Indre-et-Loire walks

The commune of Chenonceaux, famous for its world-renowned château, has many other treasures to offer. This easy hike invites you to discover them. Please note: hikers have informed us that the Chenonceaux bridge over the Cher river is undergoing repairs until 15 June 2019. The walk as described will therefore not be possible during the first quarter of 2019. Please check before setting off.

A pleasant walk through fields, woods and vineyards, discovering the rich heritage of the Touraine region: a church, the ruins of a collegiate church, troglodyte dwellings, wash houses, tuffeau stone houses... and even a "solar farm".

This route through fields and forests will allow you to discover numerous ponds, as well as the Château de Rochefort and the charming hamlet of La Roche Bourdeil.

Discover Monbazon under the gaze of the statue of the Virgin and Child perched on top of the 10th-century keep. The Indre Valley with its mills, castles, fortress and shops. Moderator's warning on 23/09/2020: Please note! Private property issue in (3). See reviews dated 14/09/2020

Between woods and vineyards, this is a fairly short hike that offers beautiful architectural heritage.

The route is fairly hilly, often through woods, around the two Petites Choisilles streams. A passage on the heights offers a pretty view of the village of Nouzilly and its wooded hills.

Discovery of the Cher valley near Chenonceaux. Magnificent view of the Château de Chenonceau from the left bank of the Cher.

In the Lochois region, Chédigny, the "Village of Roses", is the only village to be classified as a "Remarkable Garden". I invite you to discover it from Azay-sur-Indre, a small historic village located at the confluence of the Indre and Indrois rivers. The route passes through varied landscapes: woods, meadows and fields, floodplains, marshy areas and riverbanks.

This beautiful and varied route takes you past a hillside of troglodyte houses, through some of the most beautiful plots of the Chinon vineyards - Le Clos de l'Olive, Le Clos Guillot, Le Chêne Vert, Le Coteau de Noiré - and back through the woods along a small stream that flows into the Vienne.

Forest walk on the outskirts of Ballan-Miré.

From Cinq-Mars-la-Pile to Mazière-de-Touraine, follow a beautiful stream, the Breuil, which flows through beautiful meadows and feeds numerous ponds.

A walk to discover the architectural heritage of Tours. Must-see sites, but also pretty, discreet places that I have discovered over the years.

I invite you to discover a remarkable village in Touraine, Villaines-les-Rochers, the village of basket makers. A varied itinerary takes you through the hamlets of the village, rich in troglodyte houses where many active basket makers live, the Château du Petit Boulay and the surrounding countryside, rich in streams and woods.

After crossing the village via a pleasant footpath and then a rather hilly route, you will reach the Nitray needle dam and then return to the starting point along the banks of the Cher.

From Seuilly to Cinais, this walk with its valleys, woods, moors, panoramic views and famous character François Rabelais offers a very varied stroll. Walk in the footsteps of the famous writer.

Walk through forest and fields. Yellow markings (only in one direction, no markings in the opposite direction).

Near Athée-sur-Cher, the banks of the Cher are dotted with beautiful houses of various periods and styles. These châteaux, manor houses and beautiful farms have mostly been converted into lodges, charming hotels or restaurants. We will leave the riverbank three times to discover three small valleys shaped by tiny tributaries of the Cher.

A route in the Azay le Rideau region, in the Chinon forest and then on the heights of the Indre valley. Don't miss: two beautiful residences and the remarkable oak tree at Cheillé church.

A beautiful walk through fields, woods and hamlets. Some very beautiful residences, a few old mills in the Bresme valley and a Roman aqueduct.

A varied route typical of the Cher and Loire regions, passing through farmland, vineyards and forests.

Near the village of Rillé, set off to explore the lake and ride along its shores to admire the superb landscapes, fauna and flora, and why not hop aboard a century-old steam train!

A peaceful walk along the Veude river, then up the hillsides for a panoramic view, before visiting the remarkable Saint-Louis Chapel.

This is an easy hike that allows you to discover the Indre valley from the heights before descending to the banks of the river. You will discover several villages.

From Courçay to Reignac along the banks of the Indre and crossing the Guignardière stream. Discover the mills and fountains as you walk up the Indre to Reignac.

Walk through fields and forests around Saint-Roch. This walk largely follows Saint-Roch footpath no. 1. The alternative route is between point (3) and point (7).

A walk through the village of Vernou-sur-Brenne and the vineyards of the Vouvray AOC. Along the way, there are several information panels about the village and wine growing.

Starting from Parc des Grillets, this pleasant hike across the plateau takes us through fields and forests to the island pond (Mazières). There is a beautiful viewpoint and on the way back, we will take the mill road through the Breuil valley before returning to the plateau and our starting point. Moderator's note added on 16/08/2021: Problem with aggressive dogs and owners at Le Chaslet, even though the path is communal. See comments at the bottom of this page.

A walk through fields and forests, with a few troglodytes along the way.

Discover the Ambroise river, the Amasse, a small tributary of the Loire which flows into the river here and which was developed from 1856 onwards to prevent flooding in the town during heavy rains.

In addition to three beautiful castles, two of which belonged to the Marquis de La Fayette, you will discover a ghost farm, a very old oak tree, a few mills, rocky outcrops, rivers, streams, a spring, a pond and a canal.

This route allows you to discover the beautiful architectural heritage of Chinon, as well as the banks of the Vienne, the Île de Tours, the troglodyte dwellings on the hillsides and a foray into the vineyards that also contribute to the reputation of this charming little town.

A hike through the vineyards on the heights of the Brenne valley.

Hike along the banks of the Cher between countryside and châteaux. The starting point is on the square on the banks of the Cher in Azay-sur-Cher (left bank). The hike is marked in yellow. In the car park, there is an old wash house fed by a spring. Along the route, at Port de Chandon and Écluse de Nitray, there are information panels describing the port's activities.

A short walk, first between fields and then along the Vienne, with two castles and some beautiful farmhouses along the way.

A short walk, mostly in the forest, on the edge of the Parc de Richelieu and alongside the Veude river.

A beautiful hike through the Touraine countryside, where fields alternate with woods, culminating in a pond where many birds nest.

Walk along the banks of the Cher and in the countryside near Tours. Discover the village of Azay-sur-Cher, the Nitray needle dam and Beauvais Castle.

Discover two streams, the Échandon and the Becquet, near where they join the Indre. Along the route, you will see some beautiful houses, a Gallo-Roman bridge and a Bollée windmill.

A walk through peaceful countryside, across meadows, fields and woods.

A pleasant walk through woods and fields, allowing you to discover a few hamlets and a lovely view of the Château de la Chatonnière.

The city of Tours has three trees and a garden classified as remarkable by the A.R.B.R.E.S. association (Arbres Remarquables: Bilan, Recherche, Études et Sauvegarde - Remarkable Trees: Assessment, Research, Studies and Preservation). Discover them on this walk, which will also introduce you to other beautiful trees in Tours and several small and large public gardens. The tram connects the starting and finishing points.

Crissay-Sur-Manse, a charming village listed among "the most beautiful villages in France", invites you to discover its architectural heritage overlooking the peaceful landscapes bordered by the green Manse valley.

Set off on a surprising audio walk, devised by the association "L'Autre Terre Libérée", to discover Luynes through an original story. Discover the town and its surroundings through the unusual story of Louis Rimbault, who founded his "Terre Libérée" school of vegan practices in 1923. Take a stroll through the town, listening to eight sound bubbles that tell you this unusual story!

Discover the small village of Sennevières, nestled in a valley at the edge of the Loches National Forest. A short walk through the Touraine countryside will take you to the former royal forest with its wide forest paths. You can stroll under the canopy of trees, in the shade of hundred-year-old oaks...

The paths of La Chapelle-Blanche-Saint-Martin will take you in the footsteps of the Bishop of Tours, whose name the commune took in 1918. Across fields and through small hamlets, set off in search of a miraculous fountain.

In the heart of a vast wooded area in the countryside of Chambourg-sur-Indre, you can set off on a 100% nature walk, mainly in the shade of the trees. A few steps across fields and through the hamlets of Chambourg will take you into the woods, where you may have the chance to spot a deer or other forest dwellers.

This walk offers a rich and varied overview of the significant historical heritage of Loches and Beaulieu-Lès-Loches, while also providing the opportunity to cross a sensitive natural area (classified as Natura 2000).

In the 15th century, the fortress of Loche symbolised royal power. On the other side of the Indre, the imposing abbey of Beaulieu-lès-Loche reigned over the souls of the people. While the course of the Indre remains peaceful, time has preserved only the magnificent buildings from this era, which you can discover as you walk along the route suggested here.

Before or after your visit to the Château d'Ussé, which is rumoured to have inspired Charles Perrault's 'Sleeping Beauty', I suggest a lovely circular route along the Indre and then the Loire. There is the option of stopping for a bite to eat in Bréhémont. Remarkable views of the château.

Ah, Chenonceaux! Without a doubt my favourite château. Exploring the surrounding area is a real pleasure, with vineyards, peaceful villages and the banks of the Cher. Very peaceful, even if there are a few hills, but it's for a good cause: views that are well worth seeing and seeing again. Hybrid or mountain bikes are recommended. Lunch breaks are available in Chenonceaux, Bléré or Saint-Georges-du-Cher.