Perche Trail - Mamers, la Perriere, Mortagne

The Perche is a beautiful area, with wonderful manor houses, deep forests and green valleys. However, the main towns - Mortagne, Longny, Remelard and Bellême - are generally small and uninteresting apart from a few shop - this is a region to appreciate for its countryside. This day's outing by car will help you discover the Perche countryside and a number of "brocantes" or antique/bric-a-brac shops.

Towns where you can eat en route; Mortagne-au-Perche is a small town in the centre of the Perche, several bars and restaurants but limited tourist appeal. Mamers in the west of the Perche (15 minutes from our B&B) is larger with several bars and restaurants; nearby La Perrière is a village with one shop and a bar, a super bric-a-brac antique shop cum restaurant, no accommodation, but very picturesque and in a lovely location - well worth a visit. Bellême is probably the most 'touristy' town of the Perche and is worth exploring in its own right - about 30 minutes from our Bed and Breakfast.

Leave Ancinnes in the direction of Neufchatel en Saosnois and then turn right on the D311 to Mamers.

Mamers

Although it is not the prettiest of the towns in the area, Mamers has a well preserved Halle (covered market hall) in the market square, and is also the capital of "rillettes sarthoises", the famous speciality of the Sarthe department, a sort of fresh potted pork (delicious on toast).

Market day in Mamers is Monday, probably the best day to visit if you plan a look around the town itself; everything is shut on Tuesday.

In the centre of Mamers turn left down a side street at the traffic lights into rue Charles Grainger where you will find a brocante (second-hand shop) on the right called Pierre Colette; this has a mixture of quality furniture, stuff in need of restoration and bric-a-brac; go through the shop and have a root around in the rear warehouse - if you're lucky, you'll find an enamel salt tin or match tin that would cost 40-50 pounds in UK antique shops (even when rusted through) going for a few euros here. Closed Tuesdays.

Take the D931 in the direction of Mortagne au Perche. After 5 or 6 km turn right in the direction of la Perrière.

La Perrière

This beautiful village is well worth visiting, set on a rocky outcrop over a valley. In the main square, you can pay a visit to the lace-netting museum - the world-famous Alençon lace technique was invented by Madame de la Perrière. You can pause for a snack or a drink at the Relais d'Horbe, a brocante shop-cum-bar, on the main square. The owner, Martin Barray, speaks English. There is another antique shop next door. Go up to the church at the entrance to the village and admire the amazing pan from the rocky outcrop behind it, then walk round the cemetery for more great views. The village is home to several artists and hosts an annual art festival; there is a small sculptor's gallery on the road out of la Perrière.

Leave La Perrière through the forest on the road marked 'Circuit pan' and follow signs to le Gue de la Chaine and Bellême.

Bellême

Bellême has an upper and a lower town - the upper is the old sector, the lower town is newer but worth visiting. At Bellême you will find 3 antique shops and the chocolaterie 'Bataille' - it is heaven for chocaholics.

Leave Bellême taking the D7 south towards La Ferté Bernard. At St Germain de la Coudre turn left on the D107 towards le Theil and left again on the D211 to l'Hermitière. There is an excellent cider farm here where you can see how cider, calvados and pommeau are made, plus a good selection of local produce to buy.

Ecomusée du Perche

Take the D636 and the D277 to Ste Gauberge, near St Cyr la Rosière, where you can visit the Ecomusée du Perche and Priory.

After your visit, leave in the direction of Nocé. Just before Nocé on the side road to Dancé there is a brocante based in the splendid Lormarin Manor.

Manoir de Courboyer

Continue through Nocé on the D9 in the direction of Colonard and you will soon find the Manoir de Courboyer on your right - a spectacular Perche Manor House, open to the public, which houses the "Maison du parc du Perche". There is also a cafeteria-restaurant and a good (if expensive) gift shop here; Percheron draught horses are usually to be seen grazing in the adjoining fields.

Leaving the Manor continue on the D9 to Colonard and turn right towards Rémalard on the D920. After 2km turn left on the tiny D111 to Boissy Maugis. Take the D111 down an avenue of tall trees in the direction of Maison Maugis. Through the trees to your right is a superb fortified farm typical of this region; then shortly you will see one of the most lovely manors of the Perche, "Manoir de la Moussetière" at Maison Maugis (not open to public). Bear right, then at the crossroads turn left in the direction of Monceaux au Perche on the D111. Just outside Monceaux you can visit a very charming garden, the garden of the Manor of Pontgirard.

Longny au Perche

Continue to Longny au Perche where you can visit another antique shop at the end of a street which runs off the main square, with the church on your right. The shop is housed in a lovely watermill (near the fire station). Down a side street on the other side of the square, next to the Mairie, is a street of pretty medieval houses.

Mortagne-au-Perche

From Longny take the pretty road in the direction of Mortagne-au-Perche, capital of 'boudin noir' (black pudding), where you will find three more antique shops in the centre of this little market town. Architecturally the old fort and Hotel Tribunal are worth closer examination - the tourist office has a leaflet describing a short walk around the town.

To return from Mortagne to the Bed & Breakfast either take the N12 towards Alençon - before Alençon you can cut through the forest to Ancinnes via Fresnaye-sur-Chedouet - or, for a more relaxed and picturesque route, take the D9331 to Mamers and return along the D311 to Neufchatel (signposted Alençon) and at Neufchatel turn left to Ancinnes.

If time allows (30 minutes), there is a quirky little museum in Neufchatel near the church (get a key from any of the local shops or the bar!) with an extraordinary collection of clogs and clog-making tableaux. Also a collection of traditional forestry tools.

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