BOUCLE – FICHE N°2 – CIRCUIT DES ORCHIDÉES – BALLON SAINT MARS

Hiking on the paths of Maine Cœur de Sarthe.
Sheet n°2 - Ballon Saint Mars
2 starting points :
- Medieval garden rue de l'Ouest
- Place de l'école rue François Nicolas

Ballon-Saint Mars was created by the merger of the villages of Ballon and Saint-Mars-sous-Ballon in 2016. Just 20 km north of Le Mans, there are numerous footpaths offering panoramic views of the surrounding bocage. Dominating the Orne Saosnoise valley on a rocky spur, the village boasts one of the most impressive keeps in the Sarthe.

Things to see along the way
- The Ballon keep (16th century) and its remarkable gardens;
- The medieval-inspired garden;
- The church of Saint Médard;
- The Pavillon de Lansac, a former hospice, and its chapel;
- The Buttes hillside, a sensitive natural area;
- Paths and panoramas...