From the Loire to the Forest

Megaliths, priory, chapel, church, sailors' houses; the history of Thoureil can be discovered through its buildings and landscapes, linked in their history by the Loire. Hilly route.

Details

1157851
Creation:
Last update:
Last review:
  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 7.12 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 2h 15 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Easy

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 74 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 69 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 84 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 32 m

Photos

Description of the walk

Departure: Le Thoureil (car park next to the municipal workshops) - Markings: Yellow

(S/E) From the car park, turn right. Follow the road with theGR®3(red and white markings) for about 2 km, ignoring any turnoffs along the way.

(1) At the intersection, turn left. Follow the path to the tarmac road near La Filousière. Continue along this road until you reach the crossroads.

(2) Then turn right, then immediately left to follow the path. Continue like this until the next intersection at Pierre de Nézan.

(3) Turn left, then right. Continue along this path heading south-east.

(4) Cross the D356 and follow the path opposite. Pass the megaliths of Varennes de Cumeray and continue to the start of a road.

(5) Then turn left and follow the path that takes you between the houses.

(6) Turn left and walk past the chapel. Then follow the road until you reach the first houses on your left.

(7) Take the path on the right: you will be rewarded with a panoramic view of the Loire.

(8) Ignore the road that branches off to the right and turn left onto the path. Cross a road and walk alongside the cemetery. Cross the D356 and return to the starting point (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 34 m - Car park next to the municipal workshops - La Loire
  2. 1 : km 1.96 - alt. 77 m - Crossroads
  3. 2 : km 3.2 - alt. 77 m - Chemin du Bois Davy
  4. 3 : km 3.94 - alt. 75 m - Pierre de Nézan
  5. 4 : km 4.73 - alt. 63 m - Crossing the D356
  6. 5 : km 5.16 - alt. 63 m - Road junction - path
  7. 6 : km 5.42 - alt. 44 m - Cumeray
  8. 7 : km 6.34 - alt. 57 m - Panorama Loire - Start of the trail
  9. 8 : km 6.54 - alt. 35 m - Richebourg
  10. S/E : km 7.12 - alt. 33 m - Car park next to the municipal workshops

Notes

Worth a visit

- Saint-Génulf Church (11th-13th centuries)
- The Nézan Stone (lying menhir)
- Menhir and Dolmen of Varennes de Cumeray
- The Cumeray wash house
- Panoramic view of the Loire
- The remains of the Tower of Wales (11th century)
- The Dutch Manor and the Dutch Tower (17th and 18th century residences)
- The banks of the Loire and the village's maritime heritage.

 Always be cautious and plan ahead when you're outdoors. Visorando and the author of this route cannot be held responsible for any accidents occurring on this route.

The GR® and PR® markings are the intellectual property of the Fédération Française de Randonnée Pédestre.

Reviews and comments

4.6 / 5
Based on 20 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.7 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.5 / 5
Route interest
4.6 / 5
jlucquimper
jlucquimper

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Nov 10, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Beautiful route in the forest

Machine-translated

alainlh
alainlh

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 09, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A very pleasant route through the forest above the small village of Le Thoureil, a charming village along the Loire River.

Machine-translated

Sandy56
Sandy56

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : May 12, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

Great walk, but it lacks colour-coded directions to avoid getting lost or taking longer routes at some intersections

Machine-translated

frelezaux
frelezaux

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 27, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A very pleasant and easy hike, with beautiful views of the Loire at the end of the trail. At the end of the walk, don't hesitate to stop by the café-restaurant next to the church (good local beer, among other things, and a few dishes).

Machine-translated

Alain Z49
Alain Z49

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 03, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

a pleasant hike, with a menhir and a large tree hidden in one spot, offering beautiful views along the way!

Machine-translated

franzybul
franzybul

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : May 20, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

to do in July

Machine-translated

Domido49
Domido49

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jan 27, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A short, easy hike with a few standing stones along the way, ending with a view overlooking Le Thoureil. The last section can be a bit muddy if it has rained recently. Very well signposted with good directional signage.

Machine-translated

Phil.Cormier
Phil.Cormier
• Edited:

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 23, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A pleasant hike, shaded for three-quarters of the route. A very beautiful part of the circuit overlooking the Loire with views over the rooftops of Le Thoureil
Overall, a good circuit.

Machine-translated

sebcastel49
sebcastel49

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 10, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

good walk, easy route to follow

Machine-translated

Stephanie 49
Stephanie 49

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 10, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

The area with menhirs and dolmens on the side of the path is magnificent, as is the descent to the Loire

Machine-translated

rudvid56
rudvid56

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : May 28, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Easy-to-follow, very pleasant and shaded route

Machine-translated

Chanchan49
Chanchan49

Overall rating : 4 / 5

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

Very beautiful route. Superb scenery. Yellow route. Route poorly marked in some places. Worth doing

Machine-translated

nakety
nakety

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Feb 13, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Megaliths and medieval villages.

Machine-translated

ChrisMath
ChrisMath

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Dec 14, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

A beautiful route, pleasant in autumn, with lovely views of the Loire, the forest, and the towns and cultural sites.

Machine-translated

RenaTo 7549
RenaTo 7549

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 09, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Be careful after leaving the workshop, as it is not easy to find the yellow signs on the left. If you go too far, you will find a new yellow trail and get lost. The best thing to do is to start from the motorhome car park, pass through Richebourg and then, at the end of the trail, visit the village. Near the school and town hall, you will find a beautiful sculpture and, at the end of the trail, the Loire with its sandbanks and boats, the sunset, all right in front of you

Machine-translated

Other walks in the area

For more walks, use our search engine .

The GPS track and description are the property of this route's author. Please do not copy them without permission.