Circular route around the two ponds starting from Saint-Macaire-en-Mauges

A lovely walk featuring stream crossings and passing by large bodies of water such as the Étang de Green Cross. You’ll have the chance to discover the largest standing stone in Anjou. On site, you’ll find the legends surrounding this imposing menhir, explained on information panels.

Details

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  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 8.49 mi
  • ◔
    Average duration: 4h 05 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 167 ft
  • ↘
    Descent: - 144 ft

  • ▲
    Highest point: 364 ft
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 253 ft

Photos

Description of the walk

Start at the Étang de la Green Cross car park.

Follow the green markings throughout the walk.

(S/E) Start by walking around the pond, heading off to the right. Walk three-quarters of the way round the pond and leave the path, heading towards the park exit. At the exit, turn right and take the path.

(1) Continue until you reach a tarmac road. Walk along this road for 250m, then turn right and then left 100m further on.

(2) At the Y-junction with the road, turn left and walk past La Néraudière. Turn right immediately after the stream crosses under the road. Continue past La Clerclaie and walk under the N249 bridge.

(3) Turn immediately right after the tunnel onto the path running alongside this main road.

(4) Turn left 600m further on, then right onto the dirt track. You will cross over a stream again. Continue to the road and turn right at the junction to admire the Brétellière menhir.

(5) Retrace your steps back to the junction, where you turn right, then 100m further on turn right again until you reach the path running alongside the RN249. Follow it to the right and return to the tunnel that allows you to cross the road.

(3) Turn right after passing through the tunnel.

(6) Turn left, continue along the path to the mast, then turn left at the mast and head towards the D191.

(7) Head towards the Intermarché roundabout and take Rue du Calvaire,the third on the left. Continue on to enter Saint-André-de-la-Marche. Then turn left into Rue de la Cerclaie, leaving the main road, and take the next street on the right (Rue du Manoir)

(8) Enter the green space opposite the road, follow the green signposting to the left to reach Allée du Prieuré and Rue de la Gâtine on the left.

(9) Turn right onto Rue du Sacré Cœur. Continue straight on at the junction with Rue Augustin Vincent and walk past the cemetery.

(10) Turn left just before the lake, which you will walk alongside, then head straight on towards the park exit. At the T-junction, turn left into Rue des Chênes.

(11) Just after the junction with Rue des Charmes, turn right and take the narrow passageway between the houses. When you reach Rue des Ajoncs, cross the road and continue along the green space that runs between the houses.

(12) Turn left towards the roundabout, take the street on the right and continue along the dirt track. Before the woods, turn into the path on the left. Continue towards the shopping centre, keeping to the pavement on the right

(13) Turn left before the petrol station. Head towards the roundabout and cross the two roads, then turn right and head back towards the starting car park (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : mi 0 - alt. 331 ft - Étang de la Green Cross car park
  2. 1 : mi 0.66 - alt. 335 ft - Path after the walk around the pond
  3. 2 : mi 1.72 - alt. 322 ft - Turn left
  4. 3 : mi 2.41 - alt. 295 ft - Tunnel. Common A/R junction
  5. 4 : mi 2.77 - alt. 279 ft - Common A/R junction
  6. 5 : mi 3.55 - alt. 282 ft - Grande pierre levée de la Brétellière
  7. 6 : mi 5.36 - alt. 325 ft - Turn left
  8. 7 : mi 5.97 - alt. 348 ft - Turn right towards the roundabout
  9. 8 : mi 6.4 - alt. 351 ft - Entrance to the green space
  10. 9 : mi 6.56 - alt. 358 ft - On the right: Rue du Sacré-Coeur
  11. 10 : mi 6.83 - alt. 322 ft - Path on the left before the lake
  12. 11 : mi 7.24 - alt. 341 ft - Side street
  13. 12 : mi 7.42 - alt. 351 ft - Turn left towards the roundabout
  14. 13 : mi 8.14 - alt. 341 ft - Path crossing two roads
  15. S/E : mi 8.49 - alt. 331 ft - Étang de la Green Cross car park

Worth a visit

Menhir of La Pierre Levée ( 5).

The footwear industry has left a deep mark on the village of Saint-André-de-la-Marche. Around the factories (the former Morinière-Ripoche factory – now the Musée des Métiers de la Chaussure, 6 Rue Saint-Paul in St André) stand the homes of industrialists (15 Rue du Calvaire, 5 Rue de la Tannerie…) and workers (Rue Jeanne-d'Arc). The factories often have sawtooth roofs, facing north to provide diffused and even lighting in the workshop.

Reviews and comments

3.8 / 5
Based on 6 reviews

Reliability of the description
3.8 / 5
Ease of following the route
3.3 / 5
Route interest
4.3 / 5
Corciulo Giuseppe
Corciulo Giuseppe

Overall rating : 3 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 18, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★☆☆☆ Disappointing
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average
Very busy route : No

Disappointed with the signposting after point no. 5 (after visiting the menhir). The path was either impossible to find or simply didn’t exist. All in all, a lovely walk in the countryside, and we were even treated to a little sunshine to keep us company.

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godillot49
godillot49

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 27, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes

No problem following the route

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Matine
Matine

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 11, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

The route is dry and well-maintained. Well done!

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manuuher
manuuher

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 30, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

A lovely ride that takes you past two beautiful lakes, not far from the towns of Saint Macaire and Saint André de la Marche.
The route can be done by mountain bike (I chose this option as I saw it followed a busy road)
However, a few comments.

  1. As with previous comments: the signposting isn’t very clear. Especially in town. I did the whole thing using the GPX track. Just one mistake right at the start: you need to go round the car park rather than heading straight for the pond as the track suggests. So I can’t really comment on the route description.
  2. The path running alongside the road is well set back and below the road, so it’s not dangerous at all. It’s just a bit unpleasant hearing the cars and lorries passing overhead.
  3. The circular path leading to the menhir can be avoided as it is the least interesting part (see previous comment). The only point of interest is the menhir. Furthermore, the path is not very well maintained. At the menhir, I set off again to do the circular route, but the path was impassable when I reached the bend in the road. I turned back to return to the menhir and took the same route as on the way there.

Otherwise, a very pleasant experience with a very friendly chance encounter...

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M.B
M.B

Overall rating : 3 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 09, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★☆☆☆ Disappointing
Ease of following the route : ★★☆☆☆ Disappointing
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

The route is interesting, but you have to work out and interpret the directions for yourself. As for the signposting, it’s virtually non-existent after the second kilometre

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jeanyvesfroger
jeanyvesfroger

Overall rating : 3.3 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 05, 2019
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good

However, the route includes a 2.5-kilometre stretch along an expressway, which isn’t particularly pleasant.

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