Chêne Arthur dans la Forêt des AndainesThe Forêt des Andaines has inspired the stories of the legends of the knights of the round table, as can be seen at the precious natural site : La Fosse Arthour. King Arthur may have stayed here in a cave known as “the King’s chamber”.
Two routes follow in the footsteps of the Arthurian legends and enable you to discover more: the King Arthur walking route and the tourist trail of Lancelot of the Lake.
This 3½ mile circular walking trail wends its way through the Forêt des Andaines. On this walk you will find the Priory of Saint-Ortaire, Saint Radegund’s spring and three remarkable oak trees named King Arthur, Lancelot and Hippolyte.
The last section of the trail has a nice surprise: the “treasure stone”. This stone, which had been forgotten for decades, is known as a “wishing stone” and is supposed to grant any sincerely held wish!
This tourist route, which has several stops along the way, sets a visual, auditory and artistic scene that plunges visitors into the mediaeval world of the most famous knight of the round table, Sir Lancelot of the Lake.
This 75 mile circular route invites you to explore a land of fairies, hermits and knights. From the Hermitage of Saint Ortaire to Lonlay l’Abbaye, via the mediaeval town of Domfront, the route leads to the ancient refuge of the last wizards in the country before reaching the tombstone of Sir Lancelot of the Lake.
Survivors of the many dangers of life in the undergrowth, the remarkable trees of the forest remain the living witnesses of an age gone by. Three majestic centuries-old oaks old are the jewels of the forest of Bagnoles de l’Orne :
Don’t miss the unusual trees like the Les Pépinières Douglas fir (a collection of 11 trees the tallest of which is 48 m), the La Vièrge oak, the Gué de la Chèvre yew tree, the De la Maure lime tree and the splendid Mont-Gérôme hollies, some of which can reach 15 to 20 metres tall!
