Through the Sancerre vineyards between Verdigny and Sury-en-Vaux.

A hike that takes place mainly among vineyards and offers beautiful panoramic views of Sancerre and its surrounding countryside. Numerous wayside crosses, two wash houses and the village of Sury-en-Vaux, with its beautiful old houses and church, add a touch of heritage to the route.

Hike designed by the Grand Sancerrois Tourist Office.

Details

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  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 7.08 mi
  • ◔
    Average duration: 3h 55 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 761 ft
  • ↘
    Descent: - 741 ft

  • ▲
    Highest point: 1,024 ft
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 738 ft
  • ⚐ Country: France
  • ⚐ City: Verdigny (18300)
  • ⚑
    Start/End: N 47.347542° / E 2.809749°
  • ❏
    IGN map(s): Ref. 2422SB, 2423SB
  • Hour-by-hour weather

Photos

Description of the walk

Start from the car park at the Verdigny sports ground, Route de la Garenne, near the church.

No signposting

(S/E) Head south-west along Route de la Garenne. At the junction shortly afterwards, turn right into Rue Saint-Pierre-aux-Liens and walk past the church of the same name.

(1) At the corner of the church, go straight on (ignore a yellow arrow pointing to the right). At the next junction, turn left. Take the second right, Chemin des Charrons.

(2) At the fork, keep right on a concrete track and pass a wash house on the right-hand side. At the junction (old road signs for the nearby D57 which have clearly been moved here), go straight on towards Sury-en-Vaux and climb between two vineyard plots.

(3) At a three-way junction, turn right. Ignore a steep path on the left that isn’t shown on the map and turn right onto the concrete track. Further on, head slightly downhill between the vineyards.

(4) You’ll come out onto a small road; follow it leftwards uphill, keeping to the right-hand verge (there is no left-hand verge). At the junction (cross), continue straight ahead. Pass by the foot of an antenna, go past a reservoir and immediately reach a crossroads.

Yellow markings (intermittent: present on some sections, completely absent on others).

(5) Take the second lane on the right, roughly opposite, which is closed to heavy goods vehicles. Descend steadily through the vineyards and ignore all side roads.

(6) You will come out onto a small road; follow it to the right and immediately turn right into Rue d’Orléans. At the end, turn left and cross a stream. At the next junction (small metal cross on the right-hand side), turn right. Note a chapel on the right-hand side, then a pond on the left-hand side.

(7) At the junction by the pond, turn left into Rue des Godons. Follow the road to the right and pass by the foot of the cemetery.

(8) At the “Les Godons” sign, when the road bends to the right, turn left onto a lane closed to cyclists. The tarmac soon gives way to a track. Ignore a turn-off on the right and pass over the cemetery. Climb alongside a large vineyard on the right-hand side, ignoring all paths on the left.

(9) At the junction at the top of the hill (metal cross amidst small trees), turn right. Continue straight on downhill (MTB signpost no. 50) and ignore all turn-offs on the left. After a shaded section, you’ll return to the tarmac. At the junction, turn left onto Rue de l’Abbé Merlin. Go round the church on the left and you’ll reach Route de Menetou-Râtel (D86).

(10) Follow the road to the right (lovely houses). Take the second right, Route de Maimbray, towards the cemetery. Further on, pass a care home and, at the corner of this, turn left towards No. 23. The tarmac soon gives way to a grassy path. Cross a stream and head up the slope opposite between the vineyards. Cross a road and climb a flight of steps opposite. Climb a short grassy slope (picnic table) then a second flight of steps.

(11) Return to the road and follow it as it continues. Cross a road on the left and take the first right, at an acute angle, onto a small road closed to heavy goods vehicles. After a good hundred metres, turn left onto a concrete track that climbs between the vineyards. At the junction, take the second right (the first is not shown on the map), still a concrete track. Note the village of Sancerre on the hill opposite.

(12) At the start of a gentle right-hand bend, take a gravel track to the right between two vineyard plots. Ignore a grassy path on the right (not shown on the map) and climb gently. At a three-way junction, at the corner of a copse, turn left and head back down a concrete track. Take the first right and climb slightly.

(13) At the junction, turn left and head steeply downhill. At the bottom, ignore a track on the left, turn right then immediately left to continue downhill. Go straight on; the concrete soon gives way to tarmac. Take the first right, Rue du Pressoir. At the junction, turn left into Rue des Tonneliers. At a three-way junction (with a fountain on the right), veer left and pass a wash house on the left. Cross a road on the right and immediately reach a three-way junction.

(14) Then turn right onto Route de la Perrière. Continue straight ahead and pass the sign marking the exit from Chaudoux. Head uphill, staying on the road between two vineyard plots. Halfway up the slope, turn right onto a path between two vineyard plots. At the end, turn left and head uphill to a small road (wooden cross; lovely view of Sancerre).

(15) Follow the road to the right (MTB route no. 23). Cross a road at right angles and continue along the path opposite, between two vineyard plots. Ignore a path on the right (not shown on the map) and head slightly downhill.

Red and white markings (rare)

(16) At the junction, turn right (MTB route no. 30) and climb gently. Stay along the edge of the hillside and ignore two turnings on the left, then one on the right. Note the village of Chavignol at the bottom of a small valley on the left. Reach a small road (metal cross).

No signposting

(17) Follow the road to the right and downhill (MTB route no. 30). At the sign marking the entrance to Verdigny, turn left onto a concrete track between the vineyards. At the junction, turn right and head downhill. At the next junction (metal cross), continue roughly straight ahead and rejoin a junction taken at the start of the walk.

(2) Then turn right. At the T-junction, go left. Take the first right and head towards Verdigny church.

(1) Go straight on and walk past the church on your left. At the junction, turn left and you’ll soon reach the sports ground car park (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : mi 0 - alt. 807 ft - Sports ground car park
  2. 1 : mi 0.11 - alt. 810 ft - Église Saint-Pierre-aux-Liens (Verdigny)
  3. 2 : mi 0.23 - alt. 827 ft - Crossing point of the circular loop
  4. 3 : mi 0.41 - alt. 892 ft - Three-Way Junction
  5. 4 : mi 0.85 - alt. 896 ft - Concrete path x Small road
  6. 5 : mi 1.19 - alt. 1,020 ft - Crossroads
  7. 6 : mi 1.6 - alt. 784 ft - Concrete path x Small road
  8. 7 : mi 2.03 - alt. 761 ft - Crossroads
  9. 8 : mi 2.29 - alt. 778 ft - Intersection - Les Godons
  10. 9 : mi 2.78 - alt. 1,014 ft - Crossroads - Croix Marcassin
  11. 10 : mi 3.33 - alt. 774 ft - D86 road - Église Saint-Étienne (Sury-en-Vaux)
  12. 11 : mi 3.84 - alt. 863 ft - D87 road
  13. 12 : mi 4.15 - alt. 906 ft - Concrete path x Gravel track
  14. 13 : mi 4.57 - alt. 942 ft - Crossroads
  15. 14 : mi 4.93 - alt. 787 ft - Three-Way Junction
  16. 15 : mi 5.72 - alt. 833 ft - Petite route - Croix aux Barres
  17. 16 : mi 6.13 - alt. 814 ft - Crossroads
  18. 17 : mi 6.53 - alt. 866 ft - Path x Road
  19. S/E : mi 7.08 - alt. 807 ft - Sports ground car park

Notes

Hiking boots are useful.

No water sources identified along the route.

Detailed map required (at least the one accompanying this description) or follow the trail with the Visorando app.

Hike completed by the author on 1 March 2026.

Worth a visit

- Pleasant walk through the vineyards (undoubtedly a superb sight in autumn).
- Extensive panoramic views from the heights.
- Numerous crosses along the path, mostly metal.
- Wash houses in Verdigny (2) and Chaudoux, shortly before (14).
- In Sury-en-Vaux (10), a superb church and beautiful old houses.

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The GPS track and description are the property of this route's author. Please do not copy them without permission.