From La Gloriette to Le Bout du Monde

Access: Leave your car in the car park at the Plaine de la Gloriette, on the edge of the D7, the Route des Vallées. By bike, head south to the vegetable garden and the cycle path that runs between the vegetable garden and the Petit Cher. You are now on the Loire à Vélo cycle route.

(S/E) Head west along the Petit Cher, then the Golf de la Gloriette. The track passes through the golf course then turns right to join the D7.

(1) Cross (with caution) and take the path opposite, which continues north-west. Further on, approach the ring road and follow it.

(2) Turn left to pass underneath, arriving at the edge of the Cher. Continue west, still on this section of the Loire à Vélo, following the Cher.

(3) The path moves away from the river. Pass the hamlet of Petit Cordon on your right and its access road on your left, continuing straight ahead across a large field. Further on, pass a road on your left, then the Route des Granges on your right, and continue straight ahead to a bridge over the Petit Cher.

(4) Follow the river along the short stretch it has left to travel, through the undergrowth, before it flows into the Cher. Shortly after this confluence, you will arrive at the Grand Moulin.

(5) This is the start of the circular route. Leave the Loire à Vélo cycle route and turn left towards Ballan-Miré. The road veers left, then take the first right. You will come to the D7.

(6) Turn right for a few dozen metres (take care), then turn left onto a small road that goes uphill. Continue straight ahead.

(7) Ignore the road on your right and continue straight ahead into the Bois des Touches. When you reach a private driveway, turn left, then turn right at the next junction. You will arrive at the entrance to the Château de Bois Renault.

(8) Turn left onto a path that runs alongside this property. Pass the main entrance, follow the path that veers left then right and leads to a small road.

(9) Turn right and continue straight ahead to pass between the Golf de Touraine, its château and the grounds of Château de Vau. Further on, the road veers right then left, still running alongside the Château de Vau property. Continue to the next intersection.

(10) Turn left, facing the entrance to the Vau farm. At the next intersection (roundabout), turn right. The road veers left then right to reach an intersection.

(11) Continue straight ahead. The road quickly turns left then right and arrives near the Manoir du Plessis. At the next intersection, continue straight ahead and stay on this road, passing several roads on the left, to descend into the village of Savonnières at the D7. You will come to some houses.

(12) Turn left onto the main road (D7) and follow it to the bridge over the Cher. Turn right onto the bridge.

(13) Turn left on the other side of the Cher. Continue straight ahead on this small road which runs alongside the Cher, offering beautiful views of the river. Leave Savonnières and enter Villandry, whose village is on the other side of the Cher. Pass several roads on the right as you go through the hamlets of La Motte de Gemmes, Foncher, Le Chat Courant and Le Bois de Plante. Shortly after the last hamlet, the road veers right to pass under the railway line, before passing close to the confluence of the Cher and Loire rivers (signposted, pedestrian access).

(14) Continue on this road (D88), which turns north-east, this time running along the left bank of the Loire. Leave all roads that branch off to the right until further notice.

(15) Pass close to the Grange aux Moines, then a large farm with a tower, before Berthenay.

(16) Cross the small village of Berthenay. Shortly after leaving the village, pass a road on the right and then a farm entrance on the right.

(17) Turn onto the next road on the right, the D288, towards Savonnières. Pass through Aireau des Bergeons (hamlet), then cross the railway line. Immediately after, ignore a road on the right (business park) and further on, rejoin the Cher.

(18) Pass a road on your left and continue along the right bank of the river. The road veers to the right and passes close to the beach before reaching the Savonnières bridge.

(13) Take the bridge on the left to return to the village. At the end of the bridge, turn left.

(19) Turn left after the car park to follow the Cher as closely as possible, back on the Loire à Vélo cycle route, which you will follow for the entire return journey. Pass some barges (boats) and then arrive at a small bridge over the Boire (watch out for pedestrians).

(20) Cross the bridge and pass close to the campsite. Continue straight ahead on the cycle path that runs along the left bank of the Cher (this is also the^GR®®3). Further on, the path turns right. Immediately after, you will reach an intersection.

(21) Take the small road on the left and you will soon reach the Cher. Pass the hamlets of Mitan Bray, La Maison d'Ardoise and Le Haut Bray, continuing straight ahead and ignoring the roads that branch off to the right. You will eventually arrive at Le Grand Moulin, the intersection of the circular route.

(5) Continue straight ahead to return to the Gloriette vegetable garden (S/E) via the same route you took on the way there.

Small roads, cycle paths and a track. Can be done on a hybrid bike. Please note that in the event of a headwind, the sections between (3) and (4) and between (15) and (17) can be quite difficult.

Discover more walks in this area with a description or the Visorando app here

Le Bout du Monde (The End of the World) is the name given by locals to the strip of land between the Cher and Loire rivers just upstream from their confluence, which this route circles between (13) and .

The Gloriette vegetable garden is well worth a visit, even in winter.

The Petit Cher is a branch of the Cher between the Grand Moulin (Ballan-Miré) to the west and Saint Avertin to the east of Tours.

There are many manor houses and woods on the hills between Ballan-Miré and Savonnières (between (8) and (12)). There are also beautiful residences along the banks of the Cher (between (13) and (14)), particularly in Foncher (manor house with mullioned windows) and Chat Courant (beautiful guest house with lovely garden).

The banks of the Cher.
The banks of the Loire.

Savonnières: a lively village in summer. There are several ways to cool off here. On the terrace of a café, on the banks of the Cher. You can also swim in the Cher at the beach on the right bank. Or you can visit the Grottes Pétrifiantes (petrifying caves). These are located on the D7 at the exit of the village in the direction of Villandry. It is best to get there via the cycle path that runs alongside the Cher, also in the direction of Villandry (Loire à Vélo). The caves are located near the picnic area.
In Savonnières, there is still a small shipyard where gabares, the typical boats of the Loire, are built. In summer, you can take a trip on a gabare along the Cher.

The Grand Moulin de Ballan (5). Built in 1520 by the Baron of Semblançay. It is equipped with a system of jacks that raise and lower the water wheel according to the water level in the Cher. The mill is still in operation and produces flour and bran using a double millstone system.