In the footsteps of the cloutiers in Saint-Cornier-des-Landes

(S/E) From the Place de l’Église in Saint-Cornier-des-Landes, turn left onto Rue de l’Église, which leads to Rue d’Yvrandes.

(1) Turn right towards Yvrandes, head slightly downhill and pass the Forge du Cloutier, a reminder of the village’s artisanal past. Right next to it is the Maison du Sabotier and its collection of original tools. Continue along this road until you reach the statue of Notre-Dame de la Salette.

(2) Turn right onto the track, which then winds its way through the Normandy countryside and joins the D817; follow this road to the right as far as the hamlet of Les Longs Champs.

(3) Take a sharp left, continue along the sunken lanes, pass the Gué des Planchettes and cross Les Béziers.

(4) Follow the road to the right, which leads to the Croix des Béziers, and turn right towards the D22.

(5) Cross the departmental road carefully and continue along the path opposite, which turns right towards La Coigneterie.

(6) Carry on straight ahead, then turn left onto the D22 for a short distance, taking great care on this stretch.

(7) Leave this road quickly by turning right, then left onto a small, hidden track, where you can spot a stump from a nail-making workshop. Pass through the hamlet of Le Ruet and emerge onto a farm track.

(8) Follow it to the right, pass between two ponds and arrive at the water tower at the entrance to the village. Turn right to reach the Place de l’Église (S/E).

https://www.geocaching.com/map/default.aspx#?ll=48.72343,-0.71939&z=15

1. The Nail Museum (La Forge du Cloutier): Situated on Rue d’Yvrandes, this is the last working forge that bears witness to the living and working conditions of 18th-century nail-makers, with demonstrations of the forging process.

2. The Clog-Maker’s House: Right next to the forge, it houses a collection of original tools and machinery, as well as a film showing the stages involved in making wooden clogs.

3. The Notre-Dame-de-la-Salette Calvary and Oratory: erected by the inhabitants of Saint-Cornier-des-Landes in thanksgiving for having been spared the violent bombardments of the summer of 1944, the Notre-Dame-de-la-Salette Calvary and Oratory is a memorial and religious site deeply rooted in local history. Situated on the outskirts of the village on the road to Yvrandes (D229), this monument pays tribute to the apparition of the Virgin Mary to the shepherds of La Salette in 1846. Even today, the site comes alive every 19 September during a traditional procession in which the faithful walk through the village singing hymns and pausing in prayer before the various shrines.

The official brochure for the route (Saint-Cornier-des-Landes – In the Footsteps of the Cloutiers) can be downloaded directly from the official website of Domfront-Tinchebray Interco.