Acon: Neolithic Site and Avre Landscape

For a trip to Acon, the Nécropole dolménique des Prés d’Acon offers a specific archaeological focus. The site lies in the Avre floodplain and dates from the Middle Neolithic. Two walking routes offer different perspectives on the Avre Valley. A Stone Age site and contrasting landscape views thus provide distinct themes to consider when planning your trip.

The Stone Age Site

The visible remains include four large horizontal stone slabs with smaller upright blocks. There are also two isolated groups, each made up of two blocks. These pairs correspond to two more severely damaged monuments. Visitors exploring the site can distinguish the surviving forms by their arrangement: one larger group of slabs and smaller blocks stands alongside two separate pairs. The state of preservation is also part of the site’s character. Its dating to the Middle Neolithic gives the site a clear archaeological context; its visible remains also show how differently the monuments have survived.

The necropolis has been listed as a historic monument since February 24, 1998. It also has special regional significance: a necropolis of this kind is almost unique in the entire Paris Basin. For travelers interested in archaeological monuments, both the stone structures themselves and the site’s broader context are informative. Its protected status, date, and state of preservation each offer different clues for understanding the site’s cultural and historical significance.

Hiking in the Avre Valley

The Avre et Meuvette walking route gives hikers an overview of the GR22, which connects Paris with Mont-Saint-Michel. The route passes through the Avre Valley, fed by its tributary the Meuvette, and crosses wooded slopes to reach wet meadows. The landscape therefore includes distinct features such as the river valley, wooded slopes, and wet meadows. The GR22 adds a broader regional perspective, connecting the two named places, Paris and Mont-Saint-Michel.

The Circuit des Vallées et des Bois takes a different approach, bringing together cultural heritage and nature in the varied landscape of the Avre Valley. On this circular route, the Bois de Breux, Bois du Télégraphe, and Bois des Brouillets surround a section of the Avre Valley. These named woods give a more specific picture of this stretch of the valley. Unlike the Avre et Meuvette route, this one explicitly focuses on the connection between cultural heritage and nature; the GR22 and the changing landscape of valleys, wooded slopes, and wet meadows are key points of reference on the other route.

You can choose between these themes according to your travel interests: the necropolis offers an archaeological focus, with visible stone remains and a nearly unique place in the Paris Basin. The two walking routes provide different insights into the landscape of the Avre Valley. The Avre et Meuvette route highlights the GR22 and changes in the landscape, while the Circuit des Vallées et des Bois brings together cultural heritage and nature. This lets you plan your trip around the subject that interests you most, without treating the two routes as if they were the same.

Discover more destinations: Cormeilles, Saint-Pierre-Du-Val, Champignolles, Asnières, Conches-En-Ouche, Saint-Mards-De-Fresne, Pullay, Appeville-Annebault.

For the regional travel overview: Eure.