The slopes of La Roche near Beaupréau

Start at the Petit Coin picnic area.

Yellow-marked walk.

(S/E) Walk up the path and turn left onto the small road towards La Roche Baraton.

(1) At the three-way junction, turn right onto the main road

(2) Continue to the left, pass the Bonvin turn-off, and carry on to the crossroads about a hundred metres further on.

(3) Follow the road up to your right to the hamlet of La Roche Baraton. Walk through the hamlet and carry on straight ahead. Admire the pretty houses typical of the local architecture. Pass the hamlet of Le Crossier and reach the junction at La Feilière.

(4) At the T-junction, turn left. At the next crossroads, turn left and carry on straight ahead, ignoring the turn-off to the right towards La Polissière and then the La Gueltière crossroads. About 800 metres after this crossroads (elevation 82), when the route turns westwards, you’ll reach a crossroads with a dirt track

(5) Take the dirt track on the left to walk along the edge of the woods. Ignore a turn-off on the left. Then take the dirt track on the left and head down the Èvre valley. You will reach the Roche Baraton crossroads.

(3) Continue straight on.

(1) Turn slightly left to reach the picnic area (S/E).

Les Moulins de l’Èvre: the meandering course of this 92km river, which flows through the Mauges region and empties into the Loire, was ideal for the development of watermills. This is evident along this route, as reflected in the names of the local places.