Velles route: La Bouzanne and its open-air theatre

This unpretentious walk allows us to discover the Vellois countryside and beautiful views of the Bouzanne.

Details

13777624
Creation:
Last update:
Last review:
  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 6.37 mi
  • ◔
    Average duration: 3h 00 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 69 ft
  • ↘
    Descent: - 69 ft

  • ▲
    Highest point: 489 ft
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 420 ft
  • ⚐ Country: France
  • ⚐ City: Velles (36330)
  • ⚑
    Start/End: N 46.689147° / E 1.648693°
  • ❏
    IGN map(s): Ref. 2126SB
  • Hour-by-hour weather

Photos

Description of the walk

The start is at a car park on the side of the D 40, near the church, at the foot of the FFRandonnée route sign. Follow the yellow markings for the route called: La Bouzanne and its open-air theatre.

(S/E) With your back to the sign, head north and turn right onto Rue du Chemin Creux, towards the stadium and the motorhome site. Continue along this street until you reach the aforementioned site, then carry on along the path opposite and walk alongside a pond.

(1) Take the farm track on the left, ignore a path on the left and carry on across the field. The path then becomes tree-lined.

(2) Follow a wide, tree-lined track to the left, ignore the track leading to the water tower and carry on straight ahead to the Grand Pont farm.

(3) Carefully follow the D 14 to the left and, at the crossroads by the cross, turn right onto the D 40 towards Châteauroux. Cross the bridge over the Bouzanne and continue to the entrance to Château Beauregard.

(4) Turn left onto the small D 115. Pass the Courcenay silos and, as you come out of a bend to the right, carry on straight ahead along the farm track that runs alongside a farm building.

(5) At the end of the track, at the southern end of the Étang du Verdin, take care as there is no longer a clear path: look out for the post with yellow and green markings in the middle of a meadow, then cross the meadow straight ahead towards the south-west, heading for a clearing in the copse opposite. Once you reach it, a more clearly defined path emerges and joins a wider one that runs alongside the Étang de la Porelle.

(6) When you reach La Motte, follow the small road until you join the D 14. Cross it carefully and continue straight ahead along a farm track.

(7) At the next crossroads, turn left, walk past the Grand Rat farm building on your right and follow the access track.

(8) Take the small road on the left, then carefully follow the D 14 to the right for 250 m.

(9) Turn left under a gateway and head towards La Bouzanne. Walk along its right-hand side and continue along a grassy path. When you reach the houses in a housing estate, follow the access road to the estate on the right.

(10) Turn left onto the D 14, then right to return to the car park where you started (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : mi 0 - alt. 453 ft - Car park by the D40 near the church
  2. 1 : mi 0.49 - alt. 440 ft - Pond. On the left
  3. 2 : mi 1.3 - alt. 479 ft - Tree-lined path on the left
  4. 3 : mi 1.85 - alt. 446 ft - D14 to the left
  5. 4 : mi 2.3 - alt. 453 ft - Turn left onto the D115, after the - Bouzanne (rivière)
  6. 5 : mi 3.47 - alt. 436 ft - Étang Verdin. Across the meadow
  7. 6 : mi 4.04 - alt. 449 ft - La Motte
  8. 7 : mi 4.96 - alt. 443 ft - Crossroads. Turn left
  9. 8 : mi 5.3 - alt. 427 ft - Small road on the left
  10. 9 : mi 5.84 - alt. 423 ft - Bouzanne Meadow
  11. 10 : mi 6.24 - alt. 440 ft - D14 on the left
  12. S/E : mi 6.37 - alt. 453 ft - Car park by the D40 near the church

Notes

Make sure you wear sturdy shoes and, if necessary, long trousers, as the ground is uneven and the grass can be tall depending on the season.
A third of the route is on tarmac... and the crossing of the meadow at (5) is a bit of a guess!

Worth a visit

Velles:

  • Beauregard Castle (15th century): it has been listed as a Historic Monument since 6 October 1933.

https://monumentum.fr/chateau-beauregard…

  • Ruins of Courcenay Castle (15th century) (keep between (4) and (5))
  • Plessis Castle (18th century)

http://www.chateau-fort-manoir-chateau.e...
http://www.leplessis.com/le-domaine-du-p...

  • Vauzelles Castle (18th century)

http://www.chateau-fort-manoir-chateau.e...

  • Saint-Étienne Church: the church features 12th-century stained-glass windows.

https://patrimoine.centre-valdeloire.fr/...

  • Boisé Manor House (16th century)

http://www.chateau-fort-manoir-chateau.e...

  • Calvary (crossroads between (3) and (4))

Reviews and comments

4.8 / 5
Based on 3 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.7 / 5
Ease of following the route
5 / 5
Route interest
4.7 / 5
Lafalla
Lafalla

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Dec 09, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A pleasant, well-marked route, but for us, with a dog, there were too many tarmac roads open to traffic. The paths were muddy at this time of year.

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POPOL36
POPOL36

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 09, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

At a crossroads, the road markings are not very legible.

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lea36
lea36

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Feb 25, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

In my opinion, this hike runs too close to roads. At points 4, 5 and 6, you will pass a farm where the dog roams freely and is not very welcoming. You will then cross a very long hunting area with signs indicating that hunting is in progress, but your route crosses through it.
The route offers beautiful scenery and the signposting is excellent.

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