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The hike starts at the car park inside the citadel of Brouage, to the south near the Porte de Hiers (Place d'Armes).
(S/E) From the car park, take the dirt track that climbs up to the curtain wall (part of the rampart between two watchtowers). When you reach the top, turn left and follow the rampart with the citadel on your left and the void on your right.
(1) On the left, you will see a building with a pointed conical roof. This is the ice house. You can visit it and go down the stairs inside (bring a torch).
Continue up the rampart and follow it northwards.
(2) Pass over a vaulted opening under the rampart. This is the underground port from which boats used to shuttle between this port and the larger ships moored in the harbour. Turn at a right angle and walk along the top of the stone rampart. At the end of the path, descend to street level via the stone staircase that runs alongside the inclined plane.
(3) Leave the citadel via the road that crosses the rampart through a breach and turn right. You can see the rampart on your right from below. Cross a bridge with wooden balustrades and turn right onto the tarmac road just after the bridge (towards Beaugeay). Continue on the tarmac road for 2.8 km. You will have a general view of the citadel. Pass under a medium-voltage power line that you can see from a distance.
(4) 300 m after this power line, turn right towards a hill clearly visible in the marsh, which is the site of the village of Hiers. The road winds through the marsh and joins the D238.
(5) The road begins to climb and turns sharply to the left. Before this bend, take the gravel path on the right, which runs almost parallel to the road. The path climbs slightly, which is rare in a marsh landscape. Continue straight ahead, still on the gravel path, to enter the village of Hiers.
(6) When you reach the street, turn right. Pass in front of the town hall with its pretty little bell tower and head towards the church, whose bell tower you can see. Pass in front of the church and the surprising statue representing a figurehead. Take the D3 road for 50 m. Be careful of traffic and stay on the side of the road.
(7) Turn right onto a gravel path just before the sign marking the end of the village of Hiers. Walk for about 1.2 km.
(8) At the end of the path, turn right onto a wider path. Continue straight ahead. The gravel path becomes a tarmac road. You will come to a larger road.
(9) Watch out for traffic! Take this road on the left towards Brouage, which is clearly visible. Walk in single file for 500 m on the hard shoulder, which is passable. Enter the citadel through the Hiers gate, which is on the opposite side to the starting gate, and you will immediately find the car park (S/E).
Visorando member
Moderate 
