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Challans walks
Route des Moulins
Visorando Member
25.50 mi
+135 ft
-144 ft
4 hrs
Moderate
Departure from Challans (Vendée)
Around Challans, this route takes you to explore two mills that are still in operation.
The first section, in the Sallertaine marshes, offers the chance to spot numerous wetland birds.
In the second part, around Châteauneuf, you may spot wildlife in the early morning (roe deer, hares, pheasants, etc.) and, in spring, observe the storks nesting near the abbey on Île Chauvet.
From Sallertaine to the Moulin de Rairé
1.05 mi
+3 ft
-10 ft
0h 30
Easy
Departure from Sallertaine (Vendée)
A pleasant walk through the marshes from Sallertaine to the Moulin de Rairé, the only windmill to have been in continuous operation since 1560.
In the footsteps of Jean Nesmy in Sallertaine
4.87 mi
+36 ft
-36 ft
2h 15
Easy
Departure from Sallertaine (Vendée)
Circular on the steps of Jean Nesmy in Sallertaine and the surrounding area. This walk takes you to the Moulin de Rairé mill.
Route of three villages starting from the Garnache communal forest
4.42 mi
+39 ft
-39 ft
2h 05
Easy
Departure from La Garnache (Vendée)
This walk is suitable in all seasons. Just one thing to bear in mind for the first four hundred metres: avoid the ruts left by farm machinery on the forest track in wet weather.
Marshes, storks and ancient abbey on Île Chauvet
4.17 mi
+3 ft
-3 ft
1h 55
Easy
Departure from Bois-de-Céné (Vendée)
A short walk in the heart of the marsh. Depending on the season, you may see storks, shelducks, ibises and all kinds of wading birds. The walk starts on the cycle path towards Bouin, and after the hamlet of Mon Désir, the return journey is via the stork trail.
The Falleron Valley
4.62 mi
+135 ft
-115 ft
2h 15
Easy
Departure from Saint-Étienne-de-Mer-Morte (Loire-Atlantique)
A peaceful walk awaits you on this route, dotted with typical villages such as La Brosse, La Grivière and L’Épronnière. Winding through the bocage, this route will take you to a beautiful viewpoint overlooking the village of Saint-Étienne de Mer Morte. The path will take you across the little stream known as the Blanchardière, and a ford will allow you to cross the Falleron.
Forest and marshes around Saint-Jean-de-Monts
10.42 mi
+10 ft
-10 ft
1.5 hrs
Easy
Departure from Saint-Jean-de-Monts (Vendée)
A very easy ride to explore the dune forest and Vendée marshes by mountain bike or hybrid bike.
The marsh
5.64 mi
+10 ft
-10 ft
2h 35
Easy
Departure from Machecoul (Loire-Atlantique)
The Breton marsh... a magnificently wild and little-known land for walkers.
This route will take you through its vast expanses, among herons and little egrets!
The croaking of frogs will accompany you in summer and you will be surprised by the transformation of the landscape in winter.
In spring, life is reborn and explodes in this particularly rich aquatic environment.
The Chemin de la Sardine
1.62 mi
+16 ft
-16 ft
0h 45
Easy
Departure from Saint-Gilles-Croix-de-Vie (Vendée)
The sardine, the emblem of the town of Saint-Gilles-Croix-de-Vie, stands out as the first wild fish to have been awarded the prestigious Label Rouge certification.
Discover this seaside town through 14 points of historical and heritage interest centred on the sardine. An original trail, marked on the ground by blue sardines, which you can explore on foot at your own pace.
Walk around Lake Gué Gorand
2.21 mi
+16 ft
-10 ft
1h 00
Easy
Departure from Coëx (Vendée)
Far from the hustle and bustle of the seaside, the peaceful Lac du Gué Gorand is perfect for a lovely stroll along the water's edge. The dam, which was filled in 1990, is used to irrigate 400 hectares of farmland and the Fontenelles golf course.
The Vendée Corniche
6.48 mi
+23 ft
-23 ft
3h 00
Easy
Departure from Saint-Gilles-Croix-de-Vie (Vendée)
Located between Saint-Hilaire-de-Riez and Saint-Gilles-Croix-de-Vie, the Vendée coastline offers hikers and walkers three kilometres of wild rocky coastline.A beautiful hike or walk to enjoy. The small paths, away from cars and bicycles, make this walk a wonderful experience and a treat for young and old alike.
Between the sea and La Vie
3.42 mi
+33 ft
-33 ft
1h 35
Easy
Departure from Saint-Gilles-Croix-de-Vie (Vendée)
This invigorating little tour invites you to discover some of the treasures of Saint-Gilles-Croix-de-Vie, crossed by the mouth of the coastal river La Vie, which flows into the Atlantic Ocean.
La Chaume Abbey
4.62 mi
+20 ft
-20 ft
2h 10
Easy
Departure from Machecoul (Loire-Atlantique)
As you walk, you’ll be treated to a variety of landscapes: market gardens, woodland, sandy paths and grassy tracks, as well as some unusual sites steeped in history. La Chaume Abbey, founded in the 11th century, has had a very turbulent history; the trapezium-shaped Merovingian sarcophagi in the cemetery, carved from La Chaume limestone; and finally, the 19th-century racecourse.
Les Hauts du Treil
5.08 mi
+62 ft
-59 ft
2h 25
Easy
Departure from Machecoul (Loire-Atlantique)
Passing through charming villages and pretty little hamlets, you will also walk alongside the Grand Étang, which has been developed for leisure and fishing, as well as market gardens where lamb's lettuce is grown in such large quantities that Machecoul-Saint-Même is one of the leading producers in Europe.
Gadwall ducks, mallards and swans await you on this hike, which will take you to a beautiful viewpoint overlooking Machecoul-Saint-Même.
Le Jaunay - Saint-Julien-des-Landes - Martinet starting from Coëx
16.96 mi
+236 ft
-246 ft
2 hrs
Moderate
Departure from Coëx (Vendée)
A walk through the countryside south and east of Coëx towards Saint-Julien-des-Landes and Martinet. Of particular interest is the path leading from the Garaud chapel to the D6. There are a few muddy sections from autumn to spring, particularly on this path.
The Fresnay Marsh
4.34 mi
+16 ft
-16 ft
2h 00
Easy
Departure from Fresnay-en-Retz (Loire-Atlantique)
Until the 10th century, the sea bordered the village of Fresnay, then gradually receded, leaving behind a marsh that you can explore on this walk.
Machecoul Forest from Saint-Même-le-Tenu
6.50 mi
+69 ft
-69 ft
3h 05
Easy
Departure from Saint-Même-le-Tenu (Loire-Atlantique)
This hike allows you to discover the Machecoul forest with its characteristic flora and rich forest birdlife, not to mention numerous rare or endangered insects.
The hills above Saint-Cyr-en-Retz
3.84 mi
+79 ft
-79 ft
1h 50
Easy
Departure from Bourgneuf-en-Retz (Loire-Atlantique)
Explore the hedgerow countryside of the Pays de Retz with views over the Breton marshes. Starting from the orientation table, take a walk through the hedgerow countryside and return via the village, where you can discover one of the most beautiful churches in the Loire-Atlantique.
Around Port du Collet
7.82 mi
+10 ft
-10 ft
3h 35
Moderate
Departure from Les Moutiers-en-Retz (Loire-Atlantique)
A seaside walk starting from the small Port du Collet, formed by the estuary of a coastal river between the Loire Atlantique and the Vendée
It first follows a small winding road through the Marais Breton marshes, where you can observe numerous wild birds, including swans, geese, ducks, egrets and other marsh wildlife. It then runs along the coast, between the dunes and the beach, with magnificent views of the island of Noirmoutier, Bourgneuf Bay and its fishing grounds.
The full tour of Lake Jaunay
7.56 mi
+177 ft
-207 ft
3h 40
Easy
Departure from La Chapelle-Hermier (Vendée)
Check out this beautiful trail completes a circuit around "Lac du Jaunay”. It is a quiet and wonderful place for nature lovers.
The Tour du Lac du Jaunay
5.04 mi
+259 ft
-272 ft
2h 35
Moderate
Departure from Saint-Julien-des-Landes (Vendée)
A beautiful hike around Lac du Jaunay, an unmissable destination in the Pays des Achards. It is a preserved and protected natural area covering 114 hectares.
The starting point is at La Baudrière. The route runs along both banks and crosses the dam next to the water plant near La Savarière.