Circuit de l'eau et des bois

Departure from Place du Champ de Foire, at the foot of the signposted footpaths, at the corner of Rue du Petit Pont and the cemetery. Car parking and caravan park 80 m away. (D/A) Go back up Rue du Petit Pont and into the town center via Rue Camille Lian. Opposite the church, turn slightly left up Rue du Couvent, heading for the tennis court and passing the new cemetery on the left. Follow the well-shaded path. (1) At the ford, leave the Vrille river to your right and continue due north to the tarmac road. (2) Turn left. After approx. 300 m, just after a left-hand path, turn right. Drive along a field, then hedges on either side, until you come to a road. (3) Go straight ahead and take the track opposite. Climb gently to reach the first houses in Les Perriers. (4) At the crossroads, turn right and, on leaving the hamlet, leave the tarmac and go straight ahead on a dirt track. (5) Cross the road and turn right, keeping to the left of the tarmac (the path opposite the finish is private). Go straight ahead, taking care at the junction with the D66. (6) Turn right and keep to the main path leading down to the Étang de Chassin. (7) Cross the road (D955) with care, then climb the track to reach a road (D66). (8) Turn left for approx. 200 m. Leave this road and take the first small dirt and sand track on the left. (9) At the end of this path, the footbridge crosses the marsh and the former millstream of Moulin Cognot. Go up between the buildings. At the junction with the D955, cross carefully and take the track opposite. It leads to La Guénerie, then to Le Crot Veillat (artisan bakery on the left). (10) Turn right onto the track that leads to Crot Maçon. Continue straight ahead, leaving the few paths on your right and left. (11) At the crossroads of five paths, including a fairly wide forest track, choose the forest track by bending slightly to the right (south-west). (12) At the end of this forest road, for the final stretch, turn left. The road is quite shady, forming a beautiful canopy of trees in places, leaving on either side Les Pautrats, Bourg sans Paille and Les Martins. (13) Pass Château de Ratilly on your right. Continue along this asphalt road. (14) In the hamlet of Les Jolivots, at the cross on the left, take the track on the left. Go straight ahead and this will take you back to the starting point (D/A).