From Salaise through the orchards towards the prison and the Tour d’Anjou

Start from the centre of the village of Salaise, to the west of the town hall, on Rue Avit Nicolas, from the car park opposite the chemist’s. The car park is shaded by a canopy of solar panels.

(S/E) Start from the car park with the canopy opposite the chemist’s. Head towards Rue Avit Nicolas and follow it to the right until you reach the traffic lights and the junction by the town hall.

(1) Continue straight on towards the church and Rue Avit Nicolas. At the junction after the church, turn right onto Rue Daniele Casanova, which then curves to the left and joins Rue des Fontaines. Turn right onto this street and follow it for 150 metres.

(2) Turn left onto Rue Lac Jacob, which then curves slightly to the right. After 400 metres, follow the road as it turns sharply right. Leave the village here and head into the countryside. The road leads towards some farm buildings and passes through them. Then walk past a house on the right. Continue for 100 metres past this house.

(3) Turn left into the woodland for 300 metres, passing through the woodland and farmland. Reach a wide track and follow it to the left. Ignore a track branching off to the left towards farm buildings. 30 metres past this left-hand track, reach another track and turn right onto it. Ignore a path coming from the left; after 150 metres, reach a wide track.

(4) Follow it to the right for 50 metres until you reach a wooded area. Turn left into the woods and walk for 150 metres. Then take the path branching off at a right angle to the right. Walk past the ruins of the old prison (see the section on places of interest below for more details). Pass under the high-voltage power line and, after 50 metres, take the grassy path on the left. Continuing almost in a straight line, you’ll reach a road. Watch out for traffic.

(5) Turn right and walk for 100 metres to reach another road; cross it and follow Rue du Sorbier on the opposite side towards the centre of the village of Agnin. You’ll come to the fountain on your left; turn left onto Rue du Revolley. Cross Rue des Écoles and reach Montée du Village. Turn right for 30 metres, then turn left onto Rue du Tinal. Reach a road junction and Montée de la Grande Vigne.

(6) Cross it and walk alongside the cemetery on your right. Continue along the wide path. Walk past a house on your right, then another on your left along a section of path that is now tarmac-surfaced. 100 metres further on, turn left onto Chemin du Tinal, which is tarmac-surfaced for 100 metres. Ignore the tarmac path branching off to the left and follow the grassy path opposite, which is poorly maintained and obstructed in two places by oak trees you’ll need to step over. You’ll reach a road; follow it to the right to reach the junction of the old village of Anjou and the Montée du Village.

(7) Turn right onto the Montée du Village to admire the row of historic buildings, with the old church at the far end.
Retrace your steps and take the road winding uphill to the right. Ignore a road joining from the left and continue uphill to the right, following a large wall on your right. At the level section, note a cross on the right against the wall and a path leading uphill to the left.

(8) Take the path on the left which leads up to the site of the Tour d’Anjou. Cross the site heading north to reach a road, then follow it to the left for 150 metres. At the next junction, take the road on the right (Chemin de la Feyta) and, after 100 metres, take the path leading down to the left. For one kilometre, the path winds down through the forest, occasionally following rutted tracks, until it reaches the bed of a dry stream.

(9) Turn left, following the stream bed carved into the cliffs. You’ll reach a tarmac section and walk past a house on your left. Go round the right-hand side of the bridge and come out onto a road. Turn left onto Chemin de la Vescia and continue to the first house. Before the house, turn left along the stream bed you followed earlier and you’ll reach a bridge and a road.

(10) Head right along the road until you reach another main road. Watch out for traffic. Take the road on the left, crossing the bridge. After 400 metres, you’ll reach a junction with a wide track on either side called the Chemin du Coquillard. Take this track to the right for 600 metres to reach the D131C road at a multi-way junction. Watch out for traffic.

(11) Cross the road and head straight ahead along the Chemin des Escarbots, ignoring a road and a track branching off to the right. Follow the main track for one kilometre. Cross a road just before the water tower on the right. Pass through a wooded area, then walk alongside the houses on the right until you reach another one.

(12) Take Rue de Montailloud on the right. After 800 metres and a descent, you’ll reach a junction near some houses on the left. Carry straight on, ignoring Chemin des Vaures which branches off to the right.

(13) After 50 metres, you’ll reach a main road, Rue de la Rebatière. Watch out for traffic. Head left onto this road, following the path on the right, until you reach a roundabout. Carry on straight ahead to return to the large brown town hall building on the left. You’ll arrive at the traffic lights.

(1) Turn right onto Rue Avit Nicolas. After 100 metres, you’ll reach the car park on Rue Avit Nicolas (S/E).

Standard hiking kit.
Houses nearby where you can get water.

The Salaise Reformatory: only ruins remain of this large house, built in 1880 by Mr Favier for agricultural use. In 1905, the house was sold and became a reformatory for around thirty young offenders aged between 9 and 21, who worked in the vineyards and attended school.
The chapel in the Old Village of Anjou / In the Old Village of Anjou, the Chapel of Our Lady of Mercy is set amongst a row of beautiful 16th-century houses.
The Tower of Anjou: the remains of an old 15th-century fortified castle belonging to the Roussillon-Anjou family. The castle was largely demolished during the Revolution and its building materials were often plundered.