Route du Gué de la Reine to Mairé

An old port on the left bank of the Creuse, nestled on the border between Poitou and its neighbours Berry and Touraine.
This route offers the chance to discover vineyard huts, beautiful views over the Creuse valley and to cross the magnificent Gué de la Reine stream.

Details

3148600
Creation:
Last update:
Last review:
  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 3.92 mi
  • ◔
    Average duration: 2h 10 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Easy

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 390 ft
  • ↘
    Descent: - 384 ft

  • ▲
    Highest point: 449 ft
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 230 ft
  • ⚐ Country: France
  • ⚐ City: Mairé (86270)
  • ⚑
    Start/End: N 46.858363° / E 0.749949°
  • ❏
    IGN map(s): Ref. 1825SB, 1925SB
  • Hour-by-hour weather

Description of the walk

(S/E) From the town hall car park, take the Route de Châtellerault, keeping the town hall on your right. Walk up to the three-way junction where there is a cross.

(1) Then take the path on the left, known as the Chemin de la Sinellerie, and continue uphill. Enter the Rocreuse forest and you will soon reach a crossroads.

(2) Turn left. Pass a vineyard hut, turn right with the path and ignore the turnings on the left.

(3) At a place called Les Carrés, first turn right then left to take a sunken path. Cross the stream via a small wooden bridge and head up to a place called Fenongue.

(4) Then follow a road to the right, which soon gives way to a path. Ignore a turn-off on the left and continue westwards along the path. Cross the stream again over a small wooden bridge. Continue uphill and ignore a turn-off on the left.

(5) Take thefirst path on the right. At the end, follow a road to the right.

(6) After about 150 m, turn left onto a path. Climb up and reach the crossroads in the forest you took on the way there.

(2) Turn left. Cross a small road and continue straight on until you reach the large cross on a mound of stones.

(7) Then turn right onto a wide path which then becomes a sunken track. Reach a road and follow it to the left.

(1) At the cross seen on the way out, continue along the road to the town hall (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : mi 0 - alt. 243 ft - Town hall car park
  2. 1 : mi 0.14 - alt. 282 ft - Three-way junction - Cross
  3. 2 : mi 0.57 - alt. 427 ft - Crossroads of the southern circular loop
  4. 3 : mi 0.88 - alt. 354 ft - Les Carrés
  5. 4 : mi 1.27 - alt. 253 ft - Fenongue
  6. 5 : mi 2.25 - alt. 374 ft - Crossroads
  7. 6 : mi 2.56 - alt. 312 ft - Start of the path
  8. 7 : mi 3.31 - alt. 449 ft - Crossroads - Cross
  9. S/E : mi 3.92 - alt. 243 ft - Town hall car park

Notes

Picnic area
The banks of the Creuse for picnics

Worth a visit

At the start, heritage signs have been put up for a short route around the village.
Two houses dating from the 15th and 16th centuries.
An old well.
The River Creuse, the natural border with Indre-et-Loire.
View of the bell tower of Mairé church.
Rocreuse Forest.
View of Mairé and Lésigny.
The Gué de la Reine stream.

Reviews and comments

4.9 / 5
Based on 4 reviews

Reliability of the description
5 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.8 / 5
Route interest
5 / 5
hoamaivang
hoamaivang

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 02, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A wonderful discovery in this charming little village. Thank you.

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jfcousty
jfcousty

Thank you very much for your reply; it’s good to see that sharing your opinion actually makes a difference.

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Grand Châtellerault
Grand Châtellerault

Hello JFCousty,
Thank you for your review and comment.
We are currently carrying out a development study for the two footbridges and are taking the necessary steps with the local council regarding the maintenance of the paths.
We hope to see you again on our hiking trails.
Kind regards,
Grand Châtellerault Tourism

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jfcousty
jfcousty

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 23, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A lovely route with a variety of paths, but unfortunately there are two tricky fords; if the water level is high, you’ll have to wade through barefoot. The two wooden footbridges are rotten.
Also, before the final stretch of road, there is a downhill path eroded by water, which is very dangerous for those with poor balance.
Needs maintenance in places.

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Raoul Dubois
Raoul Dubois

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 07, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

The route should include the old port on the Creuse (the site has a lot of charm). Otherwise, it’s a very pleasant route with numerous stunning views, some of which give a distinctly ‘19th-century’ feel due to the complete absence of power lines and the scarcity of modern buildings. It’s therefore also a little journey back in time...

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Mic86
Mic86

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 20, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A very pleasant walk through fields and woods, well signposted. You can also extend the walk slightly by starting from the picnic area on the banks of the Creuse; this takes you through this charming, well-kept little village and allows you to visit the old port.

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