Around Azay-Sur-Thouet

Shaded route using dirt tracks and a few sections of tarmaced local roads.

Details

201020
Creation:
Last update:
Last review:
  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 9.76 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 3h 05 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Easy

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 92 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 85 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 230 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 147 m

Description of the walk

(S/E) From the village hall, take the "white" path that runs alongside the football pitch behind the village hall and follow it to the lake. At the end, turn right onto a shaded path.

(1) When you reach the road, turn right, cross the bridge over the Thouet and continue to the next intersection at a place called La Baillargerie.

(2) Turn left and continue left at the next junction. Cross a new bridge, pass through La Verdonnière and continue. At the next crossroads, go straight ahead.

(3) Take the first road on the left, then turn right, which will take you to a stone footbridge over the Thouet river. Cross the bridge. The road will then take you to the D949 bis. When you reach it, follow the hard shoulder to the left for about ten metres.

(4) Cross the main road to climb the Route de la Maison Neuve. Follow this road to the next intersection.

(5) Turn left. The small road gradually turns into an unpaved rural track.

(6) At an intersection with a footpath that is not accessible to vehicles, continue straight ahead and take this path to reach the D139. Cross this road and take the municipal road opposite. At the next intersection, continue straight ahead and look for the entrance to a dirt track on the left about 100 metres away.

(7) Follow this path on the left and you will come to a tarmac road.

(8) Turn right.

(9) At the next junction, keep left and follow the slope of the road. Continue straight down towards the village of Azay-sur-Thouet without changing direction.

(10) At the roundabout at the junction with the D949 bis, cross the departmental road and pass in front of the town hall to reach the village hall (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 159 m - Village hall - Thouet (rivière)
  2. 1 : km 0.78 - alt. 160 m - Road on the right
  3. 2 : km 1.58 - alt. 169 m - Turn left at a place called La Baillargerie.
  4. 3 : km 3.1 - alt. 151 m - Path on the left
  5. 4 : km 3.67 - alt. 169 m - Crossing the D949 bis
  6. 5 : km 4.74 - alt. 187 m - Chemin Blanc on the left
  7. 6 : km 6.31 - alt. 202 m - Gâtine sunken path
  8. 7 : km 7.91 - alt. 229 m - Shaded path lined with hedges.
  9. 8 : km 8.19 - alt. 226 m - Tarmac road (cul-de-sac to the left)
  10. 9 : km 8.52 - alt. 219 m - Descent towards the village of Azay-sur-Thouet.
  11. 10 : km 9.47 - alt. 166 m - D949 bis roundabout
  12. S/E : km 9.76 - alt. 159 m - Village hall

Notes

Uncovered outdoor picnic tables near the village hall and lake.
Toilets and water point at the lake.
Best done in dry weather, as the path connecting (6) to the D139 can be wet (Gâtine sunken path).

Worth a visit

Cross the Thouet river on a footbridge built with granite blocks.
In summer, a peaceful and cool spot for a moment of rest.

Reviews and comments

4.2 / 5
Based on 9 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.2 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.4 / 5
Route interest
3.8 / 5
Oliveloulou
Oliveloulou

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 21, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

As mentioned in other reviews, there are quite a few small tarmac roads to navigate...
That said, even with children aged 8 and 14, the route is easily manageable.
Be careful after rain, as some shaded paths can be muddy and your trainers may suffer 😁...
As for the landscape and environment, there's nothing to complain about. You might even come across some cattle grazing 😉👍

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Ltod85
Ltod85

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 10, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A superb hike, but there are two sections along the main road between Secondigny and Azay sur Thouet that remain dangerous due to traffic.
Otherwise, there are superb views and different types of landscape. Definitely worth doing!

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DELANNOY C.
DELANNOY C.

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : May 31, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

NICE SHADY PATH ALONG THE THOUET RIVER, VERY PLEASANT, THEN A MORE ORDINARY PATH THROUGH THE COUNTRYSIDE, BUT NOT VERY BUSY, SO ALL IN ALL A BEAUTIFUL, EASY WALK.

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Airault claude
Airault claude

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : May 23, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes

very pleasant and relaxing route

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esther mouche
esther mouche

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 14, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Very well-described route. Lovely walk through the rolling countryside of the Gâtinais region. One muddy section was a bit unpleasant (after the winter rains in mid-March).

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philouis
philouis

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : May 27, 2019
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good

TOO MUCH TAR: 1KM FROM THE START, 500M ON A DANGEROUS SECTION OF ROAD JUST BEFORE THE END OF THE HIKE. OTHERWISE, THE LANDSCAPE IS MAGNIFICENT AND SOME SECTIONS OF THE TRAIL ARE REALLY VERY BEAUTIFUL.

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simone.allard
simone.allard

especially at the start, around the lake

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bibi
bibi ★

Looking at the map, I see that there are quite a few small roads and slightly fewer paths, which means that these hikes are feasible in winter when the paths are very muddy.
However, you found the description very disappointing. Where did it fall short?
Kind regards

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simone.allard
simone.allard

Apparently it's not the same map I got!!!!!!! There are only roads and a few small paths.

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simone.allard
simone.allard

Overall rating : 1.7 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 15, 2017
Reliability of the description : ★☆☆☆☆ Very disappointing
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★☆☆☆☆ Very disappointing

I was very disappointed and even very angry.
Apart from a few small paths, there were only roads. !!!!!!! With the sun beating down, we really suffered on this hike and couldn't wait for it to end. The scenery wasn't great either. As regular hikers with the French Hiking Federation, this was the first time we'd ever done a route with so many roads!!!! On the other hand, I really enjoyed the LE FOURBEAU route: very hilly but very varied!! I recommend it to those who like hills and varied landscapes.

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guichardf
guichardf

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 11, 2016
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good

Part of the path is muddy after number 6.
Best done in summer.

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jean-pierre soulet
jean-pierre soulet

Thank you for your comments.
Especially for the start. When you know the area too well, there are paths that seem obvious but aren't necessarily so for someone who is new to the area.
So I will specify the route to take to get there.

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jonkille.annie@hotmail.fr
jonkille.annie@hotmail.fr

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 05, 2016
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

Some paths are very wet, even dripping (6) in these very humid times, but it's a beautiful hike, lots of fun for water lovers (especially crossing the Thouet on the footbridge (at 3)).
Revisit the start, noting that the Azay lake is accessible via a path behind the village hall. As we couldn't see the lake from the car park, we had to make a circular route via the main road to reach La Baillargerie.

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