A circular walk through the bocage countryside starting from Cossé d’Anjou

Start near the church in Cossé d’Anjou and follow the yellow signposts.

(S/E) Walk up Rue Baron, which becomes Le Pain Bénit. Turn left at the^first junction, opposite Le Pâtis. Continue for about 300 metres until you reach Le Plessis, then turn left at the junction.

(1) Take the path on the right. You’ll reach a place called La Joblerie; continue northwards along a small road. At the end (football pitch), turn left.

(2) Turn left onto Chemin de la Prée. The track curves to the right (west) and, after about 900 m, joins a small road.

(3) Follow the road to the right, pass the hamlet of Bellevue and carry on straight ahead. At the junction at the end of a left-hand bend, take the road on the right. Ignore a turning on the left and you’ll come to a crossroads.

(4) Head straight on into Rue de la Bretonnerie. Ignore two side streets on the left and then turn left. Cross the D756 (Moulin de la Bretonnerie) with care and continue straight on for 700 m.

(5) At the junction, take the^second track on the right (north-east). Cross the Malaiserie stream, head uphill and you’ll reach a road (cross). Cross the road and take the road opposite.

(6) Just before the^first houses in the hamlet of La Grande Louettière, take the^second track on the left (east), which immediately turns right. Head south.

(7) Take the^second track on the left (not shown on the map). At the end, follow a road to the right. Turn left when you reach a pond. At the end (waycross), turn right.

(8) Immediately afterwards, cross the D756. Cross a stream and turn right straight away (west).

(9) When you reach a cross, head left. At the Fork in the road, keep left. Carry on straight ahead, passing the turnings for Les Frêches and La Brie on your left. At the end of the road, turn left and return to the starting point (S/E).

The Romanesque Church of Notre Dame:
Listed as a Historic Monument, the church, built at the end of the 11th century, has now been restored externally. The bell tower, dating from the 12th century, and its numerous external sculptures are among the building’s most remarkable features; since 2012, a restoration programme has been underway to preserve its exceptional interior wall frescoes.

Coulvée Pond:
On the site of the Jumeau mill and its leat, a reservoir was created in 1954 to supply the town with water. Now disused, the dam reservoir has been transformed into a campsite and a pleasant leisure centre, with supervised swimming during the summer months.

The Camifolia Garden in Chemillé:
Set amidst lush natural surroundings, you’ll be able to touch, smell, taste and undoubtedly discover some fascinating plant species previously unknown to you across 3.5 hectares!
Explore the six themed gardens: the scent garden, the local crops garden, the poisonous and medicinal plants garden, the flavours garden, the fibres and colours garden, and finally the botanical garden.