Le Pas-Saint-l'homer lies in the Parc Naturel Régional du Perche and offers several distinct points of interest for a stay: the history of Saint-Laumer church, unusual rock formations and the “Le bras du loup” circular trail. You can shape your visit around culture, scenery or exercise without treating these as a single attraction. When choosing a holiday rental, it is worth first considering which of these interests will be the main focus of your trip.
Saint-Laumer: legend, procession and building history
In the sacristy of Saint-Laumer church is a stone bearing the footprint that, according to legend, Saint Laumer left there. The church is also associated with a procession in his honour, held each year on the Sunday closest to 19 January. The exact calendar date can therefore vary from year to year; if you want to plan your trip around this occasion, check the date for the relevant year.
The building’s history can also be traced through specific changes. Between 1852 and 1854, the nave was extended and raised. In the process, a small spire was replaced by a tall square tower. Flint and “Grisons” stone were carefully laid to build the new tower. Grison, quarried in the commune, connects the church with the local history of raw materials: the stone was used as a building material, including for Saint-Laumer, and was also used as iron ore and supplied to the Moulin Renaud blast furnace in La Madeleine-Bouvet. The church and Grison thus tell of different uses for the same local material.
Watercourses, plateau and distinctive rocks
The landscape also offers specific points of reference. The Le Livier stream crosses Le Pas-Saint-l'homer and drains towards the Seine basin. The Rivière Sèche, by contrast, feeds the Loire basin; downstream, it is called the Donnette. The two watercourses therefore flow in different drainage directions. The area extends across a loess plateau, whose western edge is characterised by flint. Near Bourg Neuf, it reaches an elevation of 231 metres.
Large sandstone conglomerate blocks with siliceous cement are scattered across the northern part of the area. These blocks are called “Perrons”, and many protrude from the ground. Another striking formation is the rock jumble known as “Grosses Pierres”, on a pasture near Bois Moreau. It is the largest concentration of these rocks in the commune. The names help distinguish the formations described: “Perrons” refers to the scattered blocks in the north, while “Grosses Pierres” denotes the particularly large group near Bois Moreau.
On foot: Le bras du loup
The “Le bras du loup” circular trail passes through Le Pas-Saint-l'homer. Its route profile is important when planning: more than 50 per cent of the trail runs on paved roads. If you expect a route that is entirely unpaved, take this into account. As trail conditions can change, check them before setting out. The circular trail offers a different way to include the area in your trip than exploring the church’s history: here, the route and its surface matter, while the church visit focuses on architectural features, legend and the use of Grison.
You can also plan these interests at different times during your stay: the procession takes place on a specific date in January, while the landscape features and the building’s history offer different subjects to explore. If hiking is your main interest, familiarise yourself with the proportion of paved roads on the circular trail; if you are interested in local history, Saint-Laumer and the use of Grison offer specific points of interest. This way, you can choose accommodation based on your own travel interests rather than assuming an unsubstantiated connection between the different places.
Discover more destinations
Discover more destinations: Rânes, Fontenai-Sur-Orne, Saint-Cyr-La-Rosière, Lougé-sur-Maire, Macé, Boëcé, Torchamp, La Chapelle-Montligeon.
For the main travel overview: Orne.
