Tostes: Église Sainte-Anne and cycling routes in the Forêt de Bord

For a stay in Tostes, two distinct themes can help you find your bearings: the architectural history of the Église Sainte-Anne and the mountain bike circuit through the Forêt de Bord-Louviers, which heads towards Tostes. The third edition of “Terres de Bord à Vélo” also started in Tostes in 2024. The church, circuit and event have different geographical and temporal contexts.

Église Sainte-Anne: architectural form and history

The Église Sainte-Anne has an elongated floor plan with a single nave and a polygonal-ended choir. “Nave” refers to the elongated main space; “polygonal” describes the choir’s end, which is formed from several sides. The floor plan therefore has two distinct parts: the lengthwise space and the multi-sided end. The altarpieces of the two side altars in the Église Sainte-Anne are classified as objects PM27001655.

The original chapel was built in the 14th century and converted into a parish church in 1687. The Église Sainte-Anne was altered in the third quarter of the 18th century. This sequence distinguishes three historical stages: the construction of the chapel, its conversion into a parish church and the later structural alteration.

Cycling routes in the Forêt de Bord

The “Circuit de la Sente aux Moines” mountain bike circuit is 30.15 km long and runs along tracks and paths through the Forêt de Bord-Louviers. The route described heads through Incarville and then towards Tostes; its features include forest landscapes and almost 400 metres of elevation gain. The start and finish are at the Sente aux Moines forest lodge in Montaure. The direction towards Tostes and the starting point in Montaure are therefore two different points of reference.

The details are useful for different aspects of planning: 30.15 km gives the route’s length, while the tracks and paths and almost 400 metres of elevation gain describe its terrain and ascent. This lets you consider distance and elevation profile separately when deciding on your ride. As route details can change due to local path changes, check the current route before setting off.

The Forêt domaniale de Bord-Louviers is located in several municipalities, including Terres de Bord. The forest management period runs from 2023 to 2042.

Putting cycling routes and event programmes in context

The third edition of “Terres de Bord à Vélo” took place on May 12, 2024, and started at the community hall in Tostes. The programme at the time included two mountain bike circuits in the Forêt de Bord, ranging from 9 to 16 km in length. It also featured two road cycling routes of 8 to 16 km, intended to help participants discover their own village and neighbouring villages.

By comparison, at 30.15 km, the Circuit de la Sente aux Moines is the longer route described; its roughly 400 metres of elevation gain also give it a different profile from the shorter distances on the event programme. If you are using the 2024 edition as a guide, check the date and route programme in advance for a future event.

Discover more destinations

Discover more destinations: Fleury Sur Andelle, Sainte-Colombe-près-Vernon, Vesly, La Haye-Du-Theil, Saussay-La-Campagne, Verneusses, Breuilpont, Bosnormand.

For the main travel overview: Eure.