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Park in the large car park at Moulin de la Roche.
(S/E) Head south-west and, as you climb from the car park, take the first signposted path on the left. Cross the Ruisseau du Vignon, ignore a turn-off on the right further on and reach a wayside cross.
(1) Continue straight on along a small road, then turn right onto the D111e. Next, take thesecondleft, keeping the Petite Bouffardière farmhouse in sight. The small road then turns into a track, which you follow without changing direction, passing through the hamlet of La Garde before becoming a road again. You’ll reach the Arceau de Saint-Joseph crossroads (waycross).
(2) Leave the small road and take a quick first turn right then left to continue along a track. Pass athird wayside cross and come out onto the D53. Opposite is thefourth (Arceau de Sainte-Anne). Cross the D53 to reach afifth wayside cross (Arceau de Notre-Dame de Bon Secours).
(3) Turn left, then leave the path on your left that descends towards La Brisselière and continue towards Le Coudavid along the road. Carry on below La Marière and La Davière and pass a small pond on your right. You’ll reach another wayside cross, dated 1855 (marker 92).
(4) Leave the road and head into the countryside along the path branching off to the left. You’ll reach the Ruisseau de la Tour. Cross it to reach the hamlet of La Roche-sur-Sèvre and the small road leading there.
(5) Turn right, heading south, onto this small road which curves to the left round a large house. Continue straight on towards the junction at the Croix de la Coudrinière.
(6) About 250 m before the cross, take the path on the left to reach La Coudrinière. In the hamlet, begin the descent towards the Sèvre Nantaise, ignoring the small path that branches off to the right. Once you reach the river, turn right and follow it as closely as possible until you reach a footbridge.
(7) Do not cross the footbridge, but stay on the left bank and continue along the path, keeping as far to the left as possible, until you reach the Pont de Romaine. Turn left onto the bridge and cross the Sèvre.
(8) Take thefirst left, Rue Romaine, until you reach the junction with the Chemin de Romaine. Turn left onto this, then continue along the Chemin du Clair de Jau until you reach a crossroads.
(9) Here, you have two options:
- either take the path on the right to climb up and visit the vicarage gardens. Leave the gardens on the right at the church forecourt. Then head left along Rue du Château and then Place de la Liberté to reach Place du Château. At the far end of the square, to the right of the parapet bordering the valley, take the steps to reach Chemin du Pont Vieux,
- or carry on straight ahead, going round a building via a concrete ramp (option shown on the map).
Head to the car park at the junction with Route d’Évrunes.
(10) Turn left as you head downhill. Walk alongside the Moulin du Thouet and pass the water treatment plant.
(11) At the fork, turn left onto the Chemin de Jousseaume without crossing the Sèvre. Pass through the hamlets of Pilet, Daudet and Jousseaume. You’ll come to a large picnic area on the left and arrive at Gazeau.
(12) Follow the path (narrow road) that runs alongside the river, always keeping to the left, until you reach Berthré and finally Rochereau.
(13) Continue walking along the right bank of the Sèvre, always taking the left-hand option, until you reach the Moulin de Grenon, which is on the opposite bank. The path then climbs back up to the level of the bridge. Turn left to cross the Sèvre Nantaise.
(14) Look out for the small flight of steps on the right leading back to the riverside path, now on the left bank. Continue along the riverbank as far as Saint-André.
(15) Carry on straight ahead along the Chemin de Saint-André, passing La Bérie on your right. At the junction just after this, turn right towards Les Rivières to rejoin the Sèvre Nantaise.
(16) Cross the river again via the dam, then head uphill, keeping to the right of the SAUR premises and then the Patis. Walk for about 100 metres, then turn left onto the GR®. Head towards the top of the fenced-off property, guarded by dogs, which lies opposite you. Look out for a section of fence about 10 metres long at a right angle to the property’s wire mesh, which serves as a landmark to find the steep path lined with dreadful, uneven steps that climbs between two fences and takes you towards L’Élinière. Ignore a path on the left that leads to the riverbank and carry on straight ahead to reach L’Élinière.
(17) Keep to the left, following the GR®, and head towards the Grotte à Brunet on the banks of the Sèvre.
(18) Follow the path, moving slightly away from the river, and cross a stream. Always take the left-hand option until you reach the access road to the Mulliez factory.
(19) Head down to the left, then take the path on the right leading to the main entrance to the site and follow the road to the D111e. Turn right. At the first bend, leave the road and continue slightly to the left along the path which, via two small gates, crosses a meadow (the livestock won’t cause any trouble), then follows the stream. You’ll reach another bridge over the Sèvre Nantaise.
(20) Leave the GR® and cross the Sèvre to return to the starting car park (S/E).
Visorando Member
Moderate 
Tourist office
Easy 
