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Park in the car park at Sablonceau Abbey. There are around ten spaces in this car park around the Sablonceau war memorial, in front of the abbey.
(S/E) Pass under the porch and leave the abbey grounds by crossing the bridge over the stream. When you reach the stop sign, turn left. Follow the stone wall that encloses the abbey, keeping it on your left. Ignore the path that branches off to the right after the small bridge.
(1) Turn right onto the wide stone path that leads into the forest. This is the Chemin des Prêtres (signposted). Follow part ofthe GR® 360. Cross a tarmac road and continue straight ahead until you reach a fork in the path. Keep to the right.
(2) Leave theGR® 360. Before the first houses of Saint-Romain-de-Benet, turn left onto a narrower gravel path that follows the edge of the forest. Ignore the paths that branch off to the left and lead into the woods. Pass behind a large equestrian club.
(3) When you reach the tarmac road, turn left, pass in front of the Malleville stud farm and turn left again in the centre of the hamlet onto the D243E1, which you follow for about 300 metres. Then turn right towards the hamlet of Chez Gautreau, turn left and pass between the houses.
(4) Turn left again onto a path that starts out as a gravel track at the foot of an electricity pylon supporting a transformer. You will come to the tarmac road at Chez Blanchet.
(5) Turn right. Cross a tarmac road towards Chez Machefert. After the last houses, a path crosses the road. Take it on the left: beautiful view of the bell tower and the heart of the abbey church. When you reach a small tarmac road, turn left and then immediately right onto Route de la Quinardière (street sign).
(6) When you reach La Quinardière, continue straight ahead on the section of road marked with a "dead end" sign. The tarmac quickly gives way to a dirt track. Before reaching a vineyard, turn left to pass along the edge of the Garenne woods. Stay on the edge. When you reach the tarmac, turn left until you reach the D117.
(7) Walk carefully along the edge for about 100 metres: this is the only place on the route where you may encounter fast-moving cars.
Turn left towards La Chauvillière (large sign advertising pineau, cognac and kiwis).
(8) After a double concrete electricity pole, turn left onto a path and walk between the vineyards. After about 800 m, the path turns right along a hedge. Continue with the hedge on your left and the vineyards on your right.
(9) At the tarmac road, turn left and then, 100 m further on, turn right onto Rue du Bois de Chevalet (street sign). When you reach the village, turn right and at the roundabout, take the first exit (Rue de la Mairie).
(10) Opposite the town hall, turn left onto Rue des Écoles. Pass the school and then the tennis courts. Continue to the abbey car park, which you will see in front of you about 400 metres away (S/E).
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