Sainte-Sabine-Sur-Longève: Walking Trails and History

Two named walking trails give your stay in Sainte-Sabine-Sur-Longève some specific points of interest. The Circuit du Chêne and the Circuit de Poché differ in length and stated difficulty; a duration is also given for the Circuit de Poché. Both trails start and end in the school car park behind the town hall.

Walking trails and key details

The Circuit du Chêne is an easy walking trail, 3.0 kilometres long. The Circuit de Poché is a signposted walking trail of the Sentier de Promenade et de Randonnée (PR) type, rated moderate and measuring 10.7 kilometres. A duration of two hours is given for it. The Poché is therefore 7.7 kilometres longer than the Chêne; their difficulty ratings also differ.

The details for the Circuit de Poché describe different aspects: PR refers to the trail type, moderate to the difficulty level, and two hours to the stated duration. This allows you to consider distance, difficulty rating and time as separate planning factors. The shared start and finish point is in the school car park behind the town hall. Trail conditions may change; check them before setting out.

Historic stops on the Circuit du Chêne

The Circuit du Chêne leads to the 11th-century Chapel of Poché and a hemp-drying shed. The route also takes you to the ruins of Vau, the remains of a Gallo-Roman villa. These are considered very well preserved. The named destinations have different historical associations: the chapel dates from the Middle Ages, while the villa remains are Gallo-Roman. The hemp-drying shed adds a building whose name refers to the drying of hemp to the trail’s points of interest.

Landscape and local tradition

The landscape of the commune consists of wooded areas, fields and meadows. The Circuit du Chêne passes through the Bois des Îles, where Roussard sandstone was quarried. This brings together the general rural landscape and a specific wooded section with its history of use. The sandstone quarrying adds another perspective on the history of the local landscape, alongside the chapel and villa ruins.

The communal bread oven is another local feature: it becomes an attraction during a festival. The “bourdons sarthois,” also called Bourdelot, are prepared there. The festival connection is important when planning your trip. If you would like to experience this tradition, check the dates of the relevant festival. These are different considerations for trip planning: the walking trails can be compared by distance and difficulty rating, while for the bread-making tradition, the festival date determines when you can visit the attraction.

Discover more destinations: Yvré-Lʼévêque, Vinay, Ruaudin, Allonnes, Louplande, Bousse, Saint-Corneille, Courgenard

For the regional travel overview: Sarthe.