The “Eaux et forêts” hiking route starts in Beaumont-Pied-De-Boeuf; its length and duration are specified. There is also an architectural history that can be traced through a surviving castle tower and the listings of two historic monuments. When planning your stay, you can make the hike a clearly defined part of your itinerary and consider the area’s architectural history as a second perspective on the commune.
Forest and Circular Route
The “Eaux et forêts” route is a hiking trail classified as a Sentier de Promenade et de Randonnée (PR) and an easy 13.0-kilometre circular route. It passes through the Forêt de Bercé and the Vallée du Muguet. The stated duration of 3 hours and 30 minutes is a guideline: trail conditions and individual walking pace affect the actual time. The easy rating, distance and duration answer different planning questions, allowing you to weigh the difficulty and time commitment separately. Check the route details again before setting out, as route information may change.
The commune includes 489 hectares of the Forêt domaniale de Bercé, equivalent to 20 percent of the commune’s area. This figure describes the proportion of the commune covered by forest, while the circular route offers a specific trail with its own distance and duration. These are two different measures: the forest area within the commune and the planning details for an individual hike.
Architectural History and Historic Monuments
One of the two original towers of the Château de Beaumont-Pied-de-Bœuf survives. Its date can be placed, at least in part, in the second half of the 15th century. The surviving tower is round, built of dressed stone, and has three openings, two of which have mullions.
The Église Notre-Dame was listed in its entirety as a historic monument on July 1, 2015. The listing also includes the high altar, altarpiece and sacristy. The Manoir de la Faverie has an earlier historical context: the estate was a fief dependent on the lordship of Beaumont-Pied-de-Bœuf and was mentioned as a manor farm in 1407. The Faverie’s first seigneurial residence was built in the second half of the 15th century or at the beginning of the 16th century. The Manoir has been listed as a historic monument since January 6, 1926.
The year 1407 refers to the manor farm’s mention in records, not to the construction date of the first seigneurial residence. The two monument listings also refer to different dates: July 1, 2015, for the Église Notre-Dame and January 6, 1926, for the Manoir. Together with the construction period of the first Faverie residence, these dates help distinguish several periods in the area’s history.
A menhir stands south of the hamlet of Le Perray, near the Ire River. Its location is therefore geographically identified by the hamlet and the river.
Local Cuisine
L’Auberge de Beaumont serves seasonal traditional and Italian cuisine, as well as homemade dishes made with fresh, local and seasonal produce. The menu and operating status may change. Check both if you are planning to eat there.
Discover more destinations: Chevillé, Ruaudin, Neufchâtel-En-Saosnois, Courcelles-la-Forêt, Solesmes, Mont-Saint-Jean, Le Lude, Conlie.
For the overview of the wider area: Sarthe.
