Route of the Roche d'Oëtre – Normandy Switzerland on Horseback

Departure: Car park of the Tourist Office of the Hills of Normandy (Site of the Roche d'Oëtre) in Saint-Philbert-sur-Orne. Exit the car park on the right following the D301 while passing in front of the reception building. Turn right towards Bréel (D329). Pass in front of the “Parc Aventure” and turn left towards the path going down to the village “Le Haut Perron”. At the stop sign, turn left on the D301 for 100 meters then turn right. Continue straight ahead. Pass the Calvary and follow the D329 to the right while crossing the village of St-Philbert. Take the 2nd path on the left, continue straight until the church of la Plisse (Water point).

At the church, continue straight. Pass in front of the "Camping de la Rouvre" and walk for 2 km. Take the path in the woods at “Cul de Rouvre” on the left. Fairly steep climb and continue to D43. Turn right, take it for 50 meters, turn right to the D43. Turn right and cross the bridge. While following the D18, you enter the village of Pont des Vers. (Possibility of picnic at the Viaduct car park).

Continue straight and at the height of the viaduct, turn right. Pass under the viaduct. Before the first bridge spanning the arm of water supplying the plant, turn left towards the tarmac path along the contours of the river “Orne”. At the intersection, continue straight for 200 m. Just before the bridge over the “Baize”, take a path on the left. At a fork, turn right and follow this valley for about 1,5 km. Take the main path climbing to the left up to the D128. Follow it for 150 m and enter the village of Rapilly. Take the direction of the church.

Just before the Rapilly church, take the 1st path on the left called Avenue de Détroit. At the end of this path, you can notice a cross. Continue straight then take the paved road on your right. After the bend, take the path to the right (Attention chicane). Continue straight for 1,5 km to the next chicane. You will follow the Boulaire in the middle of a completely preserved territory. In the middle of this course, you will be offered a very slippery downhill slope (get off your horse). Turn right. Then go down to the mill. At the crossroads with a pond, turn left and climb up to the D511. Follow the departmental road to the right (with care!) to the road chicane and cross to the left towards the path.

Before arriving at the car park turn left. Cross the stream (Passage de chicane: section of road heavily degraded by motor vehicles: terrain difficult to access!). At the next intersection, turn left and climb towards a flat path. Continue straight until the D43. Cross it and continue straight for 2 km. Turn right at the first houses (the Iles d'Ouilly), follow the small paved road then continue to the next crossroads. To turn left. Join the village of Ouilly. At the church, turn left then immediately right to the D511. Cross it (with care!) and pass behind the silos, always go straight down to Pont d'Ouilly. In the village, cross the bridge and turn left just after the church. Reach the Base de Plein Air (Base de Plein Air: 2nd departure possible with parking and attachment bars). From the Base de Plein Air car park, turn right and cross the bridge over the Noireau Follow the D25 for 200 m and take the 2nd path on the right. Cross the village of “Losier”. At the intersection of the 4 paths, continue straight. At the next crossroads, take the path to the left. Continue straight until Ménil Hubert sur Orne.

Cross the D25. After the washhouse, turn right. Follow the asphalt for 2 km and in the bend continue straight on the dirt road for 100 m. Then take the path to the left. Go down for 1 km and turn right. Go down to the D301 and take it to the "Stop". Turn left on the road and right towards Roche d'Oëtre. After the bridge, take the path “La Vallée” on the left and continue straight ahead until Roche d'Oëtre.