Discovering the woods and ponds of Loudon

Parigné-Lévêque is a very large and wooded commune: northern pines with sand dunes, chestnut trees and birches in the south. The route allows you to discover the charm of numerous undergrowths, vast moors and ponds. The Narais stream is crossed in several places.

Details

8218889
Creation:
Last update:
Last review:
  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 7.80 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 2h 15 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Easy

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 11 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 11 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 93 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 75 m

Photos

Description of the walk

Car park at the end of the pond on the Route des Loudonneaux, near the information board.

(S/E) From the car park, enter the woods via the path near the information board (purple markings).

(1) Turn right, then cross the Loudon stream via a small wooden bridge and cross a second stream. Between the two streams are the ruins of Loudon Priory.

(2) Turn onto the path furthest to the left and continue straight ahead, ignoring the side paths.

(3) Turn right onto the path and, a little further on, take the firebreak on the right that passes close to the Pierre aux Bergers.

(4) Cross the D52 with caution to continue on the path opposite and keep to the left.

(5) Turn right and keep right to join Route de la Raterie.

(6) Turn left, then leave this road and take the second path on the right a little further on.

(7) At the D52 crossroads, take the leftmost path and then, a little further on, turn right to join the departmental road, which you should cross with caution. Continue straight ahead

(8) Turn right onto Chemin de Montmorillon, which joins a road running alongside Étang de Loudon and arrives at the starting point (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 82 m - Parking lot of the - Étang de Loudon
  2. 1 : km 0.37 - alt. 80 m - Start of the path on the right
  3. 2 : km 0.91 - alt. 81 m - Crossing
  4. 3 : km 1.82 - alt. 75 m - Intersection
  5. 4 : km 3.1 - alt. 88 m - Crossing the D52
  6. 5 : km 3.32 - alt. 87 m - Fork in the road
  7. 6 : km 4.08 - alt. 84 m - Route de la Raterie
  8. 7 : km 4.68 - alt. 86 m - Crossroads of the D52
  9. 8 : km 5.84 - alt. 88 m - Chemin de Montmorillon
  10. S/E : km 7.8 - alt. 82 m - Parking lot of the - Étang de Loudon

Worth a visit

The Shepherds' Stone
In the pine forests behind Loudon lies a menhir known as the Shepherds' Stone. A flat stone with a pointed top, 1.6 metres high and 1.75 metres wide at its base, it was long the rallying point for the men dressed in long cloaks and carrying sticks who led the flocks.
It was believed to protect the sheep, but a certain ritual had to be observed. This stone, which may have suggested the presence of the Virgin Mary (patron saint of the church and parish), had to be approached at sunrise and the shepherd had to walk around it three times, making the sign of the cross and proclaiming, "I bar you and I counterbar you, I cross you and I overcross you." Relieved and completely reassured, the shepherd would then return to his sheep without fear of encountering wolves or falling victim to disease. If, unfortunately, some calamity befell him and his animals, it was because he had mispronounced his words or misinterpreted his signs of the cross. Only faith can save...

Reviews and comments

4.8 / 5
Based on 6 reviews

Reliability of the description
5 / 5
Ease of following the route
5 / 5
Route interest
4.5 / 5
User 26589737

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 11, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A pleasant route in summer

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User 15129369

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 28, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A very pleasant hike with varied landscapes, wide paths and small trails, different vegetation depending on the location, very well marked, almost no roads, and mostly shaded trails. Just a small section of the path after the first road crossing has some brambles that could do with being cut back, but you can still get around them on foot (though I'm afraid not on a bike).
I would happily do it again. Thank you

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GANA72
GANA72

Thank you for your comment.

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Didon72
Didon72

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 04, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A lovely walk in the woods, so in the shade. Very little road. Very pleasant and not very busy.

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Poup
Poup

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 04, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A really enjoyable and well-marked hike.

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sarvie
sarvie

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Dec 06, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Lovely walk... beautiful forest paths and pretty trails... very pleasant in autumn. Not much road.
A little tip: come back via the ponds at the end of the day to enjoy a beautiful sunset.
For a change, you can do the hike in the opposite direction.

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aloko
aloko

Thank you especially for suggesting this hike!

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GANA72
GANA72

Thank you for your comment.

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aloko
aloko

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 23, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average
Very busy route : No

First of all, thank you to Gana72 for this route, which I travelled on a beautiful day.
I made a VLog about it here:
https://youtu.be/FHd_SqbE0hA

What I can say is that the route has very few tarmac roads, less than 100 metres if you exclude the last part along the ponds. This is a good thing because you are often surrounded by nature on paths that are often wide and open.
This walk is easy going, with no difficulties or steep slopes. Perfect for families, for example.
For me, it was a return to hiking after almost a year without any walks, and it was perfect for that. On the other hand, it is a bit monotonous on the wide paths, even though the forest is really beautiful with some magnificent sections under the birch trees. The terrain is almost constantly sandy or very sandy.
The last part is more interesting with narrower paths, and especially the arrival at the Loudon ponds with their friendly wildlife. Note that numerous private property signs, all very new, prevent you from walking around the ponds. It seemed suspicious to me, as if they had been put there to deter walkers.
In any case, it's a short and pleasant walk. I only came across three people, all female hikers, and a few cars.
Thanks again to the author.

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