Route des fleurs de la Charente

Nature lovers will be delighted by the Vindelle countryside! Walk along the Charente river, then climb up for a breathtaking view of the valley. A must-see outside of winter!

Details

3103224
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  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 12.16 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 3h 35 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Easy

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 48 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 48 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 83 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 33 m
  • ⚐ Country: France
  • ⚐ District: Vindelle (16430)
  • ⚑
    Start/End: N 45.718854° / E 0.123241°
  • ❏
    IGN map(s): Ref. 1731SB
  • Hour-by-hour weather

Photos

Description of the walk

Start from the car park at the swimming area, Rue des Ponts.

(S/E) With your back to the car park, go through the barrier and walk along the Charente, following the path that gradually moves away from the riverbank. At the end, turn left to reach La Méronne.

(1) Cross the Puits Marot ford and follow the road to the right for about 300 metres.

(2) Take the path on the right, then make a quick left/right turn and go straight ahead into the poplar grove to reach the banks of the Charente.

(3) Turn left and reach the Coursac bridge (see chapter: During the hike or nearby).

(4) Pass under the bridge. On the other side, you will see the Coursac mill. Depending on the season, especially in spring, you can admire snake's head fritillaries, marsh marigolds and cuckoo flowers, or birds nesting, such as corncrakes, swans and ducks... a real site to discover while respecting it.

(5) When you arrive at the port of Guissalle, you can relax and have a picnic. The name of the village comes from Gué sal, the Salt Ford, a place where salt was smuggled between Guissalle and Chapelot to avoid the Gabelle (salt tax). This is why the road to Guissalle is called the Route des Saulniers.

Go back up, turn right onto Passage des Calicobas, then follow the road towards Marsac.

(6) After the Guissalle mill, turn left then immediately right and cross the hamlet of Les Gélinards.

(7) Just before the exit, turn right onto the path. Continue straight ahead, go downhill and follow the woods. Go back up into the fields, turn right then left to rejoin the road further on.

(8) Turn left, then immediately right.

(9) Turn right at thesecond white path and at the end, descend to the left to quickly reach an intersection.

(10) Turn left, then immediately right, continue along the woods and rejoin the Vindelle road (D37).
Follow this road for about 800 metres, observing the usual safety precautions.

(11) Turn right onto the white road, then right again.

(12) Turn left and take the stone path that crosses the Méronne.

(13) Take the path on the right and then follow the Charente on the left. Admire the pretty waterfall below the village of La Chapelle (Balzac) as you pass. Continue to the starting point (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 35 m - Car park at the swimming spot - Charente (fleuve)
  2. 1 : km 0.56 - alt. 34 m - Gué de Puits Marot
  3. 2 : km 0.98 - alt. 35 m - Path on the right
  4. 3 : km 1.39 - alt. 36 m - The Charente, on the left
  5. 4 : km 3.1 - alt. 36 m - Coursac Bridge
  6. 5 : km 5.99 - alt. 37 m - Port of Guissalle
  7. 6 : km 6.57 - alt. 39 m - After the Guissalle mill, on the left
  8. 7 : km 6.8 - alt. 59 m - Les Gélinards, on the right
  9. 8 : km 7.57 - alt. 83 m - Road, left then immediately right
  10. 9 : km 8.01 - alt. 73 m - White path on the right
  11. 10 : km 8.81 - alt. 52 m - Intersection, on the left
  12. 11 : km 9.97 - alt. 38 m - White path on the right
  13. 12 : km 10.5 - alt. 35 m - Turn left at the fork
  14. 13 : km 10.9 - alt. 35 m - Path on the right
  15. S/E : km 12.16 - alt. 35 m - Car park at the swimming spot

Notes

In winter and spring, some areas are very muddy, even flooded and impassable.
Crossing the Méronne via the stones is very slippery and often submerged.
Come by bus: Möbius TAD.
Markings: Pink.
Shade and sun.
Family-friendly: yes
Contacts: Town hall: +33 (0)5 45 21 42 82 / Tourist Office: +33 (0)5 45 95 16 84

Extract from file No. 013PA Walks between Touvre and Charente

Worth a visit

Things to see along the way: swimming, the bridge and mill at Coursac, the mill at Guissalle, the church at Vindelle

(4) Coursac bridge: in 1874, it replaced a chain ferry and the barge at the port of Coursac, which were used to cross the Charente, as there was no bridge between Balzac and Vindelle.
This was also the route taken by traffic between Vars, Montignac, Champniers, La Rochefoucault, Hiersac and Rouillac.
Stones, sand, gravel, wood, passengers, oxen for carting, horses and other animals were transported from one bank to the other. A plaque in the middle of the bridge provides more details.

Reviews and comments

4.6 / 5
Based on 11 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.7 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.4 / 5
Route interest
4.7 / 5
User 26061944

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 23, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Start and finish along the banks of the Charente – very nice!
Even at the very beginning of summer, there was plenty of wildlife to see!
Thank you

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Office de tourisme Angoulême
Office de tourisme Angoulême

Hello,
Thank you for your comment. Yes, it's a beautiful route along the Charente, which you can still enjoy before the water rises and prevents you from crossing the Méronne fords.
See you soon on our trails.
Chantal

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Xiv Le Niv
Xiv Le Niv

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 02, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A beautiful route along the Charente river, then across plateaus dotted with vineyards. Some really lovely stretches. Don't hesitate to give it a go.

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Office de tourisme Angoulême
Office de tourisme Angoulême

Hello,

Thank you for your comment. There is still time to take advantage of the mild weather and low water levels to cross the fords without any problems. Enjoy your hike, everyone!
Chantal

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jm1617
jm1617

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 06, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

This route is very pleasant and follows the Charente river for several kilometres.
I recommend it to everyone.

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Office de tourisme Angoulême
Office de tourisme Angoulême

Hello,

Thank you for your comment. Indeed, the tourist office and the GrandAngoulême urban community are doing everything they can to enable everyone to discover the Pays d'Angoulême region through hiking.
I invite you to visit our website at www.angouleme-rando.com
Kind regards,
Chantal

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chipie33290
chipie33290

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 30, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Hello,
A very pleasant route, mostly along paths and largely alongside the Charente river.
Well marked and well maintained.
No difficulties today in crossing the two fords.
Thank you to the tourist office for making these routes available on Viso Rando.

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Office de tourisme Angoulême
Office de tourisme Angoulême

Hello,
Thank you for your comment.
See you soon on our trails!

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TISSOTV
TISSOTV

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 18, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

We did part of the hike along the Charente river, a fairly wild section with a well-maintained path (grass cut, edges cleared).

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Office de tourisme Angoulême
Office de tourisme Angoulême

Hello,
Thank you for your comment. This is indeed mentioned in the practical information, but it really needs to be emphasised, and this beautiful route should be reserved for sunny days.
Kind regards,
Chantal

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wimac
wimac

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jan 16, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Please note that the Marot well ford is impassable when the Charente river is in flood. Currently impossible January 2022

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Office de tourisme Angoulême
Office de tourisme Angoulême

Hello,
I have just spoken with the association that manages the maintenance of this route. They are well aware of the inconvenience caused, but a decree only allows these paths along the Charente to be cleaned after the nesting period, so this will be done shortly.
Thank you for your comment.
Chantal
Pays d'Angoulême Tourist Office

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Jean-Jacques Mongeaud
Jean-Jacques Mongeaud

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 09, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A very pleasant route along the Charente, with plenty of shade, which was much appreciated in this hot weather! However, some sections had very tall grass, which made it unpleasant to walk in these conditions...

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Office de tourisme Angoulême
Office de tourisme Angoulême

Hello,
Thank you for your message. I will check the markings; they have probably been damaged by the heavy spring floods.
Kind regards

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Pharmanain
Pharmanain

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : May 31, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Enjoy your hike. Be careful when crossing the stream at the end of the trail: you will get your shoes wet. There are no signposts at some junctions.

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