The Alpes Mancelles: other Alps are possible

The name intrigues, even amuses. Alps in the Sarthe? A point of vocabulary is in order. The word “Alps” comes from the Celtic alpen, meaning “height” or “peak”. Long before it became associated with the giants of the south-east, the Alps simply referred to a marked relief. And there are Alps just about everywhere in the world, so why deprive yourself?

The Alpes Mancelles belong to the Armorican Massif, one of the oldest massifs in Europe. For millennia, the Sarthe, Maine’s emblematic river, has carved out steep valleys, rocky escarpments and distant ridges in the Armorican sandstone.

These Alps culminate at 416 metres on Mont des Avaloirs, the highest point in western France. Mountaineers may smile, but as soon as you take the first hairpin bends towards Saint-Léonard-des-Bois, you realize that altitude doesn’t define much here. The relief is real – and the name well-deserved.

Trail runners in the Grand Ouest know the secret. In the Alpes Mancelles, you’ll find what you don’t find anywhere else: technical ascents and descents. The trails climb steeply through the undergrowth, follow one another over the ridges and plunge down into damp valleys. If you’re tired of looping around the Bois de Vincennes, you’ve found the perfect spot to get your thighs burning.

The same goes for mountain biking. FFC-marked circuits that go up and down, winding through forests and hillsides. Technical singles for enduro riders, more rolling routes for others. With or without a GoPro, you’re sure to find something to suit you.

Hikers also have plenty to do. Many family loops run along the Sarthe. More athletic itineraries climb to the summits. But you don’t need to have done the GR®20 to earn your place: here, hiking is for everyone. In fact, the GR®36, which links La Manche to the Pyrenees, crosses the massif. To hike a portion of it is already a great day out, as well as the satisfaction of having followed an emblematic itinerary.

There’s much more to the Alpes Mancelles than just trails: canoeing on the Sarthe, rock climbing, river fishing and even paragliding… In the space of a weekend, you can go from a panoramic ridge to a canoe descent, from a technical single to a leisurely stroll through the forest. Or none of the above, and that’s fine too! Whatever the program, the most important thing is to be able to enjoy the fresh air.

At dusk, roe deer and wild boar come out to the edge of the forest. Not one, not two: whole herds of them crossing the clearings. In the Alpes Mancelles, wildlife enjoys a rare luxury: tranquillity. No ski resorts, no ski lifts, no massive tourist flows…

So don’t forget your binoculars: buzzards soar, and so do kites. In quiet corners, black woodpeckers drum. If you’re patient, you might even spot a yellow-bellied sounder or a Miller’s crossover – the famous one. What a change from pigeons! Spotted salamanders live in the streams, a sign that the water has remained pure, and in autumn, the bellowing of the stag echoes through the forests. The massif is classified Natura 2000, and it shows.

Leaving on a Friday evening means arriving for dinner, starting a hike on Saturday morning and making the most of two days without wasting half the weekend on the road. And that changes everything. Nantes and Rennes are only about 2 hours away, Tours, Angers and Caen barely 1h30, watch in hand – with, of course, the option of coming by bus, train (via Alençon or La Hutte Coulombiers station) or bike. And proximity means spontaneity. Favorable weather forecast? We’re off. Disconnect without taking three days off? It’s possible.

The Alpes Mancelles are the mountains within reach. No logistical constraints that kill your desire even before you set off. No race to the summits, no performances to flaunt. 400 metres of ascent is enough to tire the legs – the Bon Air Club team can testify to that! The silence is enough to clear your head. In a single day, you can walk through the woods, spot a fox at the bend in the path, stop off at a café overlooking the valley – where no customer will ask how many kilometers you’ve covered.

In short, you forget everything – except to breathe.