Loiret walks

Before motorisation, milling was highly developed along the banks of the Essonne. This hike sets out to discover no fewer than five old water mills, whose presence has been documented since the 18th century. The route along the river is full of charm and the numerous reed beds add a touch of natural heritage to this very diverse hike.

A very pleasant getaway in the Sologne region, with a peaceful route through woods dotted with ponds. Avoid days when hunting is in season!

The route goes from pond to pond around the village of Champoulet. There is wildlife to discover.

Ranked among the most beautiful sites in France, explore Montargis through its streets on the water with 131 bridges and footbridges. A gastronomic and lakeside town nicknamed the Venice of Gâtinais.

A very pleasant route, mostly along the banks of the Loire. Good view of the Château de Sully and the Basilica of Saint-Benoit-sur-Loire.

This hike aims to revive memories of a vast, partly forgotten forest that once stretched across the present-day communes of Saint-Cyr-en-Val, Marcilly-en-Villette and Ménestreau-en-Villette. It ends in a riot of colour during the rhododendron flowering season (May to June), when the undergrowth around the Château de Villette is covered with these flowers.

Located in the Saint-Mesmin nature reserve, at the confluence of the Loire and Loiret rivers, the Pointe de Courpain is known for its cool climate and exceptionally diverse wildlife. You will never tire of admiring the mills on the Loiret river as they change with the seasons.

The commune of Ligny-le-Ribault, which has preserved many communal paths, offers this magnificent hike in the Sologne region of ponds, home to deer, roe deer and wild boar.

A circular leading from the Basilica of Cléry-Saint-André, known for its architecture and history, to the enigmatic Butte des Élus, a burial mound dating back to the Iron Age. It is ideal for a family walk in the Val d'Ardoux.

In the heart of the Orléans Forest, the route will take you near the 16th-century Château du Hallier, then to the viewpoint on the Caillettes hill at the highest point of the Orléans Forest: an opportunity to admire the surrounding mountains as far as the eye can see.

From the Combreux lock, discover the Canal d'Orléans and its ponds in a forest where a rich and varied fauna will accompany you and allow you to observe them as you walk along the path. Be early, discreet and attentive to enjoy it. Don't rely on the photos showing the towpath. It has been replaced by a cycle path. The walk loses some of its charm but is still very pleasant.

A walk under the canopy of majestic trees, following the greenway through the grounds of the remarkable Château de Charbonnière and the national forest.

Starting from Ménestreau, a typical village with red brick houses, this route aims to bring back memories of a huge forest with a variety of tree species, in the heart of the Sologne region of ponds.

Starting from Charbonnières Park in the Orléans Forest, also known for its château, the route leads along the banks of the Bionne, a pretty stream with silvery reflections, and to the gates of the Château de Plissay, built in the pure Restoration style.

Circular starting from the lakeside town of Montargis, known as the Venice of Gatinais. The junctions of the Briare, Orléans and Loing canals made it a veritable river crossroads between the Loire and Seine basins until the Orléans canal was decommissioned in 1954. Follow the waterways through the Loing valley, passing rivers, canals and lakes.

A stroll between the Loire and former gravel pits where nature has quietly reclaimed its rights. The water bodies have gradually been colonised by a diverse range of wildlife, making the Bois de l'Île a rich nature reserve. The ruins of the Château de l'Isle, witness to the wrath of the Loire, are sure to amaze you.

The fortress of Yèvre-le-Châtel overlooks the Œuf and Rimarde valleys, rivers that originate in the Forest of Orléans. From Yèvre-le-Châtel, the hike follows paths through the wide green belt that runs alongside each of the three rivers.

On the edge of the Ile-de-France region, this hike from station to station follows the Essonne Valley from south to north. It takes forest paths, quiet minor roads and paths between fields. This route allows you to discover an interesting heritage: mills, churches and castles, as well as a menhir and a polisher that attest to the ancient human occupation of the area.

A circular in the Orléans Forest along a pretty path that winds between the trees. You will discover a series of springs converted into fountains and end this walk at the Résistance crossroads, a place steeped in Second World War history. A monument has been erected there in memory of the resistance fighters who died for France.

This circular will take you along the left bank of the Loire to Châteauneuf-sur-Loire. You will cross the castle grounds and its arboretum. The return to Jargeau is via the right bank. This circular route is known as thePR® des deux ponts (Two BridgesPR® ), modified to include access to the Loire Marine Museum and a stroll through the arboretum and the pretty Rhododendron Avenue.

A discreet beauty that is often overlooked, the Mauves de Meung-sur-Loire branch is nonetheless a curiosity. The hike runs alongside and crosses the riparian forest, a corridor of vegetation consisting mainly of alders, ash trees and poplars. Consisting of three circular loops, the hike offers several possible variations.

It is mainly a forest route that recalls the major development work carried out in Sologne, which began in the second half of the 19th century when marl was extracted and then transported by horse-drawn carts to improve the acidic soil.

A circular route passing by the lakes of Dordives, taking the "Chemin de César" (Caesar's path), then the Gâtinais countryside to end up in Château-Landon, where you can explore its medieval past. The return journey follows the Canal du Loing with the Néronville canal bridge.

This short walk allows you to admire the medieval fortress in all its glory and stroll through the castle grounds and along the dykes that protect the town from the river. Many migratory birds take refuge on the castle's magnificent lake.

A lovely shaded walk where you can discover the mills lining the Loiret river and Lake Saint Pryvé. Several restaurants welcome you on the riverbank.

The hike first follows the towpath of the Canal d'Orléans and then returns to Fay-aux-Loges via the Orléans National Forest. You will enjoy the still waters of the canal and its many reflections, its locks, its wildlife, then the wide forest paths, and finally the stone bell tower of the church as you approach the village. Please note that on 19 February 2023, I was informed that part of the route along the canal is closed for works for an indefinite period (no end date displayed).

A family walk between the Loire and the Canal de la Loire. Alternating between woodland, fields and canal banks. The canal banks and locks welcome us with open arms. We can see barges moored on the banks of the Loire, the bird island with the different species of our region and, if we are there at the right time of year, we will be lucky enough to see them nesting. Sandy beaches welcome us for a short break. And finally, we can enjoy the tranquillity of the canal banks.

The path taken on the way out of the hike, which crosses the Bois du Bignon and then the Bois Brûlé, offers exceptional views due to the slight relief (30m difference in altitude) and undergrowth illuminated by heather, whose purple flowers bloom from late summer to autumn. The dense or sparse vegetation, consisting mainly of deciduous trees, streams and ponds, provides ideal habitats for birds and large wild animals.

A varied route, starting with a winding path along the Cosson, then a forest lane, ending in a maze of narrow streets and then a wooded area with contemporary statues near the Cosson.

The Loiret river conceals a few secrets hidden in the greenery. To see for yourself, simply follow the trail that runs along its left bank at Saint-Hilaire-Saint-Mesmin, upstream from where it meets the Loire.

A pleasant and easy hike offering varied landscapes. We walk along the Loire for over a kilometre before turning away from it to enter the forest, admire the beautiful Château de Chenailles, then return to Saint-Denis-de-l'Hôtel via the ponds.

Well known to the people of Loiret, the charming, shaded walkway of the mills of the Loiret never fails to surprise those who discover it, a place shaped by milling activities that continued for centuries. It is an opportunity to enjoy the calm, cool waters of the river, explore the network of Olivet's narrow streets and appreciate the Donjon and Poutyl parks.

This walk begins at Morchêne Park in Saint-Cyr-en-Val, with its château, tennis courts, pétanque and beach volleyball courts, and fitness trail, then follows the stream of the same name. A tree-lined route, very pleasant for a family walk south of the Orléans conurbation.

A very pretty circular route on the border between Cher and Loiret. Its long paths will take you to the Borne des Quatre Paroisses, the meeting point of the communes of Cerdon-du-Loiret, Brinon-sur-Sauldre, Villemurlin and Isdes. The walk through the forest on the border between Loiret and Cher is worth the detour alone.

This circular route is very representative of the Sologne region, with its forests covered in moss, heather and ferns, its paths that are sometimes wide and straight, sometimes winding, grassy or muddy, its ponds and its brick houses, all of which contribute to its charm.

This first stage runs along the Loire to take you to Briare, a charming little town full of flowers, with its small river port. Please note: this hike can be done either as part of the 3-stage Gien - Cosne-sur-Loire hike, or on its own by taking the train from Briare back to Gien.

A signposted, family-friendly, shaded walk along the Breteau ditches that feed the Briare Canal. This easy route also takes you to the Étang de la Grande Rue lake and its dam. Suitable for pushchairs and bicycles, you can enjoy the cool shade of the undergrowth in summer and a dry path in wet weather.

A hike between the Nibelloise countryside and the Forest of Orléans, passing by the 16th-century Château du Hallier and the Fontaine de Sainte Radegonde. According to legend, the Queen of the Franks struck the ground with her heel and caused a spring with miraculous properties to gush forth.

This hike begins with a crossing of the magnificent Briare Canal Bridge. This crossing is a privilege and if you are there early in the morning, you are sure to experience a range of emotions.It continues along paths that run alongside the canal parallel to the Loire, offering bucolic panoramas.

Alternating between meadows, forests, ponds and farmland, this route presents no difficulties. It begins and ends majestically on the banks of the Loire. This is a shortened version of the former "PR® des Rauches" with 76% of the route on unpaved paths.

A hike offering great contrasts between the open fields of the first part and the wild banks of the Loire in the second part, with its unspoilt natural site known as "Entre les levées". Proposed by the tourist office as part of the Randonnée des Châtaignes (Chestnut Hike), this route was very popular with hikers.

On the edge of the Sologne, this circuit brings together the typical landscapes that make up the charm of this natural region near the Loire: meadows, ponds, forests, interspersed with crops and pretty brick houses. The little river Sange brings it to life and gives it a little relief. Marked in yellow, this route is also signposted in places as "PR® de la Vallée de la Sange - P 11". Despite two sections on the road, 70% of this circuit is on unpaved paths.

Mainly on dirt, sand or gravel paths, this fairly easy circuit takes you through the peaceful and varied landscapes of the Sologne: ponds, forests, hedgerow-enclosed pastures and interspersed crops. At the start and finish, the pretty village of Villemurlin offers a typical Sologne charm with its brick houses and blue ladders, reminders of a time when the attic was accessed from outside. Initially shared with the family path of Villemurlin (the "chouette promenade" or "owl walk"), this route then takes a shortened version of the former "PR® des domaines de chasse et cultures" (hunting grounds and farmland), of which a few signs remain.

This route is called "West of Chilleurs-aux-Bois - Route No. 5". This circuit takes you on a tour of the western part of the commune and its main hamlets, starting from the centre of the village and the Lavau district: La Noue Glaçon, Le Coudray, Le Charme, L'Etang, Marcilly, Olivet, Ronville, Le Moulin de Pierre, La Fosse Aux Morts and Les Sapins. Return to the centre of the village via La Grande Gervaise. You will pass close to the sites of two of the five grain mills that once stood in Chilleur-aux-Bois. In Ronville, you will pass the boundary of the commune of Neuville-aux-Bois. You will walk along the "fosse aux morts" (dead man's ditch), which reminds us that the 1870 war was very deadly in our region. You will then reach the village and Saint-Pierre Church, a historic monument built between the13th and14th centuries. The route is not particularly difficult and is mainly on roads.

Nature and culture go hand in hand on the banks of the Loire, between Fourneaux-Plage and Saint-Ay. The landscapes of the Loire, both at water level and higher up, are so beautiful, sometimes breathtaking, that it is easy to understand why the bishops of Orléans and famous men of letters came here on holiday.

TheGR®®3offers beautiful views of the royal river and its islands. Running along the right bank of the Loire, it reveals some vestiges of the Loire's maritime past, the cellars where wine was stored and the wine press house, not to mention the magnificent church of La Chapelle-Saint-Mesmin overlooking the river.