Fresne-le-Plan combines countryside walks with architectural heritage spanning several centuries. The easy Les Malières route is 7.5 kilometres long; the church, manor houses and other rural buildings add historic highlights. When planning a stay, the circular route and the different phases of construction provide specific themes around which to organise your days.

Les Malières: a heritage walk

The route is described as an easy 7.5-kilometre walk. It is estimated to take about 1 hour and 45 minutes. Together, the distance, difficulty rating and approximate duration give an indication of the scope of the walk, without making the duration a fixed schedule.

The starting point is the Eglise de Fresne-le-Plan; the trail marker is on the church square. The route then follows the purple markings for loop 14, “De Martainville à Mesnil Raoul”. Check the markings and trail conditions on site before setting out.

Les Malières combines a walk in the countryside with the discovery of local heritage. A cemetery cross dating from the 18th century can be seen along the route. The privately owned Manoir de Fresnay, dating from 1766, is also on the route. The walk thus brings together exercise in a rural setting and individual historic buildings.

The church and rural architectural heritage

The oldest part of the Eglise Saint-Pierre et Saint-Paul dates from the 12th century. It survives in the lower section, with the stone buttresses on which the bell tower rests. The nave and choir were rebuilt between 1760 and 1780. The dates refer to the rebuilding of these two parts, while the buttresses belong to the oldest part of the building.

Le Four à Pain is a separate structure: a fully renovated former 19th-century bread oven near the Gîte Le Pressoir G4062. It features earth and half-timbered construction.

Walkers can also see old manor houses on private property. Their private location is important to bear in mind: these are buildings that can be viewed, not a promise of access to the properties. The hamlets of Fresne-le-Plan have remarkable 17th-century barns that can be seen on a walk. The rural heritage also includes an 18th-century dovecote.

Getting there and your stay

Bus route 512 runs between Rouen and Perriers-sur-Andelle via Fresne-le-Plan and Mesnil-Raoul. If you plan to travel by bus, check the current timetable before your journey, as routes and times can change.

Guests of Ferme des Marronniers have a special opportunity associated with their accommodation: on request, they can visit the owners’ dairy farm in the village and watch the cows being milked and the calves being given milk. This activity is for guests of the property; visits are by request.

Discover more destinations: Avesnes-en-Bray, Le Bourg-Dun, Saumont-La-Poterie, Martin-Église, Tourville-les-Ifs, Préaux, Louvetot, Veulettes-Sur-Mer.

For the wider travel overview: Seine-Maritime.