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Departure from the Écoles car park (near the stadium).
(S/E) From the car park, head north towards Rue des Écoles. When you reach it, turn left and continue to the junction with the D182 road. Turn left and carefully follow the road for about 80 metres.
Turn right onto the flat path before descending as you walk alongside a beautiful plantation of truffle oaks on your left. Continue along the path that runs alongside the railway line (overhead) before passing underneath it.
(1) After passing under the railway line, turn right towards Moulin de Piozay. Continue along the small road until you reach the Canoe-Kayak Club building. Turn slightly left to reach the footbridge over the Sèvre Niortaise river
(2) Cross the river and continue along the path heading north-west. There are picnic tables under a small wood on the banks of the Sèvre. Continue along the path until it joins Chemin de Pissot, then turn right and go uphill. You will come to a white path where the road makes a 90° right turn.
(3) Take the white path on the left. Shortly afterwards, turn into Impasse de la Perrière. Continue along Rue du Fief Rousset, which follows on from it. This road runs alongside some beautiful properties.
(4) At the end of the street, continue uphill on Chemin de Ricou. Climb to the crossroads beyond the equestrian centre. Turn left onto Route de Jaunay and follow it carefully on the right-hand pavement. Continue straight on until you reach the end of the Plaine de Nisson housing estate.
(5) Turn left onto a pretty path with a very slight slope, which runs along the side of the Sèvre Niortaise valley. At the end, turn left onto a steeply sloping path. The path is then almost flat and runs alongside cultivated plots. You will come to a crossroads at a place called Les Coteaux Blanchard.
(6) Cross the path and continue along the small path at the edge of the woods. Continue until you reach a small road. Carefully follow the road to the left until you reach the houses of Coteaux Blanchard.
Turn right onto the path that crosses the Sèvre Niortaise river (beautiful views) and then cross the hamlet of Veillon. The path serves all the houses in the hamlet before continuing between the railway line on the left and the Sèvre Niortaise river on the right.
Further on, after the path has made a 90° turn to the left, cross over the railway line. Continue along the path, which begins to climb.
(7) At the crossroads, continue left into the woods. Ignore the next path on the left, which leads directly to La Martinière.
Further on, take the next path on the left which leads to the Route des Lilas at the eastern exit of La Martinière. Turn right onto the Route des Lilas which climbs uphill. You will see a renovated wash house on the left-hand side of the road. Continue to the junction with the Rue de la Burgaillerie. Turn left onto this flat road towards La Burgaillerie.
(8) Before the first houses, turn left onto a small road, Rue de la Sauzaye. Further on, turn left and walk back to see the Bonne Fontaine wash house. Then continue along the road that winds near La Sauzaye and leads to Le Tim.
(9) Shortly afterwards, take a path on the left that winds along the edge of the plateau overlooking the valley where the Sèvre Niortaise river flows. There are beautiful views at the start of the route.
Shortly before reaching the D182, there are beautiful views of the town of Saint-Maixent on the other side of the Sèvre Niortaise.
(10) Turn left and carefully follow the D182 until you reach the stadium. At this point, you can "cross" the hedge separating the football stadium from the road to continue safely along the stadium. At the corner of the football field, turn right and head for the school car park below the stadium (S/E).
small path not cleared in places, which might encourage you to turn back
Visorando member
Association / Club / Walk leader
