Sentier des Sources trail in the Orléans Forest

A circular in the Orléans Forest along a pretty path that winds between the trees. You will discover a series of springs converted into fountains and end this walk at the Résistance crossroads, a place steeped in Second World War history. A monument has been erected there in memory of the resistance fighters who died for France.

Details

1009617
Creation:
Last update:
Last review:
  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 7.68 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 2h 20 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Easy

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 40 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 40 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 170 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 139 m

Photos

Description of the walk

To park: From the Carrefour de la Résistance roundabout, follow the Route du Marchais Mignon signposted Ouzouer-sur-Loire, continue for about 100 metres and turn left into a car park in the woods.

(S/E) Leave the car park heading south-east, passing two picnic tables, and join the path, following it until you reach a sharp bend.

(1) Turn left, leaving a less frequented path straight ahead, cross Route de Romeux, and reach Les Trois Frères.
Follow the Sentier des Sources markings, ignoring the red and white markings forthe GR®-3 B. Continue along the path, cross Route du Gué l'Évêque and ignore a poorly marked lane. Continue until you reach the fork in the path, marked by an information sign.

(2) Both paths are marked Sentier des Sources; follow the path on the right marked Sentier des Sources-Carrefour du Signal and with a horizontal yellow line. Pass the large oak tree, cross Route de Corcambon, then join a barely visible lane; follow it to the left for twenty-five metres and turn right through the pine forest.
At the end of the pine forest, turn left, follow Route de la Fontaine le Roy for 25 metres and cross it. A little further on, cross Route du Signal and continue along the slightly uphill path. Cross Route de la Fontenelle and continue to Carrefour du Signal.

(3) At Carrefour du Signal, follow Route des Nonnains to the right for about fifteen metres, then turn left following the sign for Sentier des sources. The path winds downhill through the forest.
Pass the Chêne du Haut du Turc oak tree, join Route du Signal and cross it.
Reach the Étang du Bas and walk along its left side. Follow the ditch, pass the Chêne des Nonnains, cross a faint path and continue to the Étang du Haut.
Turn left to the Fontaine de l'Abbaye

(4). Return to the crossroads. Continue along the dyke, crossing a wide ditch that has been partially filled in to make it easier to cross.
Pass the Chêne du Pauvre Mort oak tree and cross the Route du Pauvre Mort road. Cut across a grassy path to reach the Fontaine le Roy fountain. Cross the Route de la Fontaine le Roy road and continue to the Fontaine la Reine fountain.
Cross the Route de la Fontenelle and reach the Fontaine aux Biches. Continue until the paths separate.

(5) Follow the path on the right marked Sentier des Sources-Carrefour de la Résistance and the yellow markings.
Cross Route du Gué l'Évêque, then a grassy lane a little further on, and finally Route de Corcambon.

(6) Pass the Fontaine de Saint-Hubert. Continue along the path until you reach Route du Viverot. Turn right and continue to Carrefour de la Résistance.
Follow the path on the left between Route de Romeux and Route du Marchais Mignon to reach the car park (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 145 m - Parking is available near the Carrefour de la Résistance.
  2. 1 : km 0.27 - alt. 142 m - Turn left at the right-angle corner.
  3. 2 : km 1.63 - alt. 147 m - Right-hand path
  4. 3 : km 3.56 - alt. 168 m - Carrefour du Signal
  5. 4 : km 4.68 - alt. 146 m - Abbey Fountain
  6. 5 : km 5.79 - alt. 164 m - Path on the right after the Fontaine aux Biches
  7. 6 : km 6.83 - alt. 155 m - Fountain of Saint-Hubert
  8. S/E : km 7.68 - alt. 145 m - Parking is available near the Carrefour de la Résistance.

Notes

Alternative
(2) You can follow the path on the left to complete the small 4.3 km circular.

None of the roads mentioned in the description of this hike are paved roads, but rather wide paths called Routes.

The signage for this circular route is very good; at each intersection, a sign on a post indicates the path in both clockwise and anti-clockwise directions.

There are benches along the route where you can take a break.

You can obtain educational booklets from tourist offices or neighbouring town halls, and numbering on the ground allows you to follow the information as you walk.

The Orléans Forest is the largest state-owned forest in France, covering an area of 35,000 hectares with 1,200 kilometres of paths.

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.

Reviews and comments

4.8 / 5
Based on 9 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.9 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.9 / 5
Route interest
4.7 / 5
RM78
RM78

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Nov 12, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A lovely route, travelled during the week in November, which explains the low number of visitors. The path is quite sandy, so not muddy, and there are some beautiful oak trees to see along the way, as well as springs and ponds. We also encountered hunters on horseback in uniform with hunting horns.

The access road to the Resistance crossroads from Les Bordes has some signs that raise questions. The first sign says "Access reserved for authorised persons". We ignored it, but it might make some people turn back. The second sign says "HUNTING DAY". In fact, there is a smaller note underneath indicating the hunting days. Fortunately, hunting was not open on the day of our hike, but it is on certain days of the week. To check, we called the village hall in Les Bordes, but they were unable to provide this information. Finally, we happened to meet an ONF employee who told us that there was no hunting that day.

Machine-translated

saintjeandelaruelle
saintjeandelaruelle

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 02, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Problem due to the risk of the "Pauvre Mort oak tree" falling. Route changed until 30 September.
At point 3 (Signal crossroads), follow the signs (see arrows), turn left onto Route du Viverot until you reach the Croix aux Tourtes crossroads. Turn right as indicated and take Route de la Fontaine le Roy until you rejoin the route, turning left to reach Fontaine La Reine, etc.

Machine-translated

PAVEL
PAVEL

Hello,
Thank you for your question about this walk, which I was unable to do. The GPS on my phone would have allowed me to reach the starting point, "Carrefour de la Résistance", by taking a 5 km unpaved road through the forest. (in perfect condition) I gave up, having taken advantage of the good weather to come by vintage car (front-wheel drive) from Orléans, and I would have had to make a detour (I came across a forest barrier 4 km from the starting point of the walk). It's a shame; perhaps there is another road? So we ended up driving in a triangle through the roads of the Orléans forest, which was quite pleasant, but more mundane. (It wasn't necessary to drive 50 km to see the same landscape!)
Thank you in advance.
Kind regards
Paul Remontet

Machine-translated

MMIMI
MMIMI

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 16, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A very pleasant walk through the woods, easily accessible for the whole family, but be aware that the longer version may be difficult for young children or elderly people.
What a shame! I didn't see any animals... However, I only came across one jogger and one mountain biker.
This hike is a great way to reconnect with nature, and I highly recommend it.

Machine-translated

Azimut71
Azimut71

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 04, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

I only did the short route. But what a pleasure it was to walk in the woods without having to wade through ruts left by forestry machinery or dodge piles of cut branches! I only came across pedestrians and two cyclists. Such peace... But where are the birds?

Machine-translated

Frank P
Frank P

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 29, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

We had never been to the Forest of Orléans before. It is a very beautiful forest. The roads and paths are in excellent condition and there are regular signposts to show you the way (if you get lost). One of the most beautiful (and also easiest) walks we have ever done!

Machine-translated

Stéphanie R.
Stéphanie R.
• Edited:

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 23, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A pleasant, shaded walk, ideal during a (too) hot summer. The route is really not difficult at all (no elevation gain and the paths are well maintained). It is also well signposted. The fountains themselves (which give the route its theme) are not particularly special, but the forest is very beautiful and peaceful, with some truly remarkable trees.

Machine-translated

LaLDD
LaLDD

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Feb 17, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Very well marked and described. This route is great for discovering the most beautiful oak trees in the forest.

Machine-translated

boucles d'or
boucles d'or

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 22, 2019
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

A very nice outing in the Forest of Orléans. We arrived at the Résistance crossroads, a beautiful spot dedicated to the Resistance fighters of the Second World War. The forest is very peaceful, not very busy and truly magnificent. I really enjoyed the walk. I extended the route by taking a detour to the Gué l'Evêque pond so that the dogs could swim.

Machine-translated

ROMANE 2
ROMANE 2

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 15, 2018
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good

A lovely walk through the woods, best done in warm weather. Some very damp sections to avoid.

Machine-translated

Other walks in the area

For more walks, use our search engine .

The GPS track and description are the property of this route's author. Please do not copy them without permission.