Country walks

Please click on the headings to see each ramble

The Seine
The Seine, "Squan" in Celtic, meaning tortuous, evoking its snake-like meanders, a serpent encircling many wooded isles under the benevolent gaze of the chalk hills, cloaked in a carpet of green and yellow. The "Circuit des Côtes du Vauvray" (PR 30) invites you to discover the grassy chalk downs typical of hot, dry places, covering the slopes and intoducing orchids and insects typical of the Mediterranean region.


The Eure
The lush borders of the Eure encircled by chalk slopes, occasionally bare, accasionally with scattered broom bushes, has pleasant surprises in store for you. The Eure valley foreshadows its big sister, the Seine valley, which it joins in an ebullient nautical ballet at Pont de l'Arche.
Trails allow exploring this valley and notably the "Sentiers de Val de Reuil" (PR 27) which first leads you to the contemporary town with its characteristic architecture. You then come to Le Vaudreuil with its Ile du Golf, and end your route at Léry, with the old factory on the Ile du Roi and the former lacks. If you are observant, you may even spot an old church converted to a dwelling house.


The Iton
The "mad Iton", the largest tributary of the Eure, is a capricious river, 118 km long, which seems to appear and desappear as the fancy takes it.
If you want to walk along the Iton, the "Sur les Sentiers de l'Iton" (PR 25) will lead you to the Commune of Acquigny, a pleasant village located at the confluence of the Eure and the Iton. Acquigny is known for the park around its chateau, its church, its 17th and 18th century houses and its ancient windmills.
Then at Amfreville sur Iton, you can admire the church and the chateau. Then continue on your way to La Vacherie with its church dominating the valley.


The Bord-Louviers forest
Bordered to the north by the Seine and to the east by the Eure, the Bord-Louviers forest, of surface area 4 568 hectares, is shaped like a horse shoe.
It is well served by a network of trails to tempt walkers. Also, lovers of forest trails can cover the domaine with ease, thanks to the eight signposted trails, from 2 to 12 km in length. On the way, the visitor may encounter red and roe deer, wild boar or smaller animals such as badgers, foxes or squirrels. Those interested in plant life will be delignted by the many species growing in the forest, including primroses, wood violets, wood anemones and orchids.
Finally, there are two botanical trails for discovering the main species which are beech, oak and pine. The Domanial forest also provides more challenging trail with two loops of 15 to 30 kilometres. The inclines suit experienced hikers and are attracting an increasing number of mountain bikers. For horse riders there are 90 km of bridleways.
If you want to become more closely acquainted with the riches of the Bord-Louviers forest, contact the Office National des Forêts (O.N.F.), which organises guided visits in the summer period. The O.N.F. also makes available to the public, a calendar of hunting days. The hunting season is open from the end of september to the end of february.

The Bois du Défends
A Forest Discovery Park, the Bois du Défends, with an area of 18 hectares, is situated on the edge of the Commune of Louviers and on the boundary of the Bord-Louviers forest. This forest domain is called the Bois du "Défends" because the park, enclosed by cob walls, prevented penetration by animals.
It is laid out with three botanical trails which allow viewing more than 38 species, including oak, beech, pine - being the most common - the giant sequoia, and the giant thuya being the most exotic.
There is plenty of flora to delight walkers, such as the primrose, wood anemone and buttercup. Walkers may be even be lucky enough to witness the take off of a jay, kingfisher or buzzard.
One of the routes incorporates an original lime kiln used to transform limestone rock to lime, used as mortar for wall-building.