Walk from Moulin Papon starting at La Roche-sur-Yon station

Start from La Roche-sur-Yon station. If arriving by car, you can park in the car park in front of the station.

(S/E) With your back to the station, head down Avenue Gambetta, then reach the roundabout and take Boulevard Aristide Briand on the right.

(1) Turn left into Rue de Verdun, then right to walk past the Théâtre à l'Italienne: open to visitors.

(2) Take Rue Salvador Allende on the left to reach Place Napoléon, go round the water features on the left: on the square, mechanical animals can be operated via a pneumatic control panel.

(3) Continue left along Rue du Président de Gaulle, turn right to reach the market halls via Place du Président Jacques Chirac. Turn left to follow Rue du Passage, then right onto Rue de la Poste aux Lettres to reach the Jardin des Compagnons.

(4) Then follow Rue Saint-Hilaire to the left, turn right onto Rue Sadi Carnot and continue straight on to Boulevard d’Italie. Follow it to the left until you reach the roundabout.

(5) Go round the roundabout on the left using the pedestrian crossings, follow Rue Georges Pompidou to the right and pass another roundabout.

(6) Turn left into Parc Rivoli, cross the bridge over the Yon and walk along the left-hand side of the football pitch.

(7) Cross the footbridge, turn right to walk alongside the car park, go round another sports ground and walk as close as possible to the River Yon.

(8) Pass the Rivoli School Complex, go under the bridge on Boulevard Gaston Defferre and continue along the Yon. Cross the first branch of the Yon by turning right, then a second, and arrive at a junction.

(9) Turn left to enter Alluchon Park. Walk alongside the first lake on your left and continue to follow the Yon until you reach the D160.

(10) Turn left to continue following the Yon, pass under the D160 bridge and reach the Moulin Papon Dam. The lake supplies drinking water to the town of La Roche-sur-Yon and the water treatment plant is clearly visible from the dam. Cross the dam’s embankment.

(11) Turn back until you reach the D160 and come to a junction you passed on the way out.

(10) Continue along the path beside the D160, then turn right at Allée Yvonne de la Biliais. Return to the finishing path and follow it to the left.

(9) Cross the Yon, take the path on the left to avoid retracing your steps. Cross Boulevard Gaston Defferre at the pedestrian crossing and continue through Parc Rivoli, following the left bank of the Yon.

(12) Cross the river to the right bank, continue left then straight on until you reach the bridge leading back to the left bank, and cross it.

(13) Turn right, rejoin the path leading back to the park and follow it to the left to return to Rue Georges Pompidou.

(6) Follow it to the right until you reach the roundabout.

(5) Continue straight on Rue du Président de Gaulle and arrive at Place de la Résistance.

(14) Cross the square by going straight ahead and head up Rue du Président de Gaulle to Place Napoléon.

(3) Continue straight ahead, passing between the water features, follow Rue Georges Clémenceau past the Jardin Joséphine de Beauharnais on your left and reach Place de la Vendée.

(15) Head to the right, then turn left to walk along Boulevard Aristide Briand and turn left onto Rue Lucien Genuer: admire a giant sequoia on the right.

(16) Turn right into Rue Lazare Hoche to reach Avenue Gambetta and then the station on the left (S/E).