BEAULIEU SUR LAYON - SENTIER D'INTERPRETATION RESERVE NATURELLE REGIONALE - SUR LES PAS DU CHANOINE CORILION

The interpretation trail allows you to discover the rich fauna and flora of the Regional Nature Reserve of the Coteaux du Pont Barré, managed by the LPO Anjou. Can be walked only From the car park along the RD160, go down towards the Layon and follow the river (do not cross the RD). Go under the arches of the bridge then go up towards the site of Pont-Barré by the right (a totem sign indicates the entrance of the natural reserve). The grassy path that you take leads you to the foot of an imposing lime kiln, built in 1841, and whose operation is recalled on an information panel. Then begins the ascent of the hillside at the foot of an old quarry and in a steep landscape, worthy of a medium mountain hike! During your journey, take the time to observe the Stipe pennée, a grass of southern affinity that is found nowhere else in Maine-et-Loire. Listen to the cicadas singing and follow, in June, the flight of the Ascalaphe, an insect that is half butterfly, half dragonfly. Finally, don't be surprised to come across sheep, they are the "maintenance agents" of these hillsides. The path then bends to the right and leads you through the vineyards and rocky outcrops. As the seasons change, you will have the chance to observe very rare plant species such as the Bohemian tulip, the wood tulip or its cousin the southern tulip. When you reach the top of the hill, take the time to stop and admire the breathtaking view over the Layon valley. Continue your journey through the vineyards and then descend into a wooded valley where you can enjoy the shade in summer. The ancestral dry stone walls, gradually restored, guide you along your way. After crossing a small road, you finish your walk along the Layon and pass by the old house of the foreman of the lime kiln, recently restored.