Vancé walks

Situated in the south-west of the Calais plateau, which is cut by steep-sided valleys, the village is divided by watercourses belonging to the Braye basin; the two main ones are the Charmançon and the Tusson. Its origins may date back to the Gallo-Roman period, but its history becomes clearer in the Middle Ages thanks to the discovery of coins. In the early19th century, following significant population growth, Vancé became home to a large number of craftsmen. In 1810, the village was home to thirteen weavers and twelve building tradespeople: four stonemasons, one bricklayer, one carpenter, three joiners, three shingle cutters and numerous other craftsmen catering to everyday needs.

A hike through two valleys. It passes through the hamlet of Saint-Fraimbault and its restored chapel.

Bessé dates back to the Middle Ages. At that time, the parish comprised numerous fiefdoms, including Courtanvaux, a parish seigneury elevated to a marquisate in 1609. The village developed particularly from the18th century onwards thanks to the establishment of pre-industrial sites, as evidenced by the cotton mill set up by Elie Savatier in 1735 (on the site of a former linen weaving mill) or the paper mill established at La Roche in 1824. The latter has since become the town’s main industrial site.

The Braye, celebrated in song by Ronsard, meets the Loir here. Whilst Bessé-sur-Braye is best known to locals for its thriving paper industry, this village in the Calais region is also home to a Renaissance gem, the Château de Courtanvaux, which is said to have hosted Henry IV. Its large wooded park is open to the public all year round, and serves as the starting point for this walk, which also takes you through lovely countryside along a small tarmac road.

The village of Maisoncelles, described as a ‘street village’, has developed linearly along the road linking Bouloire to Tresson and Écorpain, running perpendicular to the Ruisseau de l’Étangsort. Although difficult to date precisely, the imposing Church of Notre-Dame, possibly dating back to the Romanesque period, is undoubtedly the oldest building in the village. You can, however, see typical rural features from theThird Republic, such as the public pump at the foot of the church. Heading towards the cemetery, you will see on the right the old communal washhouse, recently converted to welcome walkers, and further up, a former school recognisable by its two-storey structure and brick window frames.

Bouloire is nestled in the heart of a vast, hilly agricultural region crossed by the Dué and Tortue rivers. Human presence along the ancient road between Le Mans and Orléans is attested to by a coin dating back to the Merovingian period. Its name comes either from a Celtic place name meaning "fortification" or from an etymology meaning "between two coasts ". The town centre is rich in ancient architectural heritage. The Church of Saint-Georges, destroyed by a fire that ravaged the village in 1680, bears the coat of arms of Marshal Guillaume Testu de Balincourt, who enabled its reconstruction. The town's coat of arms is also linked to this figure.

The present-day commune of Coudrecieux consists of the former parish of the same name, which was merged with that of Les Loges in 1808. Their place names reflect the wooded environment of these villages, which are still 50% forest today. Coudrecieux refers to the hazel wood known locally as ‘coudre’, and Les Loges to the light dwellings, made of branches and heather, temporarily occupied by charcoal burners and other forest workers. The Coudrecieux route will allow you to discover the rich architectural and landscape heritage of this commune. This is evidenced by the Manoir de la Cour, the Château des Loges, and the church of Les Loges (with its renowned stone bell tower dating from the year 1000)… These features are highlighted by information panels.

Situated between the Loir and the rock on the hillside, this route allows you to discover a picturesque natural heritage, typical of the Loir Valley and its troglodyte dwellings.

A pleasant little walk through woods and vineyards.

The parish underwent a re-demarcation in 1836: certain farms such as La Bardouillère and houses in the village were part of Volnay. Since then, the south-eastern boundary has been formed by the Ruisseau la Sourice. Under the Ancien Régime, the parish seigneury was annexed to the Château du Coudray, which you will see to the right of the hill as you head towards La Bardouillère. The village still has traditional houses near the church; it has gradually expanded towards the crossing point over the Sourice, where the roads from Surfonds to Bouloire and from Le Breil to Volnay used to meet, later transformed inthe 19th century into the main road from Tuffé to Le Grand-Lucé.

Pleasant walk except at the start. Beautiful valleys and woods.

Nuillé-le-Jalais, first mentioned in the9th century , still has a small Romanesque church. Surprisingly, many of the local place-names refer to birds: La Pie qui Couette, La Grande Oiselerie and Le Chardonneret. The route’s signposting is a nod to this unique feature.

This route owes its name to the shape of its route, which evokes the silhouette of a leprechaun for dreamers. It offers a path between Jalais, a bocage plain on the Soulitré side, and the Huisne valley.

Rated as easy, this hike crosses the Vibraye Forest. To make it a circular route, allow about 3 hours and do not leave the marked trail, which is public. Unlike the forest, which is private, the route is marked with round signs 10 cm in diameter reminiscent of the work of the forge. You are in the Haut Maine region. In the Middle Ages, this region was home to a significant metallurgical industry, made possible by the presence of iron ore, extracted from flint clay and quartz sand, as well as the large quantities of wood needed for the forges. The forest was managed by cutting down coppice wood every 18 years to renew the resource. The dominant species is oak, but the forest also consists of aspens, birches, chestnuts and pines. This pleasant route describes a craft activity through the display boards scattered around the former mining sites.

This circular route allows you to discover a site not far from Le Mans that is rich in natural beauty. Ponds, peat bogs, wet and dry moors, marshy woods... make up a mosaic of landscapes that are home to species that are rare in the region: harriers, hobby falcons, goshawks, purple herons, for the winged creatures; royal fern, marsh hottonia and sundew, for the plant world.

Parigné-Lévêque is a very large and wooded commune: northern pines with sand dunes, chestnut trees and birches in the south. The route allows you to discover the charm of numerous undergrowths, vast moors and ponds. The Narais stream is crossed in several places.

Situated in the Huisne valley, inhabited since prehistoric times, Connerré developed in the Middle Ages around a religious centre comprising the Church of Saint-Symphorien and a priory. The town, enclosed by a wall at the end of the 16th century, opened up at the end of the Ancien Régime thanks to the construction of bridges replacing fords and the expansion of transport links: the construction of the Paris–Nantes royal road around 1780, followed by the opening of a station on the Le Mans–Paris line in 1854. These developments fuelled the economic boom of the 19th century through fairs and markets and the growth of industry. The market town modernised and expanded gradually, then more rapidly from the 1970s onwards. Today, Connerré is an attractive small town, situated halfway between Le Mans and La Ferté-Bernard.

The village of Duneau is located in a dominant position on the left bank of the Huisne, on a route that has been highly sought-after since prehistoric times. The Pierre Fiche menhir and the Pierre Couverte dolmen, dating from the Neolithic period (around 4000 BC), bear witness to this. These are the only visible archaeological remains among many others covering the periods of Antiquity and the Middle Ages.

Hillside route along the riverbanks, on foot or by mountain bike. Some of the hill climbs are a bit steep. Take your time to enjoy the route.