From Vouzon to Les Quatre Vents

Start from the car park at the church square in Vouzon.

(S/E) From the car park, take the grassy lane on the left with your back to the church; turn right at the end of the lane, then left onto Rue de la Fontaine, which becomes Route de Souvigny D101 (take care).

(1) Turn left onto the path reserved for ‘Authorised Vehicles’, which is closed off by a barrier, shortly after the Tabardière farm on your right. The Allée de la Grillère runs through the Lamotte Beuvron state-owned forest.

(2) Pass through another barrier at the Carrefour de la Grillère, then turn slightly left. Cross the D125 (take care) then continue straight on towards the Ferme de la Grillère. Follow a path alongside the pond, then pass the farm and its pond mill on your left, which face the Château de la Grillère.

(3) At the crossroads, follow the sign for “Sennely 4.5 km” by turning right, which means ignoring the main track signposted “Ménestreau 6 km”. This forest track curves to the right, crosses a pond embankment, then turns left, heading north-north-east.

(4) At the junction with the D17 (take care), turn right, then left onto the grassy track which continues the path leading to La Guérinière. Continue along the track opposite, crossing the D64.

(5) Turn right where the path meets the lane leading to La Courtaille, then left after about fifty metres, at the edge of the forest. After 200 metres, turn left onto the cross-path running alongside the pond

(6) At the crossroads, turn left then immediately right onto the^GR® de Pays de Sologne to follow the watercourse, which will have a leat on the right-hand side. Cross the Cosson.

(7) Follow the signs for “Ménestreau 9.5 km” to the left until you reach the^GR®3C, marked in white and red. Look out for a beech tree over a hundred years old on your right.

(8) Leave the^GR® by turning right at La Maugerie, towards La Belle Fontaine.

(9) Turn left onto the D12.

::10: Then turn left again onto the lane signposted “Les Quatre Vents” (sign attached to a tree).

(11) Turn right towards Les Quatre Vents, passing between two ponds. The lane turns left just after the farm.

(12) At the crossroads, turn right towards the north. This path turns left and then joins a main lane.

(13) Take the lane on the left towards La Bouillie. This lane crosses a stream, then turns right in front of the farm, heading west.

(14) At the crossroads, turn left towards La Rougerie and do not continue straight ahead as the sign for “La Rougerie, Menestreau 8 km” might suggest.

(15) At La Rougerie, pass the farm and then turn left onto the lane signposted “Ménestreau 7 km”.

(16) Turn right onto the side lane, as the main lane ends shortly afterwards. When you reach the D64 (take care), turn right then left onto the track signposted “Ménestreau 7 km” towards Les Foucault.

(17) At the three-way junction, continue straight ahead following the sign for “Ménestreau 6 km”, then take the path on the right and cross the Cosson. The route crosses the tarmac “Route de Vanne”, passes “Fay” on the left, then runs alongside the Étang de Lepaut on the right, followed by a marshy area on the left.

White-red markings (^GR®3C)

(18) Turn right onto the^GR®3C. This becomes the “Route de Sennely” as you approach Ménestreau en Villette. Cross the Route de Vouzon. In the village square, take the street running alongside the church, which can be spotted from a distance thanks to its bell tower.

(19) Turn left at the Fork in the road onto the Route des Moynards.

Yellow-red markings (^GRP® de Sologne)

(20) Follow the sign for “Vouzon 9km”, heading left along the lovely avenue. This crosses the River Canne at the Pont de Chambouy.

(21) Stay on the^GRP® by taking the path on the left leading to the village of Vouzon. Walk alongside the “Poteau” pond, then the Chastanière. The path widens as you approach the village, then becomes tarmac and is named Rue de Chambouy, then Rue de la Black Cross.

(22) Keep left at the junction with Rue des Crayers, then turn right onto the main street. This will take you to the church square (S/E).

For the sake of simplicity, the route description omits the various adjacent private paths, which are always signposted. They are sometimes even redundant, and their location can be confusing on local paths.

The route requires a good sense of direction (or suitable equipment) along its entire unmarked section.
Some sections may be muddy after heavy rain, or even flooded.
Allow between 4 and 5 hours on a mountain bike.

You can stop off at Ménestreau (restaurants).

As access to the country lane that runs past the Quatre Vents farm is blocked by a mound of earth, the building can only be viewed by passing through the entrance to the property, which incorporates the said country lane.

Alternative route

It is possible to shorten the route (31.8 km) by staying on the^GR®3Cat La Maugerie (8). To do this, head towards the Château de la Turpinière, then along the Allée d’Orléans; the^GR®3C(also known as^{the GRP®} de Sologne) joins the route described at (18).

During the walk, you’ll see:
- the lovely square at Ménestreau-en-Villette, the Quatre Vents farm, the Château de la Grillère (though closed off by a gate), its pond mill and its monumental farmhouse, a remnant of Napoleon III’s visit to Sologne,
- the state-owned forest at Lamotte-Beuvron,
- the bell tower of Vouzon Church and its historic houses.