Saint-Aubin-De-Bonneval: Hiking, Art and Architectural History

Saint-Aubin-de-Bonneval can be explored through a range of interests: a long circular hike, architectural history, contemporary art and agricultural products. These themes are easy to distinguish when planning a trip. The route is 24 kilometres long; Château de Bonneval and the church of Saint-Aubin represent different architectural features. Les Arts Improvisés adds a cultural dimension, while Ferme de Bonneval offers a connection to agriculture.

Hiking: 24 kilometres as a focus in its own right

The “L'église millénaire et la Croix au Chat” hiking trail is a 24-kilometre circular walking route that leads to the cemetery of Saint-Aubin-de-Bonneval. The circular format and the distance answer two different planning questions: the loop returns to the starting point, while the distance indicates the scale of the hiking objective. At 24 kilometres, the trail is a focus in its own right when planning a trip, not a short detour. If you include it, you can set aside an appropriate amount of time in your day’s itinerary.

Art and architectural history

Les Arts Improvisés brings together artists from several continents to create contemporary works. Camel Zekri and Dominique Chevaucher founded the association in 1993; in Saint-Aubin-de-Bonneval, it runs an artist residency programme. Specific programmes may vary. Its founding year, international collaboration and residency work link the association’s history with its artistic activity in the area. This offers culture-focused travellers a distinct way to explore the area, alongside hiking and architectural history.

At Château de Bonneval, different materials and construction methods come together: brick, stone infill, timber framing and earth. To understand the architecture, it is useful to distinguish the terms: brick and earth are building materials, stone infill refers to stone within a frame, and timber framing describes a construction method using a wooden framework. This means the château can be viewed in terms of more than just one building material. The former farmhouse dwelling at Château de Bonneval is thought to be a remnant of the manor house that preceded the château and appears to date from the 16th century. The reference to the manor house concerns the château’s possible earlier history; the dating relates to the former dwelling. Together, these architectural details point to two time periods: a possible predecessor and a dwelling that appears to date from the 16th century.

The church of Saint-Aubin adds an interior detail to this architectural history: the nave has a boarded vault with a pointed-arch cross-section. The terms describe different features: “boarded” refers to the construction, while “pointed-arch” describes the shape of the cross-section. Thus, the focus at the church is on the shape of the vault, while the materials and structural elements provide an architectural perspective on the château. This makes it possible to compare the buildings through different features.

Agriculture and accommodation

Ferme de Bonneval is an organic, diversified dairy farm in Saint-Aubin-de-Bonneval. The farm shop sells fresh dairy products; pork and beef packs are available to order. There are also artisan-made preserves, including rillettes and other pâtés. For planning purposes, the option to order is especially important: the meat packs are available to order. If you are planning around a particular product, check availability in advance; the selection may change.

As part of rural tourism, Saint-Aubin-de-Bonneval has gîtes and guest rooms for travellers. As availability may change, check the options for your travel dates.

Discover more destinations: Mantilly, Condeau, Champsecret, Saint-Siméon, Tessé-Froulay, Nonant-Le-Pin, Lalacelle, Domfront

For the broader travel overview: Orne.