La route de la Vertonne in Grosbreuil

Grosbreuil football stadium car park (N 46.541007° - W 1.614439°): plenty of spaces.

The route is marked with green wooden signs

(S/E). Head south, cross the D36 coming from La Roche-sur-Yon carefully at the roundabout and take the lane opposite. This will take you to Rue des Lavandières.

(1) Turn left onto a small road with little traffic, pass La Grande Boutière and continue to a crossroads.

(2) Continue along the gravel path opposite, lined with trees on both sides, until you reach a crossroads with four paths.

(3) Take the left-hand path, bordered by fields. Continue along a beautiful lane and, at a large stone, turn left to descend a magnificent sunken path (a narrow, enclosed path bordered by two natural hedgerows).

(4) At the bottom of the path, cross the small river Vertonne via a bridge and climb up to a place called La Prémaudière. Turn right, then left and you will come out onto the D45.

(5) Turn right and, after about 50 metres, take the path on the left. Continue to a place called La Forêterie. Cross the hamlet and continue to the D36 (La Landette).

(6) Cross the road with caution (it is a busy road but the view is clear), go to the left and then, next to a small house, follow the path to the right until you reach a T-junction.

(7) Turn left and follow a wide path called "Sentier des Gaulois". This path is wide and lined with tall trees. You will come to a three-way intersection.

(8) Take the left-hand path, cross the Vertonne river again via a bridge and head up towards a place called La Godtière. Follow the small road until you reach another small crossroad, Route des Luctières.

(9) Turn right and continue to the bend in this road.

(10) Turn left onto a path that leads to a housing estate in the village of Grosbreuil. Continue to a roundabout.

(11) Turn left onto Rue Beauséjour, following the green signs. Walk along the pavement and after about 200 metres turn right onto a small lane that passes between houses and leads to Grosbreuil stadium (S/E).

This trail is very pleasant to walk along in good weather as it is very shady, but the banks of the River Vertonne can be very wet during rainy periods.

The town centre is very close to the stadium car park.

Discovery trail among the routes offered by: Vendée Grand Littoral pays de Talmont

In the town centre, you can visit the neo-Gothic Saint-Nicolas Church and the Giraudeau house.

A little further away, to the south-west, you can discover the Château de la Bénatonnière and its chapel (17th century, modified in the 19th century).