Sarthe: Hiking Trails, Waterways and Heritage

Hiking trails, waterways and a rich heritage lend a trip to Sarthe many different facets. If you’re planning a hotel stay, you can first decide whether you want to focus mainly on hiking, cycling, waterways or cultural attractions. Explore Sarthe’s landscapes and activities on foot, by bike or by boat.

Hiking routes for day trips and multi-day walks

Sarthe’s network includes more than 5,000 kilometres of trails stretching across more than 300 municipalities. It also includes seven long-distance GR hiking trails. This offers different options for planning a walk: alongside trails for individual outings, there are routes with a more clearly defined distance and duration. The GR de Pays des Alpes Mancelles is an 89-kilometre circular route that can be completed in four or five days. If you’re planning a multi-day hike, this combination of distance and duration can help you plan your own schedule. Check the current route before setting out.

Cycling routes and waterways

Cycling also has a place of its own in Sarthe. The Sarthe à vélo network includes 430 kilometres of cycling routes. The Sarthe department highlights Sarthe à Vélo, Vélobuissonnière and Vallée du Loir à vélo as emblematic routes. Vallée du Loir à vélo, also known as V47, is a 320-kilometre route that passes through La Flèche in Sarthe.

Sarthe has 86 kilometres of navigable waterways. Rivières de l’Ouest is a separate, wider waterway area extending over 283 kilometres across Sarthe, Mayenne and Anjou. On the waterways in and around Sarthe, travellers can get around by houseboat, electric day boat or canoe-kayak. In this wider waterway area, towpaths also offer opportunities for walking and cycling. Check in advance which boat options and operators are available for your trip.

Landscapes and special visitor conditions

Sarthe has 20 Espaces Naturels Sensibles (sensitive natural areas). One particular natural site is the Pierrier de la Vallée de Misère: visitors cannot access the scree itself, but a viewpoint overlooks the Pierrier and the valley. This restriction is part of planning your visit; the viewpoint offers a view without providing access to the scree.

Heritage, museums and regional specialities

Sarthe’s heritage includes more than 400 notable sites, including 60 châteaux. In addition, 424 buildings are protected as historic monuments. The Sarthe museum network includes 14 museums.

Food and wine are also part of the region’s character. Pork rillettes are a culinary speciality of Sarthe and part of its heritage. Connerré is considered the capital of Sarthois rillettes. The AOC wines Jasnières and Coteaux-du-Loir are produced in the south of Sarthe.

Getting there and planning your trip

The A11 and A81 motorways connect Sarthe with Paris, Rennes, Angers and Nantes. Check your route and road conditions before setting off. When planning your trip, you can match your journey to the main focus of your stay: perhaps a multi-day hike, a cycling route, time on the water or a chance to explore the heritage. This helps you shape your trip around the experiences that interest you most in Sarthe.

Discover more destinations

Discover more destinations: Jupilles, Le Bailleul, La Chapelle Huon, Marolles Les Braults, Poille Sur Vegre, Rouez, Saint-Pierre-Des-Bois, Savigné-L'evêque, Saint-Georges-De-La-Couée, Château-Du-Loir, Sceaux-Sur-Huisne, Pontvallain, Saint-Mars-Sous-Ballon, Saint-Ulphace, Savigné-Sous-Le-Lude, Solesmes, Saint-Aubin-Des-Coudrais, Tuffé, Dissay-Sous-Courcillon, Bouloire, Parigné-Le-Pôlin, Chahaignes, Courdemanche, Domfront-En-Champagne, Brette-Les-Pins, Valennes, La Chapelle-Aux-Choux, Mézières-Sous-Lavardin, Pirmil, Lhomme, Conlie, Vezot, Saint-Pavace, Vibraye, Coulans-Sur-Gée, Bessé-Sur-Braye, Allonnes, Saint-Michel-De-Chavaignes, Assé-Le-Boisne, Souvigné-Sur-Sarthe, Vouvray-Sur-Loir, Sainte-Sabine-Sur-Longève, Cérans-Foulletourte, Saint-Mars-D'outillé, Cherré, Fercé-Sur-Sarthe, Crosmières, Conflans-Sur-Anille, Beaumont-Pied-De-Boeuf, Arnage, La Flèche, Vivoin, Challes, Oizé, Changé, Mansigné, Sablé-Sur-Sarthe, Saint-Paterne, Neufchâtel-En-Saosnois, Ballon, Cré, Saint-Victeur, La Chapelle-Saint-Aubin, Teloché, La Milesse, Ruillé-en-Champagne, Marigné-Laillé, Cherreau, Bourg-le-Roi, Chemiré-en-Charnie, Chenu, Coulaines, Semur-en-Vallon, Pezé-le-Robert, Montbizot, Moncé-en-Belin, Moulins-le-Carbonnel, Vallon-sur-Gée, Beaumont-sur-Dême, Asnières-sur-Vègre, Chaufour-Notre-Dame, Écommoy, Cures, Montaillé, Bazouges-sur-le-Loir, Cogners, Villeneuve-en-Perseigne, Dureil, Crannes-en-Champagne, Villaines-sous-Lucé, Piacé, Villaines-la-Carelle, Épineu-le-Chevreuil, Rouperroux-le-Coquet, Chemiré-le-Gaudin, La Chartre-Sur-Le-Loir, Maresché, Saint-Jean-du-Bois, Vinay, Précigné, Mamers, Le Lude, La Ferté-Bernard, Thorigné-Sur-Dué, Fresnay-Sur-Sarthe, Montfort-Le-Gesnois, Mulsanne, La Suze-Sur-Sarthe, Ruillé-Sur-Loir, Monhoudou, Chevillé, Saint-Christophe-Du-Jambet, Rouessé-Vassé, Gesnes-Le-Gandelin, La Quinte, Guécélard, Surfonds, Saint-Ouen-De-Mimbré, Saint-Jean-De-La-Motte, Champagné, Notre-Dame-Du-Pé, Ruaudin, Flée, Chantenay-Villedieu, Saint-Saturnin, Bousse, Sillé-Le-Guillaume, Saint-Calais, Avessé, La Bosse, Connerré, Villaines-sous-Malicorne, Saint-Georges-le-Gaultier, Sainte-Osmane, Montreuil-le-Chétif, Saint-Ouen-en-Belin, Brûlon, Loué, Montreuil-Le-Henri, Joué-en-Charnie, La Bazoge, Tresson, Arçonnay, Roézé-sur-Sarthe, Mont-Saint-Jean, Courgains, Tennie, Sargé-lès-le-Mans, Luceau, Thoiré-sur-Dinan, Auvers-le-Hamon, Courcelles-la-Forêt, Louplande, Pruillé-l'Éguillé, Marçon, Crissé, Courgenard, Vion, Rouillon, Vernie, Coudrecieux, Juigné-sur-Sarthe, La Fontaine-Saint-Martin, Saint-Gervais-en-Belin, Poncé-Sur-Le-Loir, Ségrie, Aigné, Maigné, Mareil-Sur-Loir, Lavernat, Bonnétable, Luché-Pringé, Le Tronchet, Yvré-Lʼévêque, Souvigné-Sur-Même, Saint-Calez-En-Saosnois, Saint-Germain-D'arcé, Saint-Pierre-Du-Lorouer, Sillé-Le-Philippe, Saint-Rémy-De-Sillé, Berfay, Cormes, Degré, Nuillé-Le-Jalais, Fontenay-Sur-Vègre, Mézeray, Saint-Corneille, La Bruere Sur Loir, Aubigné-Racan, Thoiré-Sous-Contensor, Saint-Léonard-Des-Bois, Congé-Sur-Orne, Le Mans, Le Grand-Lucé, Malicorne-Sur-Sarthe, Avezé, Vaas, Coulombiers, Beaumont-Sur-Sarthe, Ancinnes.

For the broader travel overview: Pays De La Loire.