Tour of the Grand-Mare and Vallon Suisse

Panoramic trail through the woods with beautiful views of Rouen.

Details

3099352
Creation:
Last update:
Last review:
  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 9.55 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 3h 15 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Easy

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 178 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 175 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 142 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 35 m
  • ⚐ Country: France
  • ⚐ District: Rouen (76100|76000)
  • ⚑
    Start/End: N 49.455812° / E 1.133493°
  • ❏
    IGN map(s): Ref. 1911ET
  • Hour-by-hour weather

Description of the walk

Departure from the car park located on Avenue des Quatre Cantons, near the Lycée Grieu.

(S/E) Head east and climb a small steep path.

(1) Join a gravel path and follow it to the left. Climb up to Avenue de la Grande Mare. Cross the avenue carefully at the pedestrian crossing and continue on the path opposite.

(2) After about 50 metres, on the large driveway, turn left to quickly reach Rue Le Verrier and follow it to the right. Cross Rue Rameau and take the driveway slightly to the right, between a small colourful building and a stadium. At the mosque, turn right.

(3) At the fork after about 150 metres, take the path downhill to the left. Stay on this wide path, which circles Grand-Mare through the undergrowth for 2.2 kilometres (ignore all the side paths).

(4) At another fork, take the path going up to the right. Take a footbridge overlooking the access road to Grand-Mare (Rue François Couperin), then walk alongside a stadium.

(2) Turn left to cross Avenue de la Grand-Mare again at the pedestrian crossing. Go down the gravel path you took on the way there.

(1) After the hairpin bend to the left, stay on the main path (ignore the path on the right that leads down to the car park). At the fork that appears immediately, turn left onto Sentier du Vallon. Continue straight ahead through the undergrowth, heading south then south-west.

(5) When you come out of the woods (meadow), descend by making a hairpin turn to the right. At the next hairpin turn (to the left), turn right towards a tower below. Join Rue du Docteur Paul Helot and follow it to the left.

(6) Turn right into Passage Lecaplain. Continue along the street of the same name. Cross Rue André Raimbourg dit Bourvil on the left and, at the T-junction, turn left onto Rue des Halettes.

(7) After about 150 metres, turn right into a passageway. This leads to Rue Sœur Marie-Ernestine; follow it to the right. Take thefirst right, Rue de Berne.

(8) At the allotment gardens, take a grassy path on the left. Walk along the gardens and, after some steps, turn left uphill. Join Impasse du Triège des Sapins and follow it to the left. Continue along Rue de la Hêtraie. At the crossroads, take thefirst right, Rue Sœur Marie-Ernestine again.

(9) After about 100 metres, at a low brick wall, climb the steps on the right. Reach the path that runs along the cemetery wall and follow it to the right. Walk along the cemetery wall on your left. At the eastern corner, continue straight ahead along a path. You will come to Rue du Docteur André Cauchois. Follow this road to the right for about 300 metres.

(10) Go down the steps on the right. At the bottom, turn left onto Rue de l'Abbé Vacandard. At the end, turn right onto Rue de Lausanne. After about 50 metres, turn left onto Avenue des Quatre Cantons (Résidence Lausanne) and follow it to the car park (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 94 m - Parking: Avenue des Quatre Cantons
  2. 1 : km 0.19 - alt. 111 m - Crossroads of the western circular loop
  3. 2 : km 0.53 - alt. 139 m - Junction of the eastern circular loop
  4. 3 : km 1.12 - alt. 136 m - Fork
  5. 4 : km 3.3 - alt. 106 m - Fork
  6. 5 : km 5.86 - alt. 84 m - Exit the woods.
  7. 6 : km 6.35 - alt. 47 m - Passage Lecaplain
  8. 7 : km 6.73 - alt. 52 m - Passage
  9. 8 : km 7.11 - alt. 62 m - Climb up alongside the gardens.
  10. 9 : km 7.74 - alt. 110 m - Cimetière du Nord
  11. 10 : km 8.86 - alt. 132 m - Stairs
  12. S/E : km 9.54 - alt. 94 m - Parking: Avenue des Quatre Cantons

Notes

Urban hike, but mostly on paths. Can be done all year round (little mud in winter and shade in summer).

From Rouen city centre, take bus line F2 to the Tamarelle stop (terminus).

Reviews and comments

4.7 / 5
Based on 6 reviews

Reliability of the description
5 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.5 / 5
Route interest
4.7 / 5
sandrine.jourdan
sandrine.jourdan

Yes, a very beautiful hike.

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User 28359426

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jan 20, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

I have only recently discovered hiking. This was my very first hike (close to home). I didn't think I would enjoy it so much! It was superb in this winter weather. We had to do a bit of climbing after Storm Goretti uprooted a few trees (which made it quite a bit more difficult). The directions were simple and clear. I'm very happy with my first hike, which has already made me want to wait for the weekend so I can do another one.

Thanks to the contributor.

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sandrine.jourdan
sandrine.jourdan

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : May 19, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Alternating between city (neighbourhood) and forest. I did it twice with two different groups, and everyone enjoyed the route.

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challeannick
challeannick

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Feb 22, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A wonderful discovery and beautiful panoramic views.
Visited on 20/02/2024

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dupressoire
dupressoire

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Nov 10, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Route taken on 09/11/2023 in good weather. We had no trouble finding our way by following the instructions (checking the GPS from time to time, of course). Beautiful views of Rouen and its suburbs. Quite significant elevation changes, but spread out over several hills and stairways, so no major difficulties.
We really enjoyed this route.

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Gou
Gou

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Feb 28, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

Very pleasant and a neighbourhood that seemed more interesting than its reputation...

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GOGO
GOGO
• Edited:

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 29, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

What a wonderful surprise! Having lived in Rouen for 72 years, I never imagined I would be able to go for a ten-kilometre walk in a wooded area in Rouen (not in the suburbs). Remember. When I was a kid, I used to come and play in the Vallon Suisse neighbourhood and I was convinced that rapid urbanisation (particularly La Grand Mare) had "eaten up" all the greenery. Well, no!
I recommend this walk for its proximity (for residents of Rouen and the northern suburbs), its ease, its diversity and its tranquillity. The vast majority of the route takes place in wooded areas, except for the (short) crossing of the Grand Mare and the end of the route in the Grieu/Vallon Suisse neighbourhood. This last part is not uninteresting, as it is a quiet residential neighbourhood, built up with small, simple but smart and well-maintained houses, for the most part.
Thanks to the author who, in addition to the pleasure of the walk, allowed me to bring back memories buried deep in my memory.
Please note: at the end of the path, just after the point (2), you must turn right even though there is a sign for "rue de la Lombardie".

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