From La Turmelière to Le Champalud, a circular route

The starting point is at the Château de la Turmelière (in the commune of Liré), in the car park on the right just before the château.

(S/E) Take the path that runs past the château (built in the 19th century) and head towards the ruins. You will then arrive at the ruined birthplace of the poet Joachim Du Bellay. Records of this manor house date back to 1285. According to Gilles Colin, Joachim du Bellay’s great-great-grandfather restored the Turmelière manor house, before his great-grandfather, Jehan de Chabot, moved there in 1472. Continue on to admire the other side of the castle.

(2) Take the path leading down to the left after you have walked round the 19th-century château. Pass the entrance to the Moulin des Robinets, situated on the stream of the same name, on your left and continue to the next junction.

(3) Turn left and cross the stream via the small bridge. Pass, without noticing it, by the hamlet known as Le Douet de Loup (also called Le Doigt de Loup) on your right, cross the Chemin des Robinets and head straight ahead.

(4) At a bend just before Le Pé, take the small path on the left and head for the Plantis crossroads (cross).

(5) Take the path straight ahead through the vineyards: on your left, you’ll enjoy a lovely view of the Château de la Turmelière. Turn right at the crossroads and pass through the hamlet of Les Lombardières, where you’ll see two houses converted from old wine presses.

(6) At La Pointe, cross over to take the path opposite. Turn right at the junction by Maison Neuve to come out onto the D154, which links Drain and Saint-Laurent-des-Autels.

(7) Cross with care. Continue straight on to take the path by the cross at the next junction and head for the hamlet of La Vieille Cour: on your left, you can see the moat of an old fortified house.

(8) Turn right and continue to the crossroads.

(9) Take the path slanting off to the left which descends to the hamlet of La Croix and then joins the D253 (calvary).

(10) Cross the D253 carefully, enter the hamlet of La Parisière and take the first path on the right. Once at the end, follow the road to the left to reach the Sainte-Marguerite Chapel (which is privately owned but open to visitors during the day) at a place called La Galloire.

(11) Enjoy the magnificent view over the Loire Valley, then retrace your steps and turn right onto the path through the vineyards.

(12) Turn left at the ‘ANIMAUX’ sign, then immediately right into the woods. After a winding descent, cross the stream. Then follow the path as it winds its way for nearly 2 km along the bottom of the valley, alongside the Ruisseau de la Champenière.

(13) When you reach the bridge, wade across the stream and follow a path that isn’t shown on this map but is clearly there on the ground.

(14) Walk up the hillside to La Gautellerie

(15) Take the path opposite and continue to the next crossroads (calvary).

(16) Turn left and carry on straight ahead to reach the village of Champtoceaux. Go round the roundabout by the gendarmerie on the left and follow Rue Marguerite de Clisson straight ahead to reach the church square.

(17) Turn right to go round it, passing the Saint-Louis care home. Head towards the Champalud, cross the motorhome site and continue to the far end of the park.

(18) The Champalud site: a magnificent viewpoint over the Loire, its islands and Oudon (tower-museum). Turn your back on the river to return to the church via the other side: you can visit the exhibition centre behind it. Then turn right onto Rue Marguerite de Clisson.

(19) At the roundabout by the town hall, take Rue des Remparts, which slopes down, almost directly opposite. Once you reach the Garennes junction, carry on straight ahead for about twenty metres, then veer to the right to follow the path that leads into the woodland.

(20) If you do not wish to visit the ruins of the old citadel of Chateauceaux (the former name of Champtoceaux), carry on straight ahead until you reach the D751.

(21) Turn right and walk along the pavement until you reach the drinking water treatment plant.

(22) Cross the D751 at the pedestrian crossing and take the path that runs under the road leading to Oudon. You’ll reach the hamlet of Cul du Moulin, with its jetty for boat trips on the Loire. “Directly opposite you, you’ll see the ruins of the Moulin Pendu (13th century).”

(23) Continue along the path that passes beneath the Moulin Pendu and then runs alongside the Loire. Join the^GR®3.

(24) Go straight on, past the small river port of La Patache, opposite Île Neuve.

(25) At the junction, continue left onto the^GR®3.

(26) Carry on straight ahead, following the^GR® which, further on, makes a first turn to the right. Turn left before reaching the D751 and continue for a few hundred metres.

(27) At the junction, leave the^GR®3by turning left and, a few dozen metres further on, turn right onto the nature trail. Along this trail, you may come across signs of beaver habitats: piles of trees cut at the base. Continue to the end of the trail.

(28) Take the road to the right, then the track to the left after the bridge. Follow this track for over two kilometres.

(29) At the junction, turn right, then cross theD751 with care to climb the very steep road leading from La Basse Combe to La Haute Combe.

(30) Take the road on the right. Once you reach the crossroads by the wayside cross, go straight on to return to La Turmelière and the castle (S/E).

The route consists of 73 per cent footpaths and 27 per cent local roads.

Some sections are very steep and may be slippery depending on the weather. It is advisable to bring walking poles. In the event of the Loire rising, some sections may be flooded.
Take great care when crossing local roads.
Refreshments are available halfway along the route in the village of Champtoceaux.

(20) If you choose to do so, a visit to the ruins of the old citadel at Chateauceaux takes about 20 minutes and adds a short 1.2 km circular loop to the route.

La Turmelière
The 19th-century château overlooks the site. Joachim du Bellay lived in the manor house situated a little further down. This manor house is now in ruins. In the village of Liré, a museum traces the life and works of Joachim du Bellay.

The streams
This hilly landscape is criss-crossed by numerous streams and brooks. Along the route, you will mainly come across two small streams: the Ruisseau des Robinets and the Ruisseau de la Champenière.

Domaine de la Galloire
The site offers a beautiful view of the Loire Valley. The Sainte-Marguerite Chapel is privately owned, but is open to visitors during the day.
You can sample local produce – wines, meats and more – by popping into the wine cellar!

Le Champalud
An exceptional site. It offers a splendid panoramic view of the Loire and its islands: Île Neuve, Île Macrière and, further afield, Île Coton.

The old medieval town of “Châteauceaux”
Châteauceaux was a vast fortress overlooking the Loire. It was a key battleground between Anjou and Brittany. Today, only a few ruins remain, which are open to visitors (duration: 20 mins). The association “Les Amis du Vieux Châteauceaux” (the former name of Châteauceaux) maintains the site. The walk passes right by it; you can access it via the (20).

The Hanging Mill
At a place known as Le Cul du Moulin, you’ll find the ruins of this ‘Moulin Pendu’. Beneath the arches, the wheels, driven by the river’s current, could be adjusted to suit the river’s water level.

The ‘boires’
The ‘boires’ are former branches of the river that are fed with water during floods. They are home to an exceptional array of biodiversity. The Boire de la Rompure is a popular fishing spot.

Beavers
The nature route runs alongside the Rompure ‘boire’ (27). Here you can find signs of beaver habitation, such as piles of trees cut at the base. Beavers come out at night.