Chervettes walks

Circular route starting from Surgères Castle. After leaving the town, you ride through the countryside on the border between Aunis and Saintonge. The landscape changes with the seasons; the start of the ride takes you through fields of rapeseed, wheat and maize.In the final section, you follow the banks of the Gères and finish by re-entering the town through 1970s-era neighbourhoods, then past the ancient walls of old mansions, ending up along the castle ramparts.

A pleasant walk to discover Surgères and its historical heritage, between the Aunis plains and wooded areas, passing through Saint-Germain-de-Marencennes (in the commune of Saint-Pierre-la-Noue) and following the Val de Gères with its remarkable wildlife.

Short route in the Aunis plain between woods and farmland.

A beautiful walk along Frace Lake, which is popular for fishing and walking, and on through the little town of Aigrefeuille-d'Aunis, where you can visit the Ouchettes cheese dairy and goat farm.

This loop, starting from Tonnay-Charente, will take you across the Charente river twice via two bridges that are completely closed to motor traffic. You can admire the view from the top of the Tonnay-Charente suspension bridge and explore the quays of its sleepy port.

The Charras Canal, the Marais du Roy, the Cabane de Moins, walks with little elevation gain (average altitude = 3 m). Between Châtelaillon and Rochefort, a large marsh area provides an opportunity to observe numerous seabirds and migratory birds. A few hills dot the horizon, former islands from Roman times: Voutron, Liron, Flay, Île d'Albe...

A hike through the rolling, wooded landscape of Saintonge. Upon arrival, you can admire the lantern of the dead and the Romanesque portal of the church of Fenioux. Information panels provide details about these two monuments. You will follow part of theGR®655(a route to Santiago de Compostela, via Tours) and theGR®360, but there are no reliable markings along the route.

This is a hike to do in autumn, for the colours, or in hot weather, in the shade under the oak trees. Moderator's addition on 23/08/2021: Private property at the start of this route. See the comments at the bottom of this page for an alternative starting point.

A circular route around the pretty, peaceful little village of Geay. The route takes you along well-maintained paths through forests and wooded countryside. You will also ride alongside the marsh. The Charente is not far away but remains invisible. The route has been surveyed on the ground, making it very reliable.

During this route, you will discover the village of Vallans and its 11th- and 19th-century Notre-Dame church, the hamlet of Le Petit Village with its fountains, the Château d’Allerit (private) and its dovecote, the hamlet of Fougerit, the Bois des Touches, watered by the Courance, leats, streams, wash houses and fountains.

In order to preserve the richness of its environmental heritage, the Grand Boussseau Forest has been designated a Sensitive Natural Area. As such, it benefits from the Deux-Sèvres Departmental Council's environmental preservation and education policy. This short trail invites you to discover this protected environment.

This is an easy walk between the Canal du Mignon and the marshes. Wear good walking or hiking shoes as, depending on the season and how well the banks are maintained, you may encounter tall grass in places or muddy paths.

The old quarries of Crazannes offer a striking landscape of steep rock faces and narrow gorges. The hard white stone was used in the construction or restoration of monuments such as Fort Boyard.Les Lapidiales is a site offering visitors an open-air museum, with free admission, where the excavations left by the quarrymen give the impression of being in the middle of a giant labyrinth and where visitors enjoy discovering the sculptures.

Courçon is situated in the Marais Poitevin Regional Park; its Romanesque-style church was built at the end of the 11th century. The battlements are merely decorative; they were added at the beginning of the 20th century.

As you follow this route through the wet marsh, you will discover its unique features, such as the trous de bris (former clay extraction sites used for tile manufacturing until the 1980s), poplar groves and a wide variety of plants and animals.

Do you enjoy nature and history? You'll love this walk!

Located in the commune of Saint-Hilaire-La-Pallud, the start is at a place called Monfaucon in the small car park near the pier. The route begins with a small paved road to the place called La Roche. This start is not the most interesting, but you will quickly forget it as you discover the wild marshland, first along the Vieux Mignon and then the canals, which you follow on a small white gravel path.

This route is characterised by the diversity of the landscapes encountered: a wooded section crossed by a wide path following an old railway line, a hilly landscape with patches of vineyards, and finally a dry hillside overlooking a wetland.

From the transporter bridge to the port of Rochefort, a journey back in time. Rochefort was chosen by Louis XIV to re-establish his maritime power. On this route, which runs close to the water in its first section, there is no shortage of reminders of this era: dry docks, the Corderie Royale rope factory, the arsenal and, with a bit of luck, the Hermione...

This hike offers the opportunity to discover the woods of Port d'Envaux, as well as the Roman church of Saint-Saturnin de Séchaud. In a mineral, green and wooded setting, you will discover a typical natural heritage that is timeless.

A circular starting from Trizay Abbey towards the cave and the Creux Nègre rock passage. This geological curiosity in the region is carved into the ancient cliffs that line the Arnoult valley. Half of the route is on tarmac, on very quiet roads, allowing you to discover the market gardens on the rich lands of the Arnoult valley (home of the Pont l'Abbé bean).

This route will allow you to discover the rich flora and fauna of the marshes along the white paths, as well as the small protected and restored rural heritage in the heart of the village of Saint-Georges-de-Rex.

Starting from Échillais, you can first admire the beautiful 12th-century façade of the church. Then you will pass in front of "La Limoise". This residence is described at length by Pierre Loti in "Le Roman d'un Enfant" (A Child's Novel). This house belonged to the Duplais family, friends of the Viaud family (Julien Viaud being Pierre Loti's real name). He would spend his Thursdays there, walking from his house in Rochefort (now Pierre Loti's house) to La Limoise, crossing the Charente by ferry. There was no transporter bridge at the time. The Seudre Canal to the Charente (also known as the Bridoire Canal) is 27 km long and was dug in the 19th century from Saint-Hippolyte to Marennes. You will also cross Île Maurice, although it is much smaller than the one we usually think of.

Motorhome owners, from the Arcais area, discover the village centre, its port and its famous chain boat for crossing the Sèvre Niortaise.

A very natural route crossing the northern tip of the Chizé Forest in the first part and the countryside west of Marigny in the second part. This route with its varied and relaxing landscapes offers a peaceful moment. You may see deer and birds in this area. Marigny was the home of a great Poitevin bard: Yves Rabaut.

Hike in the heart of the Marais Poitevin (wet marshes) starting from Arçais.

The villages of Vanneau and Irleau are situated in the heart of the Marais Poitevin Interregional Park, within a site designated a “Grand Site de France”. The Marais Poitevin, developed by humans since the 12th century, is one of the richest wetlands on the Atlantic coast.

A short walk along dirt tracks through the marshes and their nutria.

A pleasant walk north-east of Fors in countryside alternating between hedgerows and open fields. The very natural route also allows you to explore the built heritage, ancient witnesses to the past.

This route allows you to discover: the church of the former parish of Mairé, the porch of an old farm in Haut-Mairé, the old wash house in Bas-Mairé, the Motte Saint-Denis, the Saint-Pierre church and the 12th-century Hosannière Cross. All this while travelling through the countryside on pleasant flat paths that cross the Guirande (a tributary of the Sèvre Niortaise).