidenced by the Grandes Brières dolmen, Tuffé began to develop in the Early Middle Ages with the founding of an abbey around 650. From the Middle Ages to the Revolution, the monastery of Tuffé was also a large seigneurial estate bearing the title of barony; its power sparked emulation and, at times, rivalry with the neighbouring lay lords of Chéronne. At the end of the 19th century, the railway gave the village a new lease of life; it encouraged the establishment of an industrial estate on which the town’s current economic vitality still partly rests.

The route through the countryside around Tuffé takes us to the Château de Chéronne and the church of Saint-Denis-des-Coudrais. The Chéronne, which feeds the Tuffé lake, crosses and recrosses the sunken paths several times. This route is best enjoyed in good weather as the dirt tracks can be quite wet.

The earliest evidence of human settlement in Saint-Célerin is linked to the discovery of ancient coins, including a Gallic stater (1st or2nd century BC) and a Carolingian hoard dating from around 833, the year the locality of Caliniaco (known in French as Chahanay) was first mentioned.

The village of Villaines, situated near the ancient Le Mans–Chartres road, developed in the Middle Ages around the church, on the hillside. You will appreciate its rural charm and the well-preserved architecture of the village houses and the old farmhouses scattered across the countryside. Their materials – terracotta for the tiles and bricks, limestone rubble and lime plaster coloured with local sand – blend beautifully with this scenic setting, offering fine views over the Huisne valley.

This walk, with little variation in elevation and no great difficulty, will allow you to explore the southern part of Torcé. The paths – sometimes tree-lined, sometimes sunny, and very often sandy – will take you to the foothills of the Butte de Montrentin.

Known successively as Ecclesia de Torciaco, then Torcey and Notre Dame de Torcé, the former parish has been called Torcé-en-Vallée since 1926. The documents first mentioning it relate to the construction of the priory and the church. However, it is clear that Torcé’s history predates this, as evidenced by the megalith located at the western entrance to the village, known as the ‘Dolmen de Torcé’ or ‘Palet de Gargantua’. Human occupation may date back to the Middle Neolithic period.

This walk is the eighth and final stage of an eight-day, 220km route, the Tour des Collines du Perche. Setting off from Saint-Germain-de-la-Coudre, you will first pass through the Bois de la Bretèche, situated on a plateau on the left bank of the Huisne, which you will cross at Le Theil. The route, offering plenty of panoramic views, will take you to Nogent-le-Rotrou at the foot of Château Saint-Jean. All that remains then is to walk through the historic districts of Le Pâty.

A lovely walk through the Percheron countryside and the Perche Regional Park. Numerous watercourses flow through this area: the Coudre, the Même, the Coutillonnière and the Jaunet, all of which flow into the Huisnes. The undulating route follows beautiful sunken lanes lined with pollarded trees.